| Feature | eDrawings (Free) | Glovius | Autodesk Viewer | FreeCAD | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Cost | Free | $199/yr | Free (Basic) | Free | | Load Speed (Large Assy) | Slow / Crash | Very Fast | Moderate (Cloud) | Slow | | Measurement | Locked | Yes (Full) | Yes | Yes | | Native SLDPRT | Yes | Yes | Yes (via conversion) | Partial | | Markup/Redlining | No | Yes | Yes | No | | Offline Capable | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
The default viewer is notoriously slow when you try to measure geometry. You click a face, wait 3 seconds, then click an edge, wait another 3 seconds. If you are a machinist, fabricator, or purchasing agent trying to verify dimensions quickly, this latency kills productivity.
Most users search for a viewer because they eventually need to move the data into another software (Inventor, Rhino, or Blender). CAD Exchanger acts as a viewer and a conversion rocket ship.
To understand why the modern SolidWorks viewer is "better," you have to remember how bad it used to be.
In the early 2000s, if a project manager wanted to check a dimension, or a supplier needed to verify a fit, the process was archaic. You either owned the expensive software, or you relied on "eDrawings"—a lightweight viewer that, while revolutionary for its time, often stripped away the metadata, PMI (Product Manufacturing Information), and the rich context of the assembly.
Worse was the dreaded "Version Trap." If you were running SolidWorks 2016 and a client sent a file saved in 2017, you were out of luck. You couldn't open it, you couldn't view it, and you certainly couldn't rotate it. The viewer was a walled garden, and the walls were high.
There is no single "best" viewer because "better" depends on your job role. solidworks viewer better
If you are a manufacturing engineer who needs to open 2,000 part assemblies without waiting for an hour, Glovius is the winner.
Why it is "Better":
The Trade-off: It is not free. But for a shop floor PC or a traveling engineer’s laptop, the $199/year license is a fraction of a full SW license and offers a vastly "better" experience.
Prioritize fast, usable experiences first—streaming preview + robust measurement/PMI—then add collaboration and light analysis. Those deliver the highest immediate productivity gains for reviewers, manufacturing, and procurement teams.
If you want, I can: 1) expand this into a full-length blog with intro/conclusion and screenshots suggestions, or 2) create social post copy and a short checklist for product teams. Which would you like?
The most widely recommended professional tool for viewing SOLIDWORKS files is eDrawings Viewer, which is free and natively developed by Dassault Systèmes for high-fidelity 3D and 2D viewing. If you are looking for a way to "generate a paper" (a 2D technical drawing or a portable document), the standard method is to use the Drawing environment within SOLIDWORKS or export to a 3D PDF for universal access. Top SOLIDWORKS Viewers | Feature | eDrawings (Free) | Glovius |
eDrawings Viewer: The official free viewer for .sldprt, .sldasm, and .sldrw files. It supports measurements, markups, and animations.
3D PDF: Best for non-CAD users. You can save models directly as PDFs that allow the recipient to rotate and zoom the 3D part without any special software.
Autodesk Viewer: A powerful web-based alternative that supports over 80 file types, including SOLIDWORKS, directly in your browser.
XPS Viewer: SOLIDWORKS can export to the Microsoft XML Paper Specification (.eprtx), which is a lightweight "paper-like" electronic format. How to "Generate a Paper" (2D Drawings)
To turn your 3D model into a professional technical drawing ("paper"):
Create Drawing from Part: Click File > Make Drawing from Part/Assembly in SOLIDWORKS. The Trade-off: It is not free
Select Sheet Size: Choose standard sizes like A4, A3, or Letter.
Drag Views: Use the View Palette to drag Front, Top, Right, and Isometric views onto the sheet.
Add Dimensions: Use the Smart Dimension tool or Model Items to auto-generate dimensions.
Export: Save the finished sheet as a PDF or DXF for printing or sharing.
XPS (XML Paper Specification) Files - the SOLIDWORKS Web Help