# AutoCAD vs AI Viewer

The clearest difference is rating: AutoCAD at 4.4 against AI Viewer's 2.9. AutoCAD also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (6.3K vs 14). AI Viewer's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AutoCAD sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and AI Viewer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $24.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AutoCAD holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AutoCAD has 6.3K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of AutoCAD's written reviews are positive against 29% of AI Viewer's.

AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, AI Viewer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AutoCAD | AI Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (6.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autocad/id393149734/reviews)** | [2.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-viewer/id1505083223/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.3K** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 502 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Autodesk Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/295089690) | [Vaibhav Singhal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1719416463) |

## What reviewers say

### AutoCAD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autocad/id393149734)

Access and edit CAD drawings on the go with this official application. It provides essential drafting and design tools for creating, updating, and sharing 2D drawings from any device. Collaborate with teams and simplify workflows by accessing files from various cloud storage services.

**Highlights:** 2D file viewing, Create, edit, and share 2D drawings, Offline work and sync, Insert blocks, Manage layers, Drafting and geometry editing, Measure tools

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AutoCAD Web monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| AutoCAD Web annual | $99.99 | per year |
| AutoCAD Web annual (Ultimate) | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intuitive and easy to learn
- 📱 Convenient mobile solution
- 👍 Great for site visits and field work
- 🔍 Useful for viewing and marking up drawings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔒 Difficult login and account management
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to desktop version
- 📱 Lacks basic CAD features like hatching and dimensioning
- 💰 Expensive subscription model

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to open DXF files
- Numeric keypad not appearing for editing dimensions
- Syncing and saving issues causing data loss
- Compatibility problems with newer iPad models

**Requested features**

- Add support for Arabic text
- Improve Apple Pencil integration
- Allow creating and saving custom blocks
- Implement PDF export functionality
- Restore removed features like GPS positioning


### AI Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-viewer/id1505083223)

View Adobe Illustrator (.ai) files on your mobile device without needing a license. Convert .ai files to PDF or PNG, zoom in on previews, and easily locate Illustrator files stored on your device.

**Highlights:** Preview .ai files, Save as PDF or PNG, List all .ai files on device, Pinch to zoom, Remove ads permanently, Contact support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AutoCAD free?

AutoCAD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AI Viewer free?

AI Viewer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, AutoCAD or AI Viewer?

AutoCAD is rated higher. AutoCAD averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6.3K ratings, while AI Viewer averages 2.9 from 14 ratings.

### Do AutoCAD or AI Viewer have ads?

AI Viewer shows ads; AutoCAD does not.

### Which is updated more often, AutoCAD or AI Viewer?

AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, and AI Viewer fortnightly. Most recently, AutoCAD was updated on October 22, 2026 and AI Viewer on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*