GrabCAD Workbench shut down in June 2023. Here are the best alternatives for sharing and reviewing CAD models in 2026, by budget and use case.
According to the official announcement on GrabCAD's blog, Stratasys permanently closed GrabCAD Workbench on June 1, 2023 at 12PM GMT — the free CAD sharing and review platform used by hundreds of thousands of engineers. The shutdown had been announced ten months earlier, in August 2022. Entire teams were left without a tool to share STEP files with non-CAD collaborators. Here are the alternatives available in 2026.
Stratasys acquired GrabCAD in 2014 to accelerate its 3D printing offering. Per GrabCAD's own announcement, the shutdown was part of a strategic pivot toward additive manufacturing solutions (GrabCAD Print, GrabCAD Shop) — the free CAD-sharing service no longer fit that direction. Users had until June 1, 2023 to export their data before all files stored in Workbench were permanently deleted.
OmniView 3D replicates the core logic of GrabCAD Workbench: upload your STEP or IGES file, get a shareable link, send it to your colleagues or clients. The recipient sees the interactive 3D model in their browser — no CAD software required. Key advantages vs GrabCAD: EU hosting, iFrame embed, hologram mode, and a sustainable free plan.
Onshape (PTC) is a full cloud CAD tool with version management, branches, and granular permissions. It's the closest solution to GrabCAD from a PDM perspective — but it's also a full CAD application. Pricing: from $1,500/user/year. Right for teams wanting to migrate entirely to cloud CAD.
Google Drive and SharePoint store and share STEP files but don't open them. Your recipient gets a file they can't visualize without CAD software. Useful for sharing between engineers, useless for sharing with non-equipped clients or subcontractors.
| Need | Recommended tool | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Share a model with a client, no software required | OmniView 3D | Free (Starter plan) |
| Full CAD version management (cloud PDM) | Onshape (PTC) | From $1,500/user/year |
| File sharing between already-equipped engineers | Google Drive / SharePoint | Included if already subscribed |
| Spare parts catalog for field technicians | OmniView 3D | Free to $149/month depending on volume |
| 3D embed on an e-commerce product page | OmniView 3D | Free to $149/month depending on volume |
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