# AutoCAD vs Elevation Survey

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AutoCAD at 51% against Elevation Survey's 32%. Elevation Survey's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AutoCAD sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Elevation Survey sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, Elevation Survey every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AutoCAD | Elevation Survey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (6.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autocad/id393149734/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 32.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 502 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Autodesk Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/295089690) | [Booth](https://appshunter.io/developer/415450674) |

## 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


### Elevation Survey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elevation-survey/id433368313)

This app simplifies leveling surveys by automatically calculating instrument and ground heights. It allows for instant computation of staff readings for layout work and offers flexible data entry modes. Survey data can be easily exported and shared.

**Highlights:** Automatic HI and GH calculation, Instant staff reading computation for layout, Color-coded input and results, Add notes for projects, Export data as CSV, Standard and Staff data entry modes, In-app tutorial

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AutoCAD free?

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

### Is Elevation Survey free?

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

### Do AutoCAD or Elevation Survey have ads?

Neither AutoCAD nor Elevation Survey shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AutoCAD or Elevation Survey?

AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, and Elevation Survey every 3 months. Most recently, AutoCAD was updated on September 24, 2026 and Elevation Survey on September 16, 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.*