pic2CAD vs other picture to CAD tools
pic2CAD turns a picture or PDF of any real object, people, furniture, pets, cars, into a line-drawn CAD block. Pick just the subject, the whole picture as is, or all 4 orthographic views (front, side, back, top) in one generation, and get a DXF at real scale in millimetres, SVG and PNG, plus PDF and EPS from My Drawings. What it does not do: vectorise an existing scanned plan or place dimension lines.
pic2CAD's own block library: over 250 blocks, all free, growing every week.
| Tool | What it does | 2D library / CAD blocks | Input | Output formats | Generates orthographic views | Scale / units | Free plan | Signup required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pic2CAD | Turns a picture of anything into a real-scale line-art CAD block: just the subject, the whole picture or 4 orthographic views. | Yes, over 250 blocks. | JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, PDF, up to 30 MB. | DXF, SVG, PNG, plus PDF/EPS/DWG from My Drawings. | Yes, 4 views. | Yes, mm (you set the height). | Yes, 1 drawing a month, renewed monthly. | To generate (upload needs no account). |
| PhotoCAD | Turns pictures, sketches or scans into vector CAD drawings for manufacturing, CNC and architecture. | Yes, over 200 drawings. | JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, AVIF, TIFF, PDF, maximum size not stated. | DXF, DWG, SVG, PDF | No. | Yes, mm (300 mm default). | Yes, 3 free conversions plus 200+ free gallery drawings. | To generate (email only). |
| ImageToCAD.ai | Turns images and PDFs into clean vector CAD drawings. | No. | JPG, PNG, BMP, PDF, up to 10 MB. | DXF, DWG-ready (their own wording) | No. | Not stated. | Yes, trying is free; downloading is paid. | To download (DXF or DWG). |
| TechDraw AI | Turns a picture or sketch into a technical drawing with views and dimensions. | No. | JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, AVIF, TIFF, GIF, BMP, maximum size not stated. | DXF, DWG (SVG, PDF also mentioned) | Yes, with dimensions. | Yes, one measurement you set. | Yes, free browser conversion, no watermark. | To download. |
| Vectorizer.AI | Turns any image (logos, illustrations, pictures) into a vector. | No. | JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, up to 30 MB. | DXF, SVG, PDF, EPS, PNG | No. | Not stated. | Yes, trying is free; downloading is paid. | To download (paid account). |
| Scan2CAD | Desktop software that vectorises plans and technical drawings. | Not stated. | JPG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, PDF, maximum size not stated. | DXF, DWG | No. | Not stated. | No, a time-limited trial only. | Not applicable (desktop software). |
| Free CAD block libraries (e.g. First In Architecture) | Catalogue of ready-drawn CAD blocks to download and insert. | Yes. | Not applicable: no picture upload, only ready-made blocks. | DWG (AutoCAD 2010 format) | Not applicable. | Not stated. | Yes, the whole library is free. | Not stated. |
Source: PhotoCAD (photocad.ai)Source: ImageToCAD.ai (imagetocad.ai)Source: TechDraw AI (techdrawai.com)Source: Vectorizer.AI (vectorizer.ai)Source: Scan2CAD (scan2cad.com)Source: Free CAD block libraries (e.g. First In Architecture) (firstinarchitecture.co.uk)
pic2CAD
- What it does
- Turns a picture of anything into a real-scale line-art CAD block: just the subject, the whole picture or 4 orthographic views.
- 2D library / CAD blocks
- Yes, over 250 blocks.
- Input
- JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, PDF, up to 30 MB.
- Output formats
- DXF, SVG, PNG, plus PDF/EPS/DWG from My Drawings.
- Generates orthographic views
- Yes, 4 views.
- Scale / units
- Yes, mm (you set the height).
- Free plan
- Yes, 1 drawing a month, renewed monthly.
- Signup required
- To generate (upload needs no account).
PhotoCAD
- What it does
- Turns pictures, sketches or scans into vector CAD drawings for manufacturing, CNC and architecture.
- 2D library / CAD blocks
- Yes, over 200 drawings.
- Input
- JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, AVIF, TIFF, PDF, maximum size not stated.
- Output formats
- DXF, DWG, SVG, PDF
- Generates orthographic views
- No.
- Scale / units
- Yes, mm (300 mm default).
- Free plan
- Yes, 3 free conversions plus 200+ free gallery drawings.
- Signup required
- To generate (email only).
Source: photocad.ai
ImageToCAD.ai
- What it does
- Turns images and PDFs into clean vector CAD drawings.
- 2D library / CAD blocks
- No.
- Input
- JPG, PNG, BMP, PDF, up to 10 MB.
- Output formats
- DXF, DWG-ready (their own wording)
- Generates orthographic views
- No.
- Scale / units
- Not stated.
- Free plan
- Yes, trying is free; downloading is paid.
- Signup required
- To download (DXF or DWG).
Source: imagetocad.ai
TechDraw AI
- What it does
- Turns a picture or sketch into a technical drawing with views and dimensions.
- 2D library / CAD blocks
- No.
- Input
- JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, AVIF, TIFF, GIF, BMP, maximum size not stated.
- Output formats
- DXF, DWG (SVG, PDF also mentioned)
- Generates orthographic views
- Yes, with dimensions.
- Scale / units
- Yes, one measurement you set.
- Free plan
- Yes, free browser conversion, no watermark.
- Signup required
- To download.
Source: techdrawai.com
Vectorizer.AI
- What it does
- Turns any image (logos, illustrations, pictures) into a vector.
- 2D library / CAD blocks
- No.
- Input
- JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, up to 30 MB.
- Output formats
- DXF, SVG, PDF, EPS, PNG
- Generates orthographic views
- No.
- Scale / units
- Not stated.
- Free plan
- Yes, trying is free; downloading is paid.
- Signup required
- To download (paid account).
Source: vectorizer.ai
Scan2CAD
- What it does
- Desktop software that vectorises plans and technical drawings.
- 2D library / CAD blocks
- Not stated.
- Input
- JPG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, PDF, maximum size not stated.
- Output formats
- DXF, DWG
- Generates orthographic views
- No.
- Scale / units
- Not stated.
- Free plan
- No, a time-limited trial only.
- Signup required
- Not applicable (desktop software).
Source: scan2cad.com
Free CAD block libraries (e.g. First In Architecture)
- What it does
- Catalogue of ready-drawn CAD blocks to download and insert.
- 2D library / CAD blocks
- Yes.
- Input
- Not applicable: no picture upload, only ready-made blocks.
- Output formats
- DWG (AutoCAD 2010 format)
- Generates orthographic views
- Not applicable.
- Scale / units
- Not stated.
- Free plan
- Yes, the whole library is free.
- Signup required
- Not stated.
Source: firstinarchitecture.co.uk
Data reviewed on 28/09/2026 on each tool's official site. See something outdated? Let us know.
What pic2CAD does not do
- Vectorising a scanned technical plan: pic2CAD draws from a picture, it does not trace an existing plan. Scan2CAD does.
- Dimension lines: pic2CAD sizes the DXF in real millimetres but does not place dimension lines. TechDraw AI does.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. From the + button in My drawings you can download any drawing as DWG (version 2000), which any current AutoCAD opens. The curves stay as splines, with the same layers and the same millimetre scale as the DXF.
In Orthographic vision you type the real height; the DXF is written in millimetres at that size, without dimension lines.
pic2CAD draws a picture as line art; it does not vectorise an existing scanned plan. Scan2CAD is a better fit for that.
No. Uploading and framing a picture works without an account. Generating a drawing needs a free account, no card, which includes drawings every month at no cost.