Comparison

AutoCAD vs ArcSite

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AutoCAD

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
Read full description

The official AutoCAD app. View & edit CAD drawings anytime, anywhere! Essential drafting and design capabilities for your everyday needs: Autodesk® AutoCAD® Web on mobile is a trusted solution that gives you access to the core AutoCAD commands that you need for light editing and generating fundamental designs, all at an attractive price. AutoCAD Web subscription plans are available in the following options: • Monthly for $9.99 • Yearly for $99.99 • Included free with AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT subscriptions Use familiar AutoCAD drafting tools on your mobile device in a simplified interface, allowing you to access, create, and update DWG™ files anytime, anywhere. 30 day trial: Enjoy a fully functional free trial of AutoCAD Web for 30 days. After the trial is completed, you can access limited read-only functionality without a paid subscription. Current AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT desktop subscribers: Sign in with your Autodesk account to access AutoCAD Web on mobile. Key Benefits: • Work offline on your projects without an Internet connection and sync later • Safeguard drawings in your Autodesk account or with your own external accounts • Collaborate in real time with team members and reduce mistakes • Replace blueprints at job sites with drawings on mobile • Simplify workflows by opening DWG files directly from Autodesk Drive, Autodesk Docs, Microsoft OneDrive, Box, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Features: • 2D file viewing • Create, edit, and share 2D drawings • Work offline and sync your changes once back online • Insert blocks from your DWG drawing • Manage layers and layer visibility • Drafting and geometry editing tools • Annotation and markup tools • Measure distance, angle, area, and radius • View and edit DWG files from your internal storage, email, or from the cloud • View coordinates and properties All new users have access to a free trial of AutoCAD Web for 30 days. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your Apple ID. Subscriptions are automatically renewed unless cancelled at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. You will not be able to cancel a subscription during the active period. Manage your subscriptions in Account Settings after purchase. *Free products and services are subject to the Autodesk Terms of Use at https://www.autodesk.com/company/terms-of-use/en/general-terms Learn more: Autodesk Website: https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad-web Term of Use: https://www.autodesk.com/company/legal-notices-trademarks/terms-of-service-autodesk360-web-services/autodesk-autocad-mobile-terms-of-service AutoCAD Service is not provided to children under the age of 14, and users under 14 cannot use this Service.

About

ArcSite

This app allows contractors to create accurate floor plans and site layouts directly on-site. It streamlines the process of planning remodels, running takeoffs, generating professional proposals, and collecting payments, all from a mobile device.

Highlights
  • Sketch accurate floor plans on-site
  • Plan remodels and renovations
  • Run takeoff and generate material lists
  • Create professional proposals and estimates
  • Collect payment within the app
  • Scan rooms with LiDAR and AR (Pro devices)
Features
Read full description

ArcSite is the perfect design tool for all levels, from beginners sketching out floor plans to experienced professionals taking on complex projects. No matter your experience, ArcSite puts intuitive CAD within everyone's reach. ArcSite goes beyond design: start with a drawing to capture data, calculate material quantities, and instantly create estimates and job reports in one place. Once you’re finished drawing with ArcSite’s floor plan creator, you can easily share and collaborate on projects, generate professional proposals, material lists, and estimates, and accept payments from anywhere, helping you win more business. INTUITIVE DRAWING TOOLS FOR ROOM & HOUSE DESIGN - *AI Trace: Sketch it, scan it, see your space. Turn a hand sketch, photo, or PDF into an editable, to-scale floor plan. *only available for iPad; iPhone features coming soon - Advanced 2D CAD-level precision without the CAD learning curve. - Create plans from a map: Start a new drawing using a satellite image as your base. Enter an address to find a location, then zoom in or out to set boundaries; the scale will be set automatically. - Designed for everyone: Easy for first-time users, precise enough for professionals. - Export, Cloud sync, and collaborate: Your room design drawings export to PNG/PDF/DXF/DWG, save to the cloud, and (for professional users) flow directly into material takeoffs, estimates, and signed proposals. - Send proposals: Access Proposal Generation (based on your drawing). - Communicate visual context: Add location-based photos with markup to highlight project issues instantly for teams or customers. WORK FASTER & STAY ORGANIZED WITH FIELD-LEVEL PRECISION - Keep all of your project details in one place. - Customize products, forms, material types, quantity calculations, and pricing to match your data requirements. - Our mobile CAD app offers unmatched accuracy, whether with exact-to-scale drawings or quantities of materials and pricing. - Draw to scale with confidence: Our mobile CAD app makes it easy to get accurate measurements and pricing, every time. - Security - SOC 2 Type II compliant and ISO/IEC 27001 certified. SMART FEATURES FOR CREATING FLOOR PLANS - *AR Room Scanner: Scan a room or space with your phone or iPad camera and get a scaled floor plan placed directly in the drawing canvas, no manual measuring. *only for Apple Pro devices - Smart Shapes and parametric objects: Walls, doors, windows, and shapes can snap into place, auto-count, and adjust as you draw or resize. - Quick-start template gallery: Pre-built templates save you time. WHO USES ARCSITE? - Sales Teams - Residential Contractors - Fencing Pros - Foundation Repair Experts - Designers, Architects - Creative Homeowners - Remodeling Pros - Inspectors - Auditors - General Contractors - And more WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT ARCSITE? "I haven't found anything else that comes close to meeting my needs. With ArcSite I save hours on every estimate. Very easy to make accurate and professional-looking drawings, while on-site." - Colin, from JES Foundation Repair "In my opinion, there is no better program for our line of work, we will be much more productive in the long term." - Paul from Johnson Controls TERMS Free 14-day trial on all plans Terms of Service: https://www.arcsite.com/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/184541 To continue using ArcSite after your trial, purchase a monthly or annual subscription plan (Draw Basic, Draw Pro, Takeoff, or Estimate). Each tier offers different features; details are in-app. AUTO-RENEWABLE SUBSCRIPTION INFO * Payment charged to Apple Account at confirmation of purchase * Subscription renews unless auto-renew is turned off 24 hours before the current period ends * Renewal charged within 24 hours before the end of the current period * Manage subscriptions or turn off auto-renewal in Account Settings after purchase * Unused portion of a free trial is forfeited upon subscription purchase

Screenshots

AutoCAD4 screens
ArcSite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ArcSite at weekly against AutoCAD's every 2 months. ArcSite also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and chart position (#171 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AutoCAD sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and ArcSite sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ArcSite holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.3K and 9K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of AutoCAD's written reviews are positive against 45% of ArcSite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, ArcSite weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
AutoCAD versus ArcSite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAutoCADArcSite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (6.3K ratings)4.7 (9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews51.0% of reviews — better45.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6.3K9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#171 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size502 MB242 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAutodesk Inc.Arctuition LLC

Customer experience

AutoCAD

All ratings6,263 ratings
Positive86.2%
Neutral4.8%
Negative9.0%
Written reviews692 reviews
Positive51.0%
Neutral10.5%
Negative38.4%

ArcSite

All ratings9,034 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral1.8%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews604 reviews
Positive45.0%
Neutral12.4%
Negative42.5%

User reviews

AutoCAD

From 6.3K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

ArcSite

From 9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy and powerful tool
  • 👍 User-friendly and intuitive
  • 👍 Works great on all devices
  • 👍 Helps create accurate plans
  • 👍 Useful for various projects

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
  • 🐛 Drawings disappearing
  • 🐛 Measurements issues
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes

Bugs and requests

AutoCAD

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

ArcSite

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Drawings not opening
  • Walls not connecting properly
  • Dimensions constantly shifting
  • Unexpected auto-merging of objects

Requested features

5 requests
  • 3D support
  • More affordable pricing options
  • One-time purchase option
  • Improved export options
  • Better layering and floor management

In-app purchases

3 purchases

AutoCAD

Subscriptions3
  • AutoCAD Web monthly$9.991 Month
  • AutoCAD Web annual$99.991 Year
  • AutoCAD Web annual (Ultimate)$99.991 Year
11 purchases

ArcSite

Subscriptions11
  • Draw Basic$14.991 Month
  • Draw Basic14 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Draw Pro$34.991 Month
Show 8 more
  • Draw Pro14 Days trial$34.991 Month
  • Draw Basic (Yearly)$119.991 Year
  • Advanced$119.991 Month
  • Advanced14 Days trial$119.991 Month
  • Takeoff$119.991 Month
  • Takeoff14 Days trial$119.991 Month
  • Estimate14 Days trial$159.991 Month
  • Estimate$159.991 Month

Questions

Is AutoCAD free?
AutoCAD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ArcSite free?
ArcSite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AutoCAD or ArcSite?
ArcSite is rated higher. AutoCAD averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6.3K ratings, while ArcSite averages 4.7 from 9K ratings.
Do AutoCAD or ArcSite have ads?
Neither AutoCAD nor ArcSite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AutoCAD or ArcSite?
AutoCAD ships an update every 2 months, and ArcSite weekly. Most recently, AutoCAD was updated on September 22, 2026 and ArcSite on September 24, 2026.

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