Comparison

Shapely 3D vs CAD Studio

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

Head to head
About

Shapely 3D

Create and sculpt 3D models directly on your iPad. Build scenes from primitives, refine them with intuitive tools, and export your creations for printing or digital use. Unlock advanced features with a Pro upgrade.

Highlights
  • Sketch and sculpt 3D models
  • Build scenes from primitives
  • On-screen gizmo for manipulation
  • Configurable grid and measurement tools
  • Export USDZ for AR and Quick Look
  • Advanced Pro features (CSG, STL export, smoothing)
Features
Read full description

Shapely 3D is a fast, native 3D modeling app built for iPad — sketch, sculpt, and export real 3D models with just your finger or Apple Pencil. Build scenes from simple primitives, then move, rotate, and scale them with an on-screen gizmo. Snap to a configurable grid, measure distances as you work, and use the orientation cube to jump straight to any view. Shapely 3D saves your work as a native document you can open again anytime, right where you left off. Before you print, tap View in Room to see the model on your desk at its actual size, through the camera, or export a USDZ for Quick Look and any USD tool. Apple Pencil Pro's squeeze switches sketch modes mid-drawing and hover shows where the next shape will land. Every project is in Spotlight, Siri and Shortcuts. Shapely 3D Pro unlocks: • CSG boolean operations — union, subtract, and intersect shapes to build more complex forms • STL export — send your models straight to a 3D printer or another CAD tool • Sketch & Extrude — draw a 2D profile and pull it into a solid • Smoothing — round any object with adjustable, non-destructive subdivision • Cut tool — slice objects apart along a face or a drawn line • Edit Faces — move, extrude, and reshape the individual faces of any object, and give any face a color of its own • Repair — find the holes, stray faces, and inside-out faces a slicer would trip on, see them in red, and fix them before you export Whether you're prototyping a part, teaching geometry, or just enjoy building things in 3D, Shapely 3D keeps the fundamentals simple and gets out of your way.

About

CAD Studio

Create, edit, and view technical drawings on your mobile device. This professional 2D CAD tool offers a full drawing engine, multi-layer management, and precise snapping for engineers, architects, designers, and students.

Highlights
  • Full 2D drawing engine
  • Multi-layer management
  • Import DWG, DXF, and image files
  • Precise snapping tools
  • Built-in templates
  • Export and share projects
Features
Read full description

Professional 2D CAD drawing studio in your pocket. CAD Studio is a powerful mobile CAD tool for engineers, architects, designers and students. Create, edit and view technical drawings anytime, anywhere. KEY FEATURES: • Full 2D drawing engine — lines, arcs, circles, polylines, polygons • Multi-layer management with visibility and lock controls • Import DWG, DXF, and image files seamlessly • Precise snapping — endpoint, midpoint, intersection, grid • Built-in templates and sample projects • Export and share your projects instantly • Optimized for iPhone and iPad with Apple Pencil support PERFECT FOR: - Architecture floor plans and layouts - Mechanical engineering schematics - Electrical wiring diagrams - Landscape and interior design - Student coursework and technical education Download CAD Studio and turn your device into a professional drafting workstation.

Screenshots

Shapely 3D4 screens
CAD Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CAD Studio at 5.0 against Shapely 3D's 2.0. CAD Studio also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Shapely 3D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. CAD Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CAD Studio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shapely 3D ships an update every 11 days, CAD Studio every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Shapely 3D versus CAD Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShapely 3DCAD Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFabrizio Brancati玉英 张

Customer experience

Shapely 3D

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

CAD Studio

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Shapely 3D

One-time1
  • Shapely 3D Pro$4.99
None

CAD Studio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shapely 3D free?
Shapely 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CAD Studio free?
CAD Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shapely 3D or CAD Studio?
CAD Studio is rated higher. Shapely 3D averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while CAD Studio averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Shapely 3D or CAD Studio have ads?
Shapely 3D shows ads; CAD Studio does not.
Which is updated more often, Shapely 3D or CAD Studio?
Shapely 3D ships an update every 11 days, and CAD Studio every 6 days. Most recently, Shapely 3D was updated on October 19, 2026 and CAD Studio on October 8, 2026.

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