Comparison
SpeakCAD vs AdamCAD (CADAM): two ways to get OpenSCAD from a sentence
AdamCAD's CADAM and SpeakCAD are close relatives. Both have an AI write parametric OpenSCAD from a description, compile it to a mesh with WebAssembly, and let you change dimensions without starting over. CADAM is open source (GPLv3) and belongs to Adam, which also sells an AI copilot that works inside Onshape, Fusion and SolidWorks. SpeakCAD is built only for people with a 3D printer: phone-first, printing rules applied, and G-code sliced for your printer.Updated 23 September 2026
Sources, checked on 23 September 2026: CADAM source code (GPLv3) · CADAM · Adam pricing
| Criterion | SpeakCAD | AdamCAD (CADAM) |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | People with a 3D printer, no CAD skills assumed | Makers, engineers and developers; Adam's paid plans target hardware teams |
| Where it runs | Browser on any phone, tablet or computer; nothing to install | Browser app at adam.new, or self-hosted from the GitHub source |
| On a phone | Full editor laid out for a phone | The app opens in a phone browser; check their site for editing on a phone |
| Editing | Chat: say what to change, the rest stays; typing a new number in the dimensions panel is free | Chat, plus parameter sliders that change dimensions without a new AI call |
| Inputs | Text, photos with a ruler to copy a part, STL/3MF/.scad uploads | Text and reference images |
| Libraries | No BOSL2 or MCAD: the AI writes its own helpers | BOSL, BOSL2 and MCAD included |
| Printability | Wall thickness, clearances, flat base and overhang rules applied by default | General text-to-CAD (printed parts, prototypes, props); no print-specific rules advertised |
| Output | STL, 3MF, OpenSCAD source, G-code sliced for your printer | STL, SCAD and DXF |
| Sliced G-code | Yes, for 380+ printers: included in Pro and Unlimited, +5 credits per slice otherwise | No: slice the STL yourself |
| Open source | No; the OpenSCAD code of every part is yours to view and download | Yes, GPLv3; self-hostable with your own AI provider key |
| Test the fit before a long print | Fit Check: free 5-minute test slice of the fit, then your printer's calibration is applied to every model | No: reprint, or cut a test piece yourself |
| Free to try | Live demo (3 AI edits of a real part, no account); 650+ ready-made library models open in a free account and resize in the viewer; your own parts and downloads use credits | Free Adam plan with a light daily quota; self-hosting is free apart from your hosting and AI provider costs |
| Price | Starter credits $5 once (75 credits); Pro $9.99/mo; Unlimited $24.99/mo | Adam Free $0; Pro $40/mo (7-day trial); Max $200/mo (check their site) |
Same recipe, different kitchens
Both tools rest on the same idea: a language model writes OpenSCAD, a text-based CAD language that models write well, and WebAssembly compiles it in the browser into a mesh you can print. Both keep the dimensions as named parameters, so a change is a new value rather than a new model. The differences are in who each tool is for.
CADAM is a general text-to-CAD workspace. Its showcase runs from a knurled knob to a V8 engine and a turbofan, and Adam's paid plans are aimed at hardware teams using professional CAD. SpeakCAD does one job: functional parts for a 3D printer, from a phone as easily as from a computer.
Where AdamCAD (CADAM) wins
- Open source. The whole app is on GitHub under GPLv3. You can read the code, self-host it and run it with your own AI provider key.
- Libraries. BOSL, BOSL2 and MCAD are included, so threads, gears and rounded shapes come from well-tested library code. SpeakCAD's AI writes its own helpers instead.
- Sliders. CADAM extracts the adjustable dimensions and shows sliders that update the model without another AI call, a pleasant way to explore values on a computer. (SpeakCAD's dimensions panel does the same with typed numbers, also free.)
- DXF export for laser cutters and CNC routers.
- A free plan with a light daily quota, where SpeakCAD's free options are the live demo and the ready-made library models.
Where SpeakCAD wins
- The phone. The editor is designed for a thumb and a small screen: describe, check, change, download, all in Safari or Chrome.
- Printing rules by default. Wall thickness, clearances, a flat base and overhangs are handled without being asked, and Fit Check calibrates the fits to your printer.
- G-code sliced for your printer. OrcaSlicer with each printer's official profile, for 380+ printers, plus STL and 3MF.
- Starting from something real. Upload an STL or 3MF and change it, or copy a broken part from two photos and a ruler.
- Paying once. Starter credits are $5 once for 75 credits, no subscription; Adam's paid plan starts at $40 a month (check their site).
Speed and cost, honestly
The first render usually appears within a minute or two: a new part goes to the strongest models, which reason through the geometry, and small edits land in seconds. Each AI request spends 2 credits and a download 10; small fixes after a download re-download free. If you can self-host and bring your own AI key, CADAM costs only your hosting and what your AI provider charges.
Verdict
Choose CADAM if you want open source, self-hosting, BOSL2 or DXF, and you work on a computer. Choose SpeakCAD if the part is for a 3D printer, you want to work from a phone, and you want the file already sliced for your printer.Other comparisons
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