Please offer more price tiers
Program is incredible and so intuitive but the paid version makes it prohibitively expensive for the casual user. Offering different price tiers based on a limited number of downloads permitted per month and/or limited functionality but able to download in high quality. This would make this incredible app useful to the occasional user. The program itself cannot be faulted I’ve designed items in minutes that i struggled with in other apps and is well worth a try if you are happy with the current pricing structure if you also need the ability to download in high quality.
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Amazing app, but functionally useless without expensive subscription
Let me start by saying this CAD package is phenomenal on the iPad. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and very nice to work with. The app feels more natural than any CAD package I’ve ever worked with, and having worked in an engineering field I’ve worked with Solidworks, AutoCAD, & Fusion360, among others. The reason this is a 2 star review is for hobbyist use the app is just not worth using with the limited functionality. The 2 design limit without being able to archive designs is a pain. If I could export the files somewhere or archive them when was done would also make it usable. Also, my use case being for 3D printing, woodworking, and hobby designs around the house I can do nothing with the files I want to create. Want to 3D print it? Hope it’s not a high resolution print. Want to send the file to a laser or CAM for CNC? Not happening. Want to create a basic drawing package so you don’t have to keep your iPad in the shop? Nope.
TL;DR - Amazing app, but I can’t do anything with the basic version and the pro version is out of reach of a hobbyist like me. I’ll be sticking with Fusion360 for my use case.
TL;DR - Amazing app, but I can’t do anything with the basic version and the pro version is out of reach of a hobbyist like me. I’ll be sticking with Fusion360 for my use case.
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The most useful app on the App Store
Shapr 3D is an amazing app. As someone who does CAD modeling for hobby projects after work, I find it very annoying to always have to sit at a desk while designing things. Shapr 3D lets me crank out 3D designs from the comfort of the couch.
The interface is beautiful and intuitive, in a way that is only possible with the Apple Pencil. Sure, it’s missing features from full-featured desktop CAD programs, but for designing prototypes or models to 3D print, it’s perfect. It can import and export a large number of file types, which is very useful for sharing your work with others or preparing files for 3D printing.
The pricing is the one sticking point. This is probably the most expensive subscription I’ve ever seen for an iOS app. It’s a bit hard to swallow, but if you compare it to the pricing of other CAD programs it seems more reasonable. Plus, it’s not like this is a quick and dirty port or anything. The devs have put a lot of work into tailoring the 3D CAD experience to iPad and it shows. (Note for students and educators: there are free education licenses available on the app’s website!)
Overall, Shapr 3D has been a great experience so far. I’ll update this review if I find anything that detracts from the experience as I continue using it.
The interface is beautiful and intuitive, in a way that is only possible with the Apple Pencil. Sure, it’s missing features from full-featured desktop CAD programs, but for designing prototypes or models to 3D print, it’s perfect. It can import and export a large number of file types, which is very useful for sharing your work with others or preparing files for 3D printing.
The pricing is the one sticking point. This is probably the most expensive subscription I’ve ever seen for an iOS app. It’s a bit hard to swallow, but if you compare it to the pricing of other CAD programs it seems more reasonable. Plus, it’s not like this is a quick and dirty port or anything. The devs have put a lot of work into tailoring the 3D CAD experience to iPad and it shows. (Note for students and educators: there are free education licenses available on the app’s website!)
Overall, Shapr 3D has been a great experience so far. I’ll update this review if I find anything that detracts from the experience as I continue using it.
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Union/object merges are PERMANENT, cannot undo
I was so willing to pay for a subscription until finally at the end of this precise design I had modelled in this app, I needed to test how my 3D slicer would treat multiple objects in same file so I merged 2 (out of 3) bodies together and exported. It went fine, it treats them as I dependant bodies if they aren’t merged in Shapr3D. That’s what I wanted it to do.
Now I need to keep working on the 2 parts that were just merged but I can’t undo the union/unmerge them, it has forgotten all previous changes so I can’t undo anything! The only way to get 2 separate objects again is to delete via negative extrusion and make the object again from beginning.
This app is useless to absolutely everyone if it behaves like that, and not worth a cent. It’s not a pro feature you need to unlock, everyone will have this problem.
Now I need to keep working on the 2 parts that were just merged but I can’t undo the union/unmerge them, it has forgotten all previous changes so I can’t undo anything! The only way to get 2 separate objects again is to delete via negative extrusion and make the object again from beginning.
This app is useless to absolutely everyone if it behaves like that, and not worth a cent. It’s not a pro feature you need to unlock, everyone will have this problem.
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Disappointed, wasted my time….
I always research things before I buy it or download it, like phones, audio, tv’s, vehicles, software or whatever.
I don’t care if it’s the cheapest or most expensive, it has this gizmo or that extra thing. AS LONG AS IT DOES WHAT I NEED OR WANT.
Well yes I went through a few of these “top 10” reviews, watched some you tube videos, and this seemed to be up there at the top of my list. Which was a good CAD for iPad.
So I downloaded it, opened it and went to start it.
Straight away problem, not a small problem. A problem that no where through researching this product was pointed out.
What’s the problem, you need an Apple stylus or it doesn’t work.
Well I have a stylus, not Apple but before now it was “WHAT I NEEDED” not the cheapest or most expensive, just in the middle somewhere. Your options if you don’t have an Apple stylus, obviously you can buy one, but I have a stylus which also works on my Samsung device. Or you can use a laptop. Der…. I don’t use a laptop that’s why I wanted it for iPad.
Maybe if you pay for the premium version it’s better and might work, I don’t know. But I only wanted it to design 1 thing, so I could send the design to an engineering company to quote a price to manufacture.
It only got the 1 star because it won’t let me post with no stars.
I hate having my time wasted.
Hope this stops you making same mistakes.
I don’t care if it’s the cheapest or most expensive, it has this gizmo or that extra thing. AS LONG AS IT DOES WHAT I NEED OR WANT.
Well yes I went through a few of these “top 10” reviews, watched some you tube videos, and this seemed to be up there at the top of my list. Which was a good CAD for iPad.
So I downloaded it, opened it and went to start it.
Straight away problem, not a small problem. A problem that no where through researching this product was pointed out.
What’s the problem, you need an Apple stylus or it doesn’t work.
Well I have a stylus, not Apple but before now it was “WHAT I NEEDED” not the cheapest or most expensive, just in the middle somewhere. Your options if you don’t have an Apple stylus, obviously you can buy one, but I have a stylus which also works on my Samsung device. Or you can use a laptop. Der…. I don’t use a laptop that’s why I wanted it for iPad.
Maybe if you pay for the premium version it’s better and might work, I don’t know. But I only wanted it to design 1 thing, so I could send the design to an engineering company to quote a price to manufacture.
It only got the 1 star because it won’t let me post with no stars.
I hate having my time wasted.
Hope this stops you making same mistakes.
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Great App but expensive
I have used the free version of this app a while and I think it’s superb. It does have a bit of a learning curve, but the most powerful software does. There is plenty of help within the app to help. I would have given it 5 stars but the paid version is far too expensive for anybody not using for business, like myself. It’s a shame there isn’t a cheap lite version for someone who is an occasional user, but can’t justify the full price. That gives you some extra features over the free version, that the occasional user could justify paying. That way people like me could contribute to a good app and the developer would have another revenue stream?
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Fantastic, but expensive
After following the intro tutorial, I had (what I would consider) my first even fairly complicated model created and ready to 3d print in around 2 hours. The touch + pencil interface is very intuitive!
Unfortunately, this positive experience during the trial can’t translate into a sale. AUD $350/year or $43/month is just too much to justify when I’d likely only create and print a few models a year, at most.
If there was a middle pricing point for 3d printing enthusiasts with the free features and just the ability to export the STL (no textures or other pro features), I’d happily pay in the $10/month, $100/year ballpark, though.
Unfortunately, this positive experience during the trial can’t translate into a sale. AUD $350/year or $43/month is just too much to justify when I’d likely only create and print a few models a year, at most.
If there was a middle pricing point for 3d printing enthusiasts with the free features and just the ability to export the STL (no textures or other pro features), I’d happily pay in the $10/month, $100/year ballpark, though.
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Great if You are a student
I am currently studying business but wanted to develop some hard skills while I am in school. I have always been interested in design so I looked up good 3d modeling apps for my iPad. This one came up as a top rated one (for good reason) and I downloaded it. At first I was turned off because of the ridiculous price. But then I found a Reddit form that said you can get it free if your a student! I have now been receiving the free version and it has been wonderful! I truly feel like this opportunity to develop a hard skill while in school will set me ahead in life once I graduate.
But if you have to pay for it and are just a hobbyist, it’s a hard pass.
But if you have to pay for it and are just a hobbyist, it’s a hard pass.
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Software is amazing, I hope this is the future of architecture. Pricing needs work
I love the software, it’s a really satisfying user experience and I wish more apps were like this. The helpful pop up “how to” videos are amazing. It makes me wish I didn’t have to fight Revit for my day job. Hoping that they continue to build things out so that one day, architects and engineers can produce a full set in Shapr3D. A boy can dream.
My only complaint is on the pricing side of things - I wish there was an affordable monthly fee (like $5) for those of us who are just noodling around on the software, getting a feel for it, and want to create a few small test models but are not using this app (yet) to make money. Like something in between the basic and pro pricing categories.
My only complaint is on the pricing side of things - I wish there was an affordable monthly fee (like $5) for those of us who are just noodling around on the software, getting a feel for it, and want to create a few small test models but are not using this app (yet) to make money. Like something in between the basic and pro pricing categories.
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Probably the fastest 3d app there is when its working correctly..
Really this app is quite a bit faster than normal cad modeling and is generally a very good start to move the model over to a full cad program if necessary. I have had a few problems with it however in the short time I’ve used it: notably with rectangle drawing and occasionally with line drawing. Starting a rectangle on a line already drawn was on occasion impossible to the point where I had start it off the line and then move the completed rectangle into place on the line. The line problems I was having was somewhat similar: finishing one line (then inputting the length) and then starting a new line from the endpoint of the previous line and again having a hard time doing so.
2 minor complaints:
1. I never should have allowed the app to send notifications regarding the pen’s connection to tablet - it is always putting up a red notification despite the pen working. I have know idea how to get rid of this annoyance and a search online offered no help.
2. The 1st tutorial did not sufficiently explain that zooming in and out on the workspace changed the scale (like 50mm down to 1mm), instead emphasizing that you can change from inches to mm’s etc.. took me a while to realize that I needed to zoom further in.
Speaking of the tutorial’s - those are quite good, wish there were more of them. (..though yo can do them over and over to become better at using the app.)
2 minor complaints:
1. I never should have allowed the app to send notifications regarding the pen’s connection to tablet - it is always putting up a red notification despite the pen working. I have know idea how to get rid of this annoyance and a search online offered no help.
2. The 1st tutorial did not sufficiently explain that zooming in and out on the workspace changed the scale (like 50mm down to 1mm), instead emphasizing that you can change from inches to mm’s etc.. took me a while to realize that I needed to zoom further in.
Speaking of the tutorial’s - those are quite good, wish there were more of them. (..though yo can do them over and over to become better at using the app.)
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