HOOPS Exchange

Overview

HOOPS Exchange is a C++ SDK for adding 2D and 3D CAD import and export to engineering applications. It suits development teams that need to work with engineering data as well as geometry, rather than people looking for a ready-made file converter. Its broad format coverage is valuable, but teams must plan for a time-limited evaluation and recompilation when upgrading.

Key features

The SDK exposes B-REP, product and manufacturing information (PMI), model trees, views, persistent IDs, styles, construction geometry, and visualization data. That breadth is useful when an application must carry engineering context through an import or export workflow; it is more capability than a basic viewing or conversion task may require.

HOOPS Exchange supports more than 30 import formats and more than 10 export formats, with examples including CATIA, NX, SOLIDWORKS, Revit, IFC, JT, STEP, STL, and FBX. That range gives developers a single API across many common CAD and 3D formats. Format counts alone do not establish which data a particular conversion retains, so teams should evaluate their required workflows during the trial.

The SDK uses PRC for data access and says it preserves data integrity and geometry accuracy. Tech Soft 3D also says files can be compressed up to 100 times smaller than the originals through HOOPS Exchange and PRC. The stated maximum is useful for considering storage and transfer, but should not be treated as a result for every file.

Integrations include Parasolid and connections to ACIS, Open Cascade, Polygonica, HOOPS Visualize, OpenGL, DirectX, Vulkan, Unity, and Unreal. This gives teams several options for connecting CAD data to geometry, graphics, and application workflows. Animation conversion is supported. The APIs are C, C++, and C#.

Pricing

The HOOPS Exchange evaluation costs 0.00 USD per free and provides full access for 60 days, along with technical support from the maker's experts. It is a substantial evaluation window for development teams to check formats and integration needs before committing. It is not a free production tier: evaluation keys expire at the end of the period and are unsuitable for production software. Paid pricing is custom pricing.

Platforms

The product supports Windows, Linux, macOS, and web, with limited functionality on iOS and Android. Its FAQ also names Mac Catalyst. That makes it relevant to teams targeting desktop and web applications, while mobile teams should account for the stated functional limits rather than assume parity across platforms.

Who it's for

HOOPS Exchange is aimed at teams building engineering applications for mechanical design, manufacturing, building and construction, shipbuilding, plant, and process industries. Its broad format support and access to structured CAD data make it a strong fit when an application must handle varied engineering files and preserve more than the visible shape. A team with a narrow conversion need may prefer a simpler, free or lower-commitment tool.

Pros and cons

• Pro: More than 30 import and more than 10 export formats, including major CAD examples, can reduce the need for separate format-specific pathways.
• Pro: Access to PMI, model trees, persistent IDs, and other engineering data suits applications that need context beyond geometry.
• Pro: Full access and technical expert support during the 60-day evaluation give developers time and assistance to assess integration.
• Con: The evaluation license expires after 60 days and cannot be used for production, so ongoing commercial use requires a paid license.
• Con: New releases are not binary compatible with older ones; applications must be recompiled to update, adding work to version upgrades.
• Con: iOS and Android support has limited functionality, which constrains teams seeking equivalent mobile capabilities.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see 3D File Converter Software.

CAD Exchanger is worth considering for teams that want perpetual or subscription licensing and node-locked or floating license options; it is paid, offers a free trial, and supports Android, API, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.

Convert3D is a better fit for API conversion workloads with a free entry tier: its Free API allows 10 conversions per month at 0.00 USD per month, while Starter costs 899.00 USD per year for 5,000 conversions per year.

CAD Assistant is free for personal and commercial use, but commercial import components restrict model export and conversion. It may suit users who can work within that limitation.

ODA File Converter is a free alternative from a non-profit technology consortium focused on CAD and BIM interoperability.

Spin 3D offers a free version for non-commercial use, making it an option when that restriction fits the task.

3D-Tool has a free Windows viewer that opens DDD, STL, and 3MF files but cannot export CAD files; consider it when viewing rather than CAD export is the priority.

FBX2glTF is a free, open-source option under a 3-clause BSD license, limited to FBX SDK 2019.2.

meshio is free and MIT-licensed; its core uses NumPy, and some formats require optional netCDF4 and h5py dependencies.

Verdict

Choose HOOPS Exchange if you are building engineering software that needs broad CAD import and export alongside access to structured model data. Its central advantage is the combination of format breadth and engineering context through one API. Look elsewhere if you need a free production converter, if limited mobile functionality is not enough, or if recompiling for each release would be costly for your team.