ABViewer vs ShareCAD
ABViewer
cadsofttools.comShareCAD
sharecad.comSide by side
| Figure | ABViewer | ShareCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $6.42/mo | $49/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 4 |
| Spec score · CAD Viewer Software | 8.3 (#9) | 8.7 (#7) |
| Formats | It supports CAD, vector, 3D, complex, raster, and archive formats, including DWG, DXF, STEP, IGES, PDF, STL, SVG, and ZIP. | Supported formats include DWG, DXF, Revit, IFC, DGN, STEP, IGES, STL, SolidWorks, Navisworks, and PDF. |
| Intended users | The maker describes ABViewer Professional for metalworking, CNC programming, and machine building, including shop-floor and office use. | ShareCAD describes its audience as solo creators and freelancers through architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and survey teams. |
| Purpose | ABViewer lets users view, edit, convert, measure, and print DWG and other CAD files, 3D models, and raster images. | ShareCAD is a cloud platform for storing, sharing, and viewing CAD and BIM files online. |
| Support | Technical support is free within the product's major version and is offered by online chat, email, phone, forum, and remote-control sessions. | The FAQ gives [email protected] as a support contact, and the Team plan includes priority email support. |
Plans
ABViewer
- Professional — user license, three-month subscription$30 a month
- Professional — floating license, three-month subscription$61 a month
- Professional — user license, one-year subscription$77 a year
- Enterprise — one-year license$154 a year
- Professional — floating license, one-year subscription$154 a year
- Professional — user lifetime license$189, paid once
- Professional — floating lifetime license$383, paid once
ShareCAD
- Free CAD viewerFree
- Standard$49 a month
- Team$149 a month
- Enterprise$2,890 a year
In their own words
ABViewer
ABViewer lets users view, edit, measure, convert, and print CAD files, 3D models, and raster images. It supports CAD, vector, 3D, complex, raster, and archive formats including DWG, DXF, STEP, IGES, PDF, STL, SVG, and ZIP. For 2D drawings, users can manage layers, blocks, dimension and text styles, snapping, comments, and markups. Measurement tools cover 3D distances, face heights, surface areas, and curvilinear edge radii, with section-view creation. Conversion options include STL, OBJ, DWG/DXF, supported 2D formats, and STEP or SAT/SAB export for parametric models. The software can generate CNC G-code from 2D drawings. Enterprise adds PDF-to-DWG/DXF conversion, batch conversion and printing, file comparison, and command-line features. ABViewer runs on Linux and Windows; Windows downloads include 32-bit and 64-bit version 16 builds. A free 30-day trial is available. Paid options include subscriptions and lifetime licenses. Professional user licensing starts at $30 a month, billed every three months.
ShareCAD
ShareCAD is a cloud platform for storing, sharing, and viewing CAD and BIM files. It renders supported technical files in a browser, so recipients can view shared links without CAD software or an account. Supported formats include DWG, DXF, Revit, IFC, DGN, STEP, IGES, STL, SolidWorks, Navisworks, and PDF. The product supports viewing and sharing, but not creating or editing files.
Sharing options include link expiration, passwords, single-recipient email restrictions, and controls that prevent downloads. Project workspaces, folder sharing, and file request links help organize and collect files. Autodesk Platform Services processes supported formats for browser viewing; subscriptions include Autodesk conversions subject to a monthly limit. The free browser viewer allows files up to 50 MB. Standard costs $49 a month for two users, Team costs $149 a month for 10 users and 3 TB of storage, and Enterprise starts at $2,890 a year. ShareCAD states that files are stored in AWS in the United States (Ohio), connections use HTTPS, and files are encrypted at rest with AES-256.