HOOPS Exchange

HOOPS Exchange is a C++ SDK for adding 2D and 3D CAD import and export to engineering applications. It best suits development teams that need to work with engineering data as well as geometry. Its breadth is a strong draw, but the 60-day evaluation is not for production, and version upgrades require recompilation.

Overview

Rather than a desktop converter for occasional file changes, HOOPS Exchange is infrastructure for applications in mechanical design, manufacturing, building and construction, shipbuilding, plant, and process industries. A single API handles CAD import and export, while the SDK exposes B-REP geometry, product and manufacturing information (PMI), model trees, views, persistent IDs, styles, construction geometry, and visualization data. That depth can serve applications that must preserve engineering context; it may be more than a team needs for a basic mesh-conversion workflow.

HOOPS Exchange 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 original CAD files using HOOPS Exchange and PRC. That maximum should not be treated as a guaranteed result for every dataset.

Key features

The product page lists more than 30 import formats and more than 10 export formats, with examples including CATIA, NX, SOLIDWORKS, Revit, IFC, JT, STEP, STL, and FBX. Broad format coverage is useful to teams building software that must accept files from varied engineering tools, though the format count alone does not establish what data a particular conversion retains.

Integrations include Parasolid, with connections to ACIS, Open Cascade, Polygonica, HOOPS Visualize, OpenGL, DirectX, Vulkan, Unity, and Unreal. This gives development teams options across geometry, visualization, and application environments. The SDK provides APIs for C, C++, and C#, and supports animation conversion.

Pricing

The HOOPS Exchange evaluation costs nothing and provides full access for 60 days, along with technical support from Tech Soft 3D experts. It is a substantial window for evaluating the SDK in a development workflow, but the evaluation license keys expire at the end of the period and cannot be used for production software. HOOPS Exchange is paid software, and ongoing licensing is custom pricing.

Teams should also account for the upgrade path: releases are not binary compatible with older versions, so applications must be recompiled when moving to a new release. That makes version changes a development task rather than a drop-in update.

Platforms

The product FAQ lists Windows, Linux, macOS, and Mac Catalyst, with limited functionality on iOS and Android. The product's supported-platform list also includes web. Teams targeting mobile should weigh the stated functionality limit before choosing the SDK as a core dependency.

Who it's for

HOOPS Exchange is for development teams building engineering applications that need broad CAD interchange and access to structured design data. It is particularly relevant when an application needs more than geometry alone, such as model trees, PMI, views, or persistent IDs. It is not the natural choice for an individual looking for a free, ready-to-use file converter.

Pros and cons

• Pro: One API covers 2D and 3D CAD import and export across dozens of listed formats, which can support applications handling files from multiple design systems.
• Pro: Access to engineering data such as PMI, model trees, and persistent IDs suits workflows that need context beyond a rendered shape.
• Pro: Full evaluation access and expert support for 60 days give teams a defined period to assess the SDK before committing.
• Con: Evaluation keys expire and are not production licenses, so teams need a paid licensing plan before deploying applications built with the SDK.
• Con: Each version upgrade requires recompilation, adding engineering work to release planning.
• Con: iOS and Android functionality is limited, a meaningful constraint for teams prioritizing mobile applications.

Alternatives

For a narrower or lower-cost workflow, CAD Assistant is free for personal and commercial use across desktop and mobile platforms, but commercial import components restrict model export and conversion. Choose it when those limits fit better than integrating a paid SDK.

Convert3D offers a Free API with 10 conversions per month and a Starter plan at $899 a year for 5,000 conversions per year. It is a better fit when a conversion quota and API service model suit the workload.

Spin 3D has a free version for non-commercial use, making it an option for non-commercial conversion needs.

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

FBX2glTF is free and open source under a 3-clause BSD license, but its FBX SDK support is limited to version 2019.2.

CAD Exchanger offers perpetual or subscription licensing, with node-locked or floating license options; consider it if those licensing choices better match your deployment.

3D Model Converter provides unlimited browser-local mesh workflows on its free plan, plus five cloud credits per month, a 50 MB cloud-file cap, and 24-hour cloud history. It is a fit for browser-based mesh tasks rather than embedding CAD import and export in an engineering application.

CrossCad/Ware is another paid option for Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Browse the 3D File Converter Software category for more options.

Verdict

Choose HOOPS Exchange if your team is building engineering software that needs broad CAD format support and access to structured design data through a single SDK. Its main advantage is the combination of interchange breadth and engineering context; the principal reasons to look elsewhere are paid licensing, the evaluation's production restriction, limited mobile functionality, and recompilation on upgrades.