Autodesk Viewer vs CAD Reader
Autodesk Viewer
viewer.autodesk.com
CAD Reader
dwg.fastcadreader.comSide by side
| Figure | Autodesk Viewer | CAD Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $3.75/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 8 |
| Spec score · CAD Viewer Software | 8.9 (#4) | 9.1 (#2) |
| Integrations | Autodesk presents the viewer as working with AutoCAD, Revit, Fusion 360, Inventor and other Autodesk products. | The pages identify Excel export for measurement data, extracted tables, and search results; no other named integrations are stated. |
| Licence | APS APIs, SDKs, sample code and documentation are governed by Autodesk Terms of Use and Developer Terms. | The product is presented as proprietary software under Beijing Honghu Yuntu Technology Co., Ltd. copyright notices; no open-source licence is stated. |
| Markup | Users can annotate designs with markup and drawing tools. | Markup tools include freeform lines, text, revision clouds, leader lines, and mobile photo and audio attachments. |
| Measurement | The viewer includes tools for measuring designs. | Measurement tools include length and area, arc length, perpendicular distance, continuous measurement, and radius, circular, and angle measurements. |
| Notable news | On 8 December 2025 Autodesk announced updates consolidating APS and Autodesk Developer Network terms and clarifying API commercial-use rules. | A LinkedIn update says FastCADReader exhibited CADReader and PlanForm at ARCHIDEX 2025 in Kuala Lumpur from July 23–26, 2025. |
| Purpose | Autodesk Viewer is a free browser application for uploading, viewing, and sharing designs, including Revit and AutoCAD files. | CAD Reader is a CAD drawing viewer for viewing, marking up, measuring, and editing DWG and DXF drawings. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.3 out of 5 from 62 reviews | 4.6 out of 5 from 7 reviews |
| Supported formats | The help center lists Autodesk and non-Autodesk formats such as IFC, IGES, OBJ, STL, STEP, SLDPRT and SKP. | The help page says CAD Reader opens DWG and DXF files, including files detected inside ZIP or RAR archives. |
| What it does | Autodesk Viewer lets users upload, view and share 2D and 3D design files in a browser. | CAD Reader views, measures, annotates and edits DWG and DXF drawings for engineering, design, site and quantity-surveying work. |
Plans
CAD Reader
- FreeFree
- Professional (1 MONTH VIP)$7 a month
- iOS 1 Month VIP$9 a month
- Professional (6-MONTH VIP)$40 a month
- Professional (1 YEAR VIP)$45 a year
- iOS 1 Year VIP$50 a year
- EnterprisePriced on request
- ProfessionalPriced on request
In their own words
Autodesk Viewer
Autodesk Viewer is a free browser application for uploading, viewing, and sharing 2D and 3D design files, including Revit and AutoCAD projects. Supported formats include DWG, STEP, RVT, IGES, and SolidWorks. Its tools cover navigation, model browsing, properties, measurement, explode and section views, markup, printing, and screenshots. Users can share design views by link and collaborate with annotations and drawing tools. A shared view is a converted representation, not access to the source file, so stakeholders cannot retrieve or edit the original through it. Files saved in the service are not searchable, but anyone with the share link can access the design. Views last 30 days by default, and owners can extend the expiry date. An Autodesk Account is required. Viewer works in browsers on Windows, Mac, and Chrome OS. Autodesk Support states that Viewer data is stored in the United States, with no regional storage option. RVT support covers Revit 2015 or later; DWG object-enabler viewing is limited to AutoCAD Architecture, Plant 3D, and Civil 3D.
CAD Reader
CAD Reader has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.