STEP Viewer vs CADVault
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
STEP Viewer
View and interact with 3D CAD files directly on your mobile device. Measure dimensions, rotate, zoom, and save models in a common format without needing desktop software.
- Open STEP files from file manager
- 3D model measurement tools
- Six fixed views
- Pinch to zoom, pan, and rotate
- Save as GLB
- Progress indicator for large files
- Multilingual support
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STEP Viewer opens STEP (.step, .stp) CAD files in 3D on your phone. No desktop CAD software needed. Everything is free. There are no in-app purchases. Credits only skip the ad; without credits you can still open every file after watching a short ad. Key features * Open .step and .stp files straight from your file manager - just tap the file * Measure your model: a bounding box with all three side lengths, in mm or m * Six fixed views (front, right, back, left, top, bottom), plus pinch to zoom, pan and rotate * Save the converted model as GLB whenever you need it * Large files show the estimated time and memory before conversion starts, and progress while it runs * If a file cannot be opened, the app tells you why instead of failing silently * Available in 12 languages, following your device settings Supported formats * Input: .stp, .step (STEP AP203, AP214) * Output: .glb (glTF Binary) How to use 1. Tap a .step file in your file manager, or open the app and tap the folder icon 2. Wait for the conversion - large files show progress and an estimate 3. Drag to rotate, pinch to zoom, tap the view button to switch sides License This app uses Open CASCADE Technology (LGPL-2.1). https://www.opencascade.com For questions or bug reports, please contact us by email.
CADVault
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CADVault opens STEP files and other 3D models right on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Fast, offline and without your designs ever leaving the device. OWN STEP KERNEL • Reads STEP AP203, AP214 and AP242 with assembly structure, part names, colors, units and tessellated meshes • Built for large assemblies with thousands of parts, smooth on iPhone and iPad • Also opens STL, OBJ, glTF/GLB, PLY and USD/USDZ VIEW AND UNDERSTAND • Assembly tree: show or hide parts and subassemblies, search, zoom to a part • Shaded, shaded with edges or edges only; perspective or orthographic • Standard views, free rotation, pan and zoom • Colors from the file, per part or per part type, plus custom colors • Selectable up axis, saved per file MEASURE • Distance between two points • With Pro: radii, surface areas and edge lengths from the exact STEP geometry CADVAULT PRO • Open large models over 20 MB • Convert to STL, OBJ, PLY and GLB, optionally only visible parts, with colors • Section view along X, Y or Z and exploded view Pro is available as a monthly or yearly subscription. Models up to 20 MB can be opened, viewed and measured for free. PRIVACY FIRST • No upload, no account, no ads, no analytics • The app makes no internet connections of its own • Encrypted library: copies, thumbnails and settings with AES-256-GCM, key only in this device's keychain, excluded from backups • Optional app lock with Face ID, Touch ID or device passcode The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms: https://joshua-tree-labs.com/legal/cadvault-nutzungsbedingungen.html Privacy: https://joshua-tree-labs.com/legal/cadvault-datenschutz.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: STEP Viewer at 13.0 against CADVault's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | STEP Viewer | CADVault |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 61 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Smart Cube Labs Co., Ltd. | Thomas Hoche |
In-app purchases
STEP Viewer
No in-app purchases
CADVault
No in-app purchases









