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ZWCAD

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ZWCAD?
ZWCAD is a powerful, reliable, and affordable DWG compatible 2D CAD solution targeting the architecture, engineering & construction (AEC) and manufacturing (MFG) industries.

With the familiar UI, commands and aliases, switching to ZWCAD requires almost zero relearning if you've used CAD software before.
Is the ZWCAD license perpetual (life-time)?
Yes, you'll get a perpetual license when you purchase ZWCAD. That means you OWN the software and the license never expires. Pay once and forget about any recurring monthly/yearly payments.

When a new ZWCAD version is released, you can choose to pay for the upgrade or to stay with the version you have. For detailed information, see the question "What is the detailed pricing structure of ZWCAD?" below.
Is the ZWCAD cloud-based?
No. ZWCAD is 100% non-cloud and doesn't store data on any external server. Once activated, you can run ZWCAD without internet connection.
Can I install ZWCAD on Mac?
Currently ZWCAD only supports the Windows systems (64 bit Windows 7 sp1, Windows 8.1 or Window 10/11).
Can I try ZWCAD before purchasing it?

Of course! Go to our Download pages to get your 30-day trial of ZWCAD with no limitation.

Download ZWCAD

Download ZWCAD MFG

What's the differences between ZWCAD versions?

Please check HERE for the detailed comparison between different ZWCAD versions.

What is the detailed pricing structure of ZWCAD?

Unlike other expensive CAD systems that charge accumulated maintenance fees, ZWCAD's pricing structure is quite simple, transparent and affordable.

  1. New license price = MSRP

    This is the price you pay for a new license of the latest ZWCAD version. Check the current MSRPs HERE.

  2. Maintenance = 20% of MSRP / per year

    A user can purchase maintenance when (1) purchasing a new license or upgrade (2) deciding to keep the software up-to-date when the current maintenance is still valid.

    For example, a user can purchase a new ZWCAD 2025 license + 1-yr maintenance. This way when ZWCAD 2026 is out, the user can move up to it freely.

    A user can also purchase maintenance when upgrading (see below) to the latest version.

    Yearly maintenance is always optional. If ZWCAD 2025 is the latest version, a ZWCAD 2025 user can purchase an 1-yr maintenance anytime before ZWCAD 2026 is out.


    A user can purchase 1-yr, 2-yr, or 3-yr maintenance to make sure the software stays the latest version within these years (that's why it's called a "maintenance"; it maintains your software and keeps it up to date).

  3. Upgrading = 30% of MSRP / per time

    If you don't keep the maintenance with the current version then you will have to pay the upgrade fee when you decide to upgrade to the latest version. The difference here between other CAD vendors' pricing model is: when you upgrade, you don’t need to pay the accumulated maintenance fees within the missed years. Say you bought the ZWCAD 2018 (without any maintenance), and now you decide to upgrade to the latest version (say ZWCAD 2025), you only need to pay 30% of the current new-license price to upgrade.

    In the same scenario, if you decide to stay with ZWCAD 2025, 7 years later you'll still only need to pay 30% of that MSRP to upgrade to ZWCAD 2032. No accumulated maintenance hassle whatsoever.

    When you upgrade (paying 30% of MSRP), this is the time you can consider buying extra maintenance (20%). If you think you’ll become a loyal user, this can save you some money (10% per year) for the new version coming in the near future.

What are the licensing options?

ZWCAD provides these licensing options:

  1. Soft-key Standalone license (recommended): You'll get a license key (sometimes referred as the Activation ID) as a six letter-number combination like Z1E8-FE3B-YYYY-X3XX-JPIN-XXXX. In ZWCAD's License Manager you can use the license key to activate the software with just a few clicks. If you want to use the same license on a different PC, you just need to "return" the license on PC 1, and activate it on PC 2.

    The activation/returning requires the internet connection, but you only need to do it once. When activated, ZWCAD doesn't require the internet connection anymore.

    We always recommend this licensing method because it's the easiest way to to deploy and manage ZWCAD in your team.


  2. Soft-key Network license: This method needs the Network License Manager software to be installed on a local server for distributing ZWCAD licenses to individual PCs.

  3. Dongle: Although available, we don't recommend this method because it always brings more trouble than benefits for these reasons:

    > Shipping/replacing the dongle takes time and has uncertainties.
    > You may lose the dongle easily (that always happens!).
    > The dongle occupies an USB port and may cause compatibility issues with other devices.
How do I install and activate ZWCAD?

Please follow the instruction HERE to activate your ZWCAD.

Can I use the same ZWCAD license on different PCs?
Yes, you can use the same license on different PCs by "returning" and "re-activating" the license in ZWCAD's License Manager. It's a matter of just a few clicks.
What should I do if my PC broke and thus can't return the license?

If your old PC is not functional for whatever reasons (e.g.  hard disk failure, OS re-installation, etc) and you forgot to return the license before it happened, please download and fill the ZWSoft Product Activation ID Reset Form and send it to us.

We'll reset your license in 3 business days. Once informed, you can use it again on your new PC.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us HERE. Our ZW3D experts will be more than happy to assist you.

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