Design and CAD
Tinkercad
Autodesk's free CAD that runs in the browser and on iPad. The standard entry point for designing your first part without installing anything.
Tinkercad is a free Autodesk app for 3D design, electronics and block-based coding, aimed at beginners and classrooms. It runs inside the browser with no installation, and there is also a free official iPad app with the same 3D editor and Codeblocks functionality plus an augmented-reality feature. Its working model is primitive solids added and subtracted: in half an hour you can design a box, a bracket or a spacer, and that solves 80 % of what a beginner needs to print. It requires being online and having an account or class code. Autodesk states you need a viewport at least 864 px wide to open the editors.
Best for
- Designing your first part with nothing to install and nothing to pay
- Schools and workshops with modest computers
- Simple boxes, brackets, spacers and adapters
- Teaching 3D design to children and teenagers
Limitations
- Not parametric: changing a dimension means redoing the step
- Not suitable for complex surfaces or large assemblies
- Requires an internet connection: no network, no work
- Designs live in Autodesk's cloud, not on your computer
Sources
- [1]Tinkercad — aplicación gratuita de diseño 3D, electrónica y códigoAutodesk · Manufacturer · accessed July 27, 2026
- [2]Tinkercad iPad AppAutodesk · Manufacturer · accessed July 27, 2026
- [3]Browser, Platform, and Hardware requirements — Tinkercad Help CenterAutodesk · Manufacturer · accessed July 27, 2026