Materializr is a new parametric CAD program for makers. The software is licensed under the GPLv3, requires neither a subscription nor a user account, and runs on Windows and Linux, on the Mac, the iPad, and Android tablets, as 3Druck.com reported on November 6, 2026.
The program is meant to fill the gap between simple beginner tools and heavy professional software. Replacing SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or FreeCAD is not the goal, the project writes on its website.
What can Materializr design?
Under the hood works the geometry kernel OpenCASCADE, which creates true solid bodies instead of triangle meshes. With lines, circles, arcs, and splines you sketch the part; dimensions and constraints remain optional. From the sketch, a body is created via extrusion, revolution, loft, fillet, or chamfer.
Materializr derives threads from the diameter, and text and SVG graphics can be embossed onto flat and curved surfaces. Every work step is preserved in an editable history, even after reopening the project.
For printing, the program exports STL, 3MF, and OBJ with the Z axis in the print direction, and STEP and IGES for exchange with other CAD software.
Sketches go out 1:1 in millimeters as SVG and DXF, intended for laser cutters and 2.5D mills. Bodies can also be unfolded, and the cutting patterns come as SVG or PDF, for example for sheet metal or EVA foam. The project does not explicitly mention plotters.
On which devices does Materializr run?
Ready-made packages are available on GitHub for Windows (installer or portable ZIP), Linux (AppImage), and macOS. In addition, an iPad app is available in the App Store and an Android version via Google Play, F-Droid, or as an APK.
Materializr at a glance
Parametric CAD for makers, GPLv3, no account
- Free, with no subscription and no user account
- STL, 3MF, and OBJ for 3D printing
- SVG and DXF in millimeters for laser and mill
- Mac only with Apple chip from M1
- No version for smartphones
- No replacement for SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or FreeCAD
The developers call the software young and error-prone
Sources: 3Druck.com, Materializr, GitHub
On the Mac, the app runs only with an Apple chip from M1. The Mac version is ad hoc signed and not notarized, so you confirm the first launch via "Open". Linux requires glibc 2.38 or newer, and Android a tablet with an arm64 processor. The developers do not plan smartphone support because of the small screens.
At first launch, you choose one of three user interfaces, two of them for the desktop, the third for touch operation. The program is available in six languages. Whether a German interface is among them could not be determined.
How mature is the program, and what does the AI assistant do?
The developers call the software young and rough around the edges. If you move a body with many individual steps, the link to the sketch can break. A chamfer on an edge that meets a fillet sometimes fails; the program then refuses the operation instead of damaging the model.
The AI assistant translates instructions in everyday language into modeling steps that can be undone. It needs its own key from OpenAI or Anthropic or a local server such as Ollama or LM Studio. With a provider key, the provider's prices and data rules apply.
What this means for you
It's best to try Materializr on a small part, such as a bracket or a housing, and save early and often, because the developers themselves warn of bugs.
If you work with a laser or mill, export a sketch as SVG or DXF and check in the cutting software whether the dimensions arrive 1:1. For a cutting plotter, a test with a simple file is worthwhile, because the project does not explicitly mention plotters.
If you want to use the AI assistant and don't want to send your requests to a provider, set it up with a local server.
3Druck.com published the report on November 6, 2026.
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