# AutoCAD vs Design Materials

The clearest difference is ratings volume: AutoCAD at 6.3K against Design Materials's 2. AutoCAD also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 33%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AutoCAD sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Design Materials sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for AutoCAD against 4.5 for Design Materials. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AutoCAD has 6.3K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 51% of AutoCAD's written reviews are positive against 33% of Design Materials's.

AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, Design Materials every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AutoCAD | Design Materials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (6.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autocad/id393149734/reviews) | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-materials/id975764691/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.3K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 502 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Autodesk Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/295089690) | [Chrystian Enriquez](https://appshunter.io/developer/428286625) |

## 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


### Design Materials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-materials/id975764691)

This app serves as an offline reference guide for various design materials, including polymers and metals. It allows users to manage their own material data, view 3D models, and capture objects with their device's camera. Ideal for professionals and hobbyists involved in product design and 3D printing.

**Highlights:** Offline material reference guide, Custom material and resin management, 3D model viewer and import/export, Object capture via device camera, Favorites and notes section, Cross-device compatibility (iOS, macOS)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze member | $7.99 | per month |
| Silver member | $17.99 | per 3 months |
| Gold member | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AutoCAD free?

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

### Is Design Materials free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AutoCAD or Design Materials?

Design Materials is rated higher. AutoCAD averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6.3K ratings, while Design Materials averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do AutoCAD or Design Materials have ads?

Neither AutoCAD nor Design Materials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AutoCAD or Design Materials?

AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, and Design Materials every 3 months. Most recently, AutoCAD was updated on October 17, 2026 and Design Materials on October 2, 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.*