Autodesk Viewer vs CADViewer by Orua

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.

CADViewer by Orua is a free, open-source browser viewer for large engineering drawings and read-only previews. It opens DWG, DXF, STL, STEP/STP, IGES/IGS, and BREP/BRP files through one entry point and toolbar. DWG and DXF files are parsed in a Web Worker with LibreDWG WebAssembly and rendered progressively using Canvas 2D and Path2D. Three-dimensional formats use OpenCascade WebAssembly and WebGL, with selectable metal surface finishes. Controls include pan, wheel zoom, fit-to-view, zoom window, drawing-list visibility, and light or dark backgrounds. Fonts can load on demand, and deployment configuration supports Simplified Chinese and English. The viewer runs on a static web server without an application server or database, with offline or private-network options. Locally selected files stay in browser processing without an account or upload API. It is read-only and lacks editing, property panels, selection workflows, and plugins.