CAD Reader

Overview

CAD Reader is a drawing viewer and editor for DWG and DXF files. Its feature set includes measurement, markup, drawing comparison, text and table extraction, file handling, and editing tools. It is available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.

The product identifies quantity surveyors and cost estimators, along with site inspection engineers, as intended users. For construction teams, its measurements and drawing annotations can support plan review and site inspection workflows. The service provider named in the user agreement is Beijing Honghu Yuntu Technology Co., Ltd., with an address in Beijing, China.

Readers comparing options can browse our CAD viewers list.

Key features

Measure and compare drawings

Measurement tools cover length and area, arc length, perpendicular distance, continuous measurement, radius, circular measurements, and angles. The comparison page also describes a tool that compares two drawings and highlights differences. On mobile devices, up to two drawings can be open at once.

Mark up and edit

Markup options include freeform lines, text, revision clouds, and leader lines. Mobile users can attach photos and audio. Editing tools include creating and recovering DWG files, editing text and layers, and modifying drawing objects.

Extract information and handle files

CAD Reader can extract text and tables from drawings. Excel export is listed for measurement data, extracted tables, and search results. Other file functions include PDF export, CAD file version conversion, external reference management, and CRP import and export.

Support and privacy

Listed support options include an interactive Q&A forum, email and WhatsApp support, and one-on-one personal support tiers. The privacy policy says it is intended to comply with GDPR principles for customers from Europe. The user agreement, however, says the service is not guaranteed to be secure, uninterrupted, timely, or error-free. Teams handling project drawings should consider that stated limitation when deciding how to use the service.

Pricing

CAD Reader is freemium, with a free plan and a free trial listed. The Free plan is 0.00 USD per free and is described as a free download. The comparison page lists features across Free, Professional, and Enterprise tiers but does not specify which individual features belong to each tier.

• Free: 0.00 USD per free.
• Professional: Price and billing term are not stated; a Buy Now option is shown.
• Enterprise: Price and billing term are not stated; a Contact Sales option is shown.

Platforms

CAD Reader is listed for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. The comparison page states that mobile devices support opening up to two drawings simultaneously. Excel export is the named connection to other tools, for measurement data, extracted tables, and search results; no other named integrations are stated.

Who it's for

Quantity surveyors, cost estimators, and site inspection engineers are the user groups specifically highlighted by the product. Contractors reviewing plans may also find the measurement, comparison, and annotation tools relevant to day-to-day drawing review. The listed editing tools go beyond viewing, while the tier-by-tier feature allocation is not specified, so buyers should confirm which plan includes the functions they need.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad measurement options; drawing comparison; markup and mobile photo and audio attachments; text and table extraction with Excel export; DWG and DXF support across desktop and mobile platforms.
• Cons: The individual features included in each plan are not identified on the comparison page; Professional and Enterprise prices and billing terms are not stated; mobile devices are limited to two simultaneously open drawings; the service agreement disclaims guarantees of security and uninterrupted or error-free service.

Alternatives

For other CAD drawing tools, consider DWG FastView, CAD Pockets, DWGSee, eDrawings Viewer, Glovius, Autodesk Viewer, 3D-Tool, and ViewCompanion Premium.

Verdict

CAD Reader brings viewing, measurement, markup, extraction, conversion, and editing into one DWG and DXF toolset, with versions listed for desktop and mobile platforms. Its clearest fit is for quantity surveyors, cost estimators, and site inspection engineers who need to inspect or annotate drawings. Before choosing a paid tier, confirm its price, billing term, and feature allocation; for mobile work, account for the two-drawing limit and the service agreement's stated reliability and security caveat.