The Real Difference between AutoCAD Full and AutoCAD LT 2016

What exactly is the difference between AutoCAD Full and AutoCAD LT? I have been asked this question many times so I have decided to do a feature for feature comparison between these 2 products.

The main difference between the 2 products is that the AutoCAD has 3D and LT does not. Right? Let’s find out.

Full AutoCAD

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 01

AutoCAD LT

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 02

When you open AutoCAD you will see that there are a few things missing. In the top right hand corner you will see that the Exchange apps button is missing. This is because AutoCAD LT is not able to load any 3rd party apps.AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 12

Missing from AutoCAD LT is the following tabs.

  • Express Tools
  • Featured Apps
  • BIM 360
  • Performance

When opening a drawing you have the following differences in the ribbons.

The differences in the draw panel is that you have the helix command. Interesting to know that AutoCAD LT also has the 3D polyline command.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 03

The differences in the modify panel is the align command which can be used in both 2d and 3d functions.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 04

There is no difference in the following panels.

  • Layers
  • Block
  • Properties
  • Groups
  • Utilities
  • Clipboard

On the insert tab you have the Point Cloud and Import Panel that AutoCAD LT does not have.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 05

Autodesk ReCap and Attach deal with point clouds and how to manipulate them.

Import allows you to import the following file formats exported from other CAD packages.

  • 3D Studio (.3ds)
  • ACIS (.sat)
  • CATIA V4
  • CATIA V5
  • FBX
  • IGES
  • Inventor (.ipt,.iam)
  • JT
  • Metafile (.wmf)
  • Microstation (.dgn)
  • NX (.prt)
  • Parasolid Binary
  • Parasolid Text
  • Pro/ENGINEER
  • Pro/ENGINEER Granite
  • Pro/ENGINEER Neutral
  • Rhino (.3dm)
  • Solidworks

One of the biggest advantages you have in the Full AutoCAD over AutoCAD LT is the ability to extract data. With this tool you can extract any information from any AutoCAD entity. Eg length of a line, the radius of a circle and even attribute information. When the object or attribute information changes you can update your extracted data as well.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 06

Looking at the parametric tab, you are not able to create any dimensional or geometric constraints in AutoCAD LT. You have full control in the Full AutoCAD package.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 07

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 08

In the View tab you are missing the ViewCube.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 09

On the Manage Tab, you have many differences between the AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT.

You can customize your user interface as well as how your Tool Palettes look and the content on your different palettes.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 10

For the Full AutoCAD you have the use of the Action Recorder, as well as the ability to Load Applications, Run Scripts and the use of Visual Basic and LISP routines.

The CAD Standards commands are also only available in AutoCAD and not AutoCAD LT.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT 11

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