Rating
4.5
114 reviews
Starting price
$1,188
Categories
2
Founded
2003
Employees
30
KeyCreator's industry-leading translators and direct modeling simplicity make it ideal for handling files from many different sources or developing one-off or custom solutions. More than just compatibility, KeyCreator lets you actually work with geometry of imported models: no more re-building from scratch just because of unrecognized features. The unlimited feature tree lets you easily organize parts and assemblies all within one file. When solving problems fast is key, you need KeyCreator!
Ad spend / mo
$0
0 paid keywords
Paid visits / mo
0
Organic keywords
434
Organic visits / mo
419
SEMrush reports no paid spend for this domain, but Google confirms 4 ad creatives- a paid channel SEMrush's panel misses.
Creatives run
4
as Gardner Business Media Inc
Active now
0
last 14 days
Advertising since
Oct 2022
3+ yrs running
Last seen
Nov 2025
The shared messaging across CAD / Engineering Design Software advertisers - the validated angles to copy. See the niche →
(114 reviews)
KeyCreator just isn't moving forward with the current times. Things that take me hours in KeyCreator I can often do in minutes in my supplemental software. I stopped paying maintenance because quite frankly I was getting nothing useful for what I do to justify paying it, but the downfall there is, I now also no longer get updates for my Mold Software XMD which was constantly making improvements. I hope one day KC will play catchup and I can come back, but that isn't likely.
Pros: That XMD (Expert Mold Designer) runs under it, this is still the best mold design software out there by far (I know, I've been looking). KeyCreator translation is pretty good and of course has translators for a lot file types. Being able to get working on files quickly and fixing broken solids pretty quickly is a huge benefit.
Cons: Very old interface and lack of any parametric capabilities hinders speed of mold modelling. Software has stability issues that I don't see in my supplemental software. I have to pay for a supplemental software because quite frankly, the modelling in KeyCreator has gone completely stagnate. There's been pretty much zero improvements in blending, if a blend fails it just kicks you out of that command and you have to reselect all over again. There's also multiple blend commands and one might work and the other will. Replace face often fails, thickening complex sheets is almost impossible. You get no feed back when something doesn't work, so you have no idea why it didn't. Boolean operations often fail. I will often do my rough PL in KC, then bring that into my supplemental software to do all my blending and thickening my sheet for clearance. Even if Boolean operations fail for me, I can bring that data into my supplemental software and 99% of the time it works fine in there.
Sean D. · Owner, Solid Modeler, Designer · Automotive · March 25, 2026
| Category | Page | Rank | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D Architecture | 1 | 17 | - |
| 3D CAD | 1 | 19 |
Domain confidence 95%
I have been raised on the software. I worked in the Aircraft industry, Automotive Industry and packaging industry. At all times Key Creator was my go to for conceptual design.
Pros: The translation capabilities. I have been using Cadkey/Key Creator since late 1985, basically since its inception. I have had to, in my profession deal with multiple cutomers that use AutoCad, Catia etc, and I can always pull their files in to Key Creator, make modifications and export the file back in to their software seamlessly.
Cons: My only real concern is the rendering capabilities. If I trully want to see my model in a realistic light, I export it to Autocad.
Randy H. · Owner · Design · January 30, 2026
KeyCreator is of great assistance to those in manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and industrial design. Personally, it has helped me in industrial design.
Pros: The feature I liked is the direct modeling approach, which allows creators to directly modify 3D models without being limited by parametric history. It also offers the ability to create solid models and 2D drawings, enabling the creation of complex geometries.
Cons: I believe that in terms of customization and automation, there should be further improvements. The ability to create macros and scripts is not very advanced and could benefit from a renovation.
Souleymane D. · Training assistant · Mining & Metals · August 26, 2023
KeyCreator is the right product for our aerospace job-shop environment. It is fast and accurate. We receive data in many formats from many customers, so quick, accurate CAD is a must.
Pros: The mathematics is flawless. We rely on KeyCreator for all our calculations and operation sheets for 5-axis milling machines. it is correct every time. The solid modeling is easy and consistent.
Cons: We cannot make continuing section views except from a main view (you cannot section a section view). The dimensioning, though always correct, can be a little glitchy at times and may lose associativity (rarely). The dimension annotations are improving but can continue to be developed.
Steve B. · Mfg. Eng · Airlines/Aviation · February 13, 2023
Pros: Easy to learn.Help is good. It offers versatile solutions.
Cons: If I point to a line with the mouse, it is not visible enough. It should be seen more clearly.Inserting an image is not the easiest.
Endre M. · Boss · Aviation & Aerospace · February 11, 2023
It's good.
Pros: We have been using it since it was CADKEY. Pretty easy to use. Wire frame, surfaces and-or solids. Mix and match as needed.
Cons: A better help menu for those of us that are not CAD guru's.
Mark N. · Plant Manager · Design · February 7, 2023
I've used KeyCreator since it was Cadkey. I've never had a 3D modelling challenge that I couldn't resolve using the KeyCreator product.
Pros: Ease of use for 3D modelling, solid 3D translators
Cons: I'd like to see more standard color options
Tim R. · Mold Designer · Plastics · February 7, 2023
Have been using Keycreator for a very long time, seen many versions & updates. I have a tendacy to stick with a version that is stable with no errors. Reluctant to update as may have issues & current features are suffice.
Pros: Ease of use, compatible with other CAD models
Cons: Some updates create issues & have errors
Jay G. · Director · Machinery · February 2, 2023
this works very well with the part of the company that I manage
Pros: the software is easy to use for me because its similar to the software I was using so thankfully I didn't have to learn a brand new and different software
Cons: some features I haven't looked at closely are bothersome but I know there are settings that can be changed to make those functions operate differently
George R. · Plant Manager · Construction · February 1, 2023
Pros: Very easy to use. I like that it is compatible with multiple file types.
Cons: The main issue I have is the the online university. The tutorials are helpful but the order is chaotic. I wish it were more organized step by step, from the beginner stage and gradually get more advanced.Specifically there is one feature I think could be added. On a folded model there should be a way to change the sheet thickness without unfolding and re-folding after extruding the sheet.
Nick C. · Quality Engineer · Design · January 31, 2023
I have been very pleased with this product and have been a power user for most of my career in Engineering. I have trained many users through the online University. Designers can work to their level of comfort and utilize past experience in other software to achieve the desired results with KeyCreator. So, if you are familiar with using a design tree approach, 2D extrusions, sheets and vectors, it doesn't matter, they are all available .
Pros: I have been using this software for over 30 years. From the early days of Cadkey, where you had to construct your solids by building wire frames, to the current KeyCreator product where you are designing with real solid elements. The software has the power to handle the most complicated of designs with the simplicity of tasks that achieve the design. Menus are intuitive, and well organized. The best feature by far is that you only have 1 file to manage. Your solid model, assembly and drawing are stored in 1 file. In these days of remote locations and outsourcing having to manage multiple files, as is the case in other software, is a treacherous road.
Cons: The biggest shortcoming in my opinion has been the software help. Sometimes the self-contained help search in the software can get you out of trouble, but more often than not it is rather geeky. The online support, examples and tutorials are great, they need to be expanded into the fringes of the software where reside some very powerful tools.
Scott k. · Engineering Manager · Automotive · January 31, 2023
I have been a long term user of Key Creator (17 years) I originally learned CAD on AutoCad and found the solid modeling in KeyCreator to be much more fluid. The ability to manipulate solids on the fly is a big part of what I love about the software. With my use primarily being sheet metal, unbending and creating flat cut files is extremely easy. Inputting bend allowances and corner reliefs is simple and allows easy exportation of flat DXF files to use for manufacturing.The support is excellent when needed and they have a great option to submit customer requested features.
Pros: The ease of importing and healing customer supplied files makes preparing cut files to be used in manufacturing sheet metal parts extremely simple. It is capable of importing many mainstream file types and is very dependable.
Cons: A couple of the negatives of this software are the inability to merge entire native files or to copy complete drawing layouts into other native files. I also hope that the ability to export multi-page PDF files is added to the features, as of now the need to export single page PDF files and then combined them in a separate software to create drawing packages.
Gregory R. · Sr. CAD Designer · Design · January 31, 2023
Awesome software-- we have seen this software develop since early 1990's- keep up the good work!
Pros: -Ease of changing (Box Move)-Quick-Does not have to use parametric features (not history driven)
Cons: -Please add a reference dimension quick button/check box so we do not have to add ( ) manually.-We also use SW for the analysis package- at one time you were developing this capability?
chris r. · ENGINEERING DIRECTOR · Military · January 31, 2023
KeyCreator is an essential software package for our custom tool & die shop. Since most of our work is unique and doesn't often get repeated (if ever), it's critical for our CAD software to get the job done efficiently and accurately. For the most part, KeyCreator fulfills that mission, with a few glaring gaps. The fact that it's non-parametric removes the worry that by changing one feature I risk screwing up other aspects of my geometry unintentionally.I do wish that the KeyCreator development team were more approachable with bug fixes and functionality improvements, and that some of the issues I have reported through the years would actually see improvements rather than being completely disregarded.
Pros: We have found that using a non-parametric 3D CAD modeling software in our custom tool & die work is preferable in most instances to using a parametric modeler like Solidworks. There have been a number of times we have received Solidworks or geometry in other parametric formats from our customers, and when they made a minor change to something it screwed up other aspects of the geometry because they didn't have their constraints set correctly. The worse thing is that they didn't know it, and I discovered it during my work. In the custom tooling world, those kinds of things can be catastrophic.In general terms, I have always found the interface to be reasonably easy to use, although there are some things that could be drastically improved. Most of the basic entity generation functionality works largely as I learned how to do things as a draftsman on the drafting table, so the process is generally straightforward.
Cons: The feature generation and documentation (drilled and/or tapped holes, fasteners, etc.) is mostly an imported functionality set from the old Draftpak suite they imported into CADkey years ago. They have done very little to improve it, it's pretty buggy and there are some large holes in the way it works. Compared to other CAD software I've played with, KeyCreator's functionality in this area is substandard. Like most software these days, the documentation and help system are terrible, and often haven't even been updated to match the current version of the software.
Todd C. · President · Business Supplies and Equipment · January 27, 2023
For 22 years I have found Keycreator the easiest platform to learn and teach to our college interns.
Pros: Importation from our OEM data to creation of accurate repair methods is crucial to our fast-paced customer-driven business. The free form solid modeling approach provided by Keycreator allows us to develop ideas at that very rapid pace.
Cons: Some of the linear and diameter dimension functions are non-intuitive at times.
derek b. · engineer · Oil & Energy · January 27, 2023
Pros: The software makes it relatively easy to modify solids as you are designing.
Cons: It's hard to think of anything I like the least, because overall I think the pros outweigh any cons.
Josh B. · Tool Designer · Mechanical or Industrial Engineering · January 27, 2023
Work with it everyday and is a great software to use.
Pros: We started with the software way back when it was Cadkey. I like the ability to customize with KXL's for our tooling which reduces a lot of design / detailing time.
Cons: I wish all the translator's were integrated into the standard software and not an extra $$$. We can't justify this cost for just needing to translate something once or twice a year.
Tony T. · Tooling Designer / Engineering · Automotive · January 26, 2023
We make parts both little, 0.125", and large, 15", it depends on the size of the printer. We have do some outdoor fountains and large power distribution systems.
Pros: 3D cad drawing, exporting to 3D printing Software, Customers that ask for other formats, web sites that have 34D Cad drawing on site.
Cons: being able to remote work without signing off on main computer
Tim S. · engineering Design · Mechanical or Industrial Engineering · January 24, 2023
I have been using Keycreator since its inception. i have seen it improve over the years to a point where it can do just about anything i need it to do.
Pros: Easy to use and reasonably priced. import export features work with all major CAD software making revisions to designs and controlling layouts is relatively pain free.
Cons: Animation could be improved to be more realistic.
Joe P. · GM · Automotive · January 24, 2023
Pros: 3D modeling and import export features. Ease of use.
Cons: I do no use the software to it's full capabilities but I like every feature I use.
Anonymous User · Project manager · Plastics · January 24, 2023
I am a self employed engineering consultant with minimal needs. KeyCreator completely meets my needs. Likely half of my efforts wind up at a 3D print shop either for conceptual items or in some cases a finished product.
Pros: Most of what I produce is an .stl file headed to a 3D printer in order to sell a concept or to simply print a component or assembly.
Cons: Nothing comes to mind. I've grown up with KeyCreator in its present form and what ever it was twenty five years ago. I have never used other similar programs (Pro-Engineer - etc.) so I don't have any way to compare other programs. I just kinda grew up with CadKey and what ever was there before. My first experience was with a NASA 3D system back in the 1988 time frame. It was a monstrous pain in the ass. After I retired from NASA in 1994 I purchased a 2D system, Drafix, and was quite impressed with the simplicity of that system. About this time I purchased CadKey and have simply grown up with it over the past thirty years or so.
Thomas G. · Owner · Design · January 24, 2023
I first used CADKey in 1993 while still in university. I always found it to be a powerful modeler and drafting tool. I started using KeyCreator in 2014 (after a 18 year break from CADKey) the interface had not changed much and the new drafting "mode" was a great improvement to the software. Modeling had improved but compared to high end software not as the same level with functionality and easy of use. Overall I would prefer to use KeyCreator as it does provide excellent value for it's capabilities.
Pros: Many capabilities as with the high end CAD systems (NX, Catia V5, Creo).Easy to use.Easy to modify models.
Cons: Not feature/history base (not parametric) modeling.Some tasks require more step (commands) to achieve the same result with one step (command).
David S. · Inside Technical Sales · Plastics · January 24, 2023
Pros: I have used KeyCreator for 15 yrs and one of the most important things to me is the ease of translation importing and exporting file types and how fast the program allows me to work. I use KC to design progressive stamping dies as well as custom machinery. Designing in 3D and being able to see my projects from all aspects is critical to my business. KeyCreator provides the direct drawing experience that makes 3D CAD easy to learn and use.
Cons: Having used KeyCreator for so long, I have found ways of working around almost all obstacles. I do not have any problems with the software.
Ken B. · Tool Maker · Machinery · January 24, 2023
Pros: I like the ability to utilize classic mode.
Cons: I have no dislikes as it’s very easy to use.
Marc A. · Owner · Architecture & Planning · January 24, 2023
It has been good.
Pros: It is very good for creating part geometry and features quickly. Most of the popular neutral formats can be imported and exported, and a few of the most popular native formats can also be imported. You can easily drop assemblies in to a new model in free space and locate them quickly with just a few steps. The way you use the software may be totally different than the way another user works with it. The way you access tools and features is user configurable. Compared to the most popular packages, it is less expensive per seat and the AUC is also less expensive but in some cases the functionality is quite a bit better.
Cons: I’m not a big fan of the animation feature, but aside from that I can’t find anything I don’t really like. I’ve been a user since 1991 so I am kind of institutionalized. The software fits my needs and always has. I am probably using about 30% of it’s capabilities, but that’s OK because I can get things that I need done, done quickly while only occasionally utilizing many of the available features.
Stan T. · Owner · Machinery · January 24, 2023