ShareCAD

ShareCAD is a browser-based service for viewing, storing, and sharing CAD and BIM files. It is best for designers and project teams who need to show technical files to clients or collaborators without requiring them to install CAD software. Its access controls and project workspaces make it more useful than a bare viewer, but it cannot create or edit files.

Overview

Recipients can open shared links in a browser without an account, making ShareCAD a practical way to circulate designs beyond a team’s regular software setup. It supports DWG, DXF, Revit, IFC, DGN, STEP, IGES, STL, SolidWorks, Navisworks, and PDF. Autodesk Platform Services processes supported formats for browser viewing, and subscriptions include Autodesk conversions subject to a monthly limit. That breadth suits mixed design and construction workflows, though the conversion cap may matter to teams handling files at volume.

Links can expire, require passwords, be restricted to a single recipient email, or prevent downloads. Project workspaces, folder sharing, and file-request links help teams organize material and gather incoming files. Measurement tools add review utility, but these features do not turn ShareCAD into an authoring environment: users cannot create or edit files.

Files are stored in AWS in the United States (Ohio), connections use HTTPS, and files are encrypted at rest with AES-256. ShareCAD is not SOC 2 certified and is not designed for data subject to special government storage requirements such as ITAR. Those constraints make it unsuitable for organizations that require that certification or specialized government-data handling. Point clouds can be uploaded and shared for download, but cannot be viewed in the browser.

Key features

• Browser-based technical file viewing: Clients and collaborators can inspect supported files through shared links without CAD software or an account, reducing friction when sharing outside a design team.
• Controlled sharing: Expiration, passwords, single-recipient email restrictions, and download restrictions let senders tailor access to a project or recipient.
• Project organization: Workspaces, folder sharing, and file-request links support ongoing collaboration and file collection rather than only one-off viewing.
• Measurements: Measurement tools support review of drawings, though ShareCAD remains view-only.
• Point-cloud limitation: Point clouds can be shared for download, but recipients cannot inspect them in the browser.

Pricing

The Free CAD viewer costs nothing and opens files in a browser without an account. Viewer pages show a file-size limit of up to 50 MB. It is suited to occasional viewing, but it does not provide the paid plans’ listed user seats, cloud storage, or Autodesk conversion allowance.

Standard costs $49 a month, billed monthly, and includes 2 users, unlimited share recipients, cloud storage, and Autodesk conversions subject to a monthly limit. It fits a small team that needs recurring sharing; the two-user allowance is a constraint for larger groups.

Team costs $149 a month, billed monthly, and includes 10 users, 3 TB of cloud storage, priority email support, and Autodesk conversions subject to a monthly limit. It is the clearer fit for a growing project team that needs more seats and storage, though conversions remain capped monthly.

Enterprise starts at $2,890 a year, billed annually. It includes unlimited users, SSO, custom agreements and security review, with volume and multi-office pricing. It suits organizations needing those arrangements; the annual starting price is substantially above the monthly plans.

Platforms

ShareCAD supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. That range makes it suitable for teams sharing files across different devices and desktop operating systems, with browser viewing central to its use.

Who it's for

ShareCAD fits solo creators and freelancers who need to share designs, as well as architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and survey teams that need browser-based review and project file organization. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs to author or revise files in the product, and its storage location and compliance limits rule it out for some regulated or government-data workflows.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Recipients need neither CAD software nor an account to view shared links, making external review easier to arrange.
• Pro: Expiring, password-protected, recipient-restricted, and download-restricted links give senders meaningful control over access.
• Pro: Workspaces, folder sharing, and file requests support project organization beyond individual file links.
• Con: There is no file creation or editing, so ShareCAD cannot replace CAD authoring software.
• Con: Point clouds are not viewable in-browser, limiting review to download sharing for that format.
• Con: The service is not SOC 2 certified and is not designed for data requiring special government storage arrangements such as ITAR.

Alternatives

CAD Viewer Software is a useful starting point for comparing more tools in this category.

• CAD Pockets is worth considering for mobile and web users seeking a free plan with fundamental CAD features, third-party cloud storage, and 100MB of cloud space.
• CAD Reader offers a free download and supports Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows; choose it if those platforms matter more than ShareCAD’s browser link workflow.
• eDrawings Viewer is a free option across mobile and desktop platforms, though advanced collaboration capabilities require eDrawings Professional and mobile app pricing varies by region.
• ODA File Converter is a free alternative from a non-profit technology consortium focused on CAD and BIM interoperability.
• Autodesk Viewer is a free web option if an Autodesk Account is acceptable; uploaded designs expire after 30 days by default, and anyone with a shared link can access the design.
• 3D-Tool is a Windows-only choice for opening DDD, STL, and 3MF files with its free viewer, but that viewer cannot export CAD files.
• CAD Viewer is a free browser option for viewing, review, and editing built on an open-source toolkit, making it relevant if editing is a priority.
• CADViewer by Orua is a free, read-only open-source browser viewer with self-hosted static deployment.

Verdict

Choose ShareCAD if your priority is to share and organize technical files for browser-based review, especially with recipients who lack CAD software. Its link controls and project workspaces are useful strengths, but it is not an editing tool, point clouds cannot be viewed online, and its stated compliance limits exclude some sensitive workflows. Look elsewhere if creating or changing files, specialized government-data handling, or SOC 2 certification is essential.