# eDrawings vs STL Simple Viewer

The clearest difference is price: STL Simple Viewer at Free against eDrawings's $1.99. STL Simple Viewer also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.5) and ratings volume (909 vs 17). eDrawings's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

STL Simple Viewer is free to download; eDrawings costs $1.99 up front. STL Simple Viewer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. eDrawings asks for nothing beyond the download.

STL Simple Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: STL Simple Viewer has 909 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of eDrawings's written reviews are positive against 18% of STL Simple Viewer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

eDrawings ships an update every 3 months, STL Simple Viewer every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | eDrawings | STL Simple Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.5 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/edrawings/id520231936/reviews) | **[4.3 (909 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stl-simple-viewer/id1493598400/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **909** |
| Positive reviews | **32.0% of reviews** | 18.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#32** | — |
| Size | 185 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/520231939) | [Victor Bovio](https://appshunter.io/developer/327627515) |

## What reviewers say

### eDrawings

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/edrawings/id520231936)

**Currently charting:** #32 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

View native CAD files, including SolidWorks, DWG, and DXF, on your mobile device. Utilize augmented reality to visualize 3D models in real-world settings. Easily share designs via email for enhanced collaboration.

**Highlights:** View native CAD files (SolidWorks, DWG, DXF), Augmented Reality (AR) for 3D model visualization, Email-enabled file sharing for collaboration, Multi-touch gestures for navigation, Support for configurations, drawing sheets, and exploded views, Open files from various sources (email, cloud, web)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth rotation and zoom
- 👍 Sleek and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Handles large assemblies well
- 👍 Practical for quick checks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on larger files
- 🔍 Lacks key features like measuring, sectioning, and part visibility control
- 💰 Paid app with limited functionality compared to free desktop version
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer file formats and devices

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Crashes when opening large files
- Incompatibility with iOS 14 and newer devices
- Inability to open personal files

**Requested features**

- Measuring tool
- Sectioning tool
- Ability to hide/show parts
- Support for more file formats
- Cloud storage integration


### STL Simple Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stl-simple-viewer/id1493598400)

Easily view and interact with 3D STL CAD models. Supports various file types and offers advanced rendering options for detailed analysis. Get model information and explore interiors with clipping planes.

**Highlights:** View ASCII and Binary STL files, Load STL from ZIP, Rotate, pan, and zoom, Orthogonal and Perspective modes, Model info (triangle count, bounding box), Rendering options (faces, edges, transparency), Clipping plane for interiors

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro version (1 week plan) | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro version (1 month plan) | $1.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Export Pack | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and intuitive viewer
- 👍 Useful viewing options
- 💡 Supports multiple file formats

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🚨 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🔍 Limited functionality for larger files

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening larger STL files
- Inability to open some file formats
- Ads continue to appear even after paying for ad removal

**Requested features**

- Add ability to save color/lighting settings
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Provide an ad-free paid version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is eDrawings free?

eDrawings costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is STL Simple Viewer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, eDrawings or STL Simple Viewer?

STL Simple Viewer is rated higher. eDrawings averages 2.5 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while STL Simple Viewer averages 4.3 from 909 ratings.

### Do eDrawings or STL Simple Viewer have ads?

STL Simple Viewer shows ads; eDrawings does not.

### Which is updated more often, eDrawings or STL Simple Viewer?

eDrawings ships an update every 3 months, and STL Simple Viewer every 5 months. Most recently, eDrawings was updated on October 19, 2026 and STL Simple Viewer on October 19, 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.*