ShareCAD

ShareCAD is a cloud service for viewing and sharing CAD and BIM files through a browser, best suited to people who need to circulate designs without asking recipients to install CAD software. It pairs broad format support and useful access controls with a firm limitation: it cannot create or edit files.

Overview

Recipients can view shared links in a browser without an account, making ShareCAD a practical way to show technical files to clients or collaborators outside a design team. It supports formats including DWG, DXF, Revit, IFC, DGN, STEP, IGES, STL, SolidWorks, Navisworks, and PDF. Autodesk Platform Services processes supported formats for browser viewing; subscriptions include Autodesk conversions up to a monthly limit.

Links can expire, require a password, be restricted to one recipient email, or prevent downloads. Workspaces, folder sharing, and file-request links help teams organize projects and collect incoming files. Measurement tools and sharing and collaboration features add review utility, but none change the central constraint: ShareCAD is for viewing and sharing, not authoring or editing.

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. Teams with those compliance or storage needs should look elsewhere. Point clouds can be uploaded and shared for download, but cannot currently be viewed in the browser.

Key features

• Browser viewing: Shared files open without requiring recipients to have CAD software or an account, reducing friction when sending designs for review.
• Broad technical format support: DWG, DXF, BIM formats such as Revit and IFC, and formats including STEP, IGES, STL, SolidWorks, Navisworks, and PDF make it useful across varied project handoffs.
• Controlled sharing: Expiration, passwords, recipient restrictions, and download controls let senders tailor link access rather than distribute files without safeguards.
• Project organization: Workspaces, shared folders, and file-request links suit ongoing projects better than a bare upload-and-view workflow.
• Viewing rather than authoring: There is no file creation or editing, so ShareCAD is not a replacement for CAD production software.

Pricing

ShareCAD has a free browser viewer and paid subscriptions. The free option opens files in a browser without an account and is capped at files up to 50 MB. It is suitable for occasional, smaller-file viewing, not a team workspace.

• Free CAD viewer — free: Browser opening without an account, with the 50 MB file-size limit. It gives up the team seats, cloud storage, and subscription Autodesk conversions of paid plans.
• Standard — $49 a month, billed monthly: Two users, unlimited share recipients, cloud storage, and Autodesk conversions subject to a monthly limit. A fit for a small pair needing recurring sharing; the two-user cap is restrictive for larger teams.
• Team — $149 a month, billed monthly: Ten users, 3 TB cloud storage, priority email support, and Autodesk conversions subject to a monthly limit. This is the clearer choice for a team needing more seats, substantial storage, and priority support.
• Enterprise — $2,890 a year, billed annually: Starting price for unlimited users, SSO, custom agreements and security review, with volume and multi-office pricing. It targets larger organizations; annual billing and a starting price make it a different commitment from the monthly plans.

The paid model is described as starting from $19.99/mo, while the named Standard plan is $49 a month. Autodesk conversion quotas are subject to monthly limits; no quota amount is stated in the plan descriptions.

Platforms

ShareCAD supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Browser viewing is its defining workflow, while the listed platform range gives users several ways to access the service.

Who it's for

ShareCAD suits freelancers and solo creators who need to share technical files, as well as architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and survey teams coordinating project material. It is particularly compelling when recipients need view access without a CAD installation or account. It is a poor fit for users who must edit or create drawings, or organizations handling data with the stated government-storage restrictions.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Recipients can view shared files without CAD software or an account, simplifying external review.
• Pro: Link expiration, passwords, recipient restrictions, and download controls provide meaningful sharing safeguards.
• Pro: Workspaces, folder sharing, and file requests support organized project exchange rather than isolated file links.
• Con: The service cannot edit or create files, so production work requires another application.
• Con: Point clouds are limited to upload and download sharing, with no in-browser viewing.
• Con: It is not SOC 2 certified and is unsuitable for data subject to special government storage requirements such as ITAR.
• Con: Standard is limited to two users and Team to ten; the Autodesk conversion monthly limit also constrains subscription use.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see CAD Viewer Software. Consider these alternatives when their pricing, platform, or stated scope better matches your needs:

• CAD Reader is a freemium option with a free plan and trial across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows; choose it if those platforms and a free starting point matter more than ShareCAD's browser-sharing workflow.
• ODA File Converter is free on Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows; it is worth considering when a free tool from a CAD/BIM interoperability-focused consortium is the priority.
• eDrawings Viewer is free across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows; advanced collaboration requires eDrawings Professional, and mobile app pricing varies by region.
• Autodesk Viewer is a free web option, but requires an Autodesk Account; uploaded designs expire after 30 days by default, and anyone with a shared link can access the design.
• CAD Pockets is freemium on Android, iOS, and web, with a free plan that includes fundamental CAD features, third-party cloud storage, 100MB cloud space, and QQ Group support.
• 3D-Tool offers a no-time-limit free Windows viewer for DDD, STL, and 3MF files, but cannot export CAD files; it is a focused choice for those formats on Windows.
• CAD Viewer is a free web-based option for CAD viewing, review, and editing built on an open-source toolkit; editing is a reason to consider it instead of ShareCAD.
• CADViewer is a paid option with a trial across web, desktop, mobile, API, and self-hosted platforms.

Verdict

Choose ShareCAD when the job is to let clients or colleagues inspect and exchange CAD or BIM files through controlled browser links, with project workspaces available for ongoing collaboration. Its breadth of formats and recipient-friendly access are the strongest reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if you need to edit or create files, view point clouds in-browser, or meet SOC 2 or special government-storage requirements.