: $1,195 (one-time fee). A perpetual "per user" license tied to an individual workstation, eliminating monthly or recurring charges.
For businesses preferring a recurring expense model or lower upfront costs, an annual subscription is available: : Pricing starts at $399 per year . 3. QA-CAD LT (Lite Version) Pricing
Easily track changes between drawing revisions.
Key components
The LT version is a lighter alternative focusing on manual ballooning and standard inspection features. : $390 per user one-time fee . Network License (Perpetual) : $690 per concurrent user . qa-cad price
If you start with QA-CAD LT and later need the full features, you can upgrade by paying between the two licenses.
: $1,195 one-time fee per user . A perpetual license allows you to own and use that specific version permanently without recurring monthly or annual costs. It includes 1 year of free technical support and software upgrades.
After the first year, you must pay annual maintenance to keep receiving software updates, new CAD format support, and technical support.
Volume discounts apply (e.g., a 2-user license is usually cheaper than two single licenses). B. QA-CAD LT (Light Version) : $1,195 (one-time fee)
Outsourcing at $150/hour for 10 hours/week = $78,000/year. A $5,000 QA-CAD license pays for itself in 1 month .
Most perpetual licenses come with 1 year of free tech support and software upgrades. Free Options Free Trial:
As of 2026, QA-CAD primarily operates on a perpetual license model, meaning you buy it once and own it, though maintenance for updates is extra. QA-CAD Price Breakdown (Standard Edition)
While you own the license, upgrading to the newest version (e.g., from 2025 to 2026) usually involves an upgrade fee, often priced lower than a new license (e.g., around $792.50 for a network upgrade, per Guthrie CAD/GIS Software). : $390 per user one-time fee
If the quote lacks line-item prices for translators, ask for a revised quote.
The LT (Lite) edition is tailored for smaller engineering shops or standalone inspection technicians who need core ballooning functions without large enterprise infrastructure.
Understanding the total cost of ownership requires looking closely at licensing tiers, maintenance fees, and feature differences. Licensing Models and Price Breakdown
For a typical CAD design project, QA-CAD costs can range from:
QA-CAD is one of the lowest‑priced FAI (First Article Inspection) software tools on the market, yet it offers significant ROI. Users report saving required to produce a ballooned drawing and an AS9102 compliance report.