Overview

HOOPS Exchange is a C++ SDK that developers embed in applications needing CAD import and export. It is best for engineering-software teams that need to work with rich CAD data across many formats; its breadth comes with a short evaluation window and a recompile requirement for upgrades.

Rather than exposing only shape geometry, the SDK provides access to B-REP, PMI, model trees, views, persistent IDs, styles, construction geometry, and visualization data. That makes it a stronger fit for applications that need engineering context alongside geometry than for a basic one-off file conversion tool.

Key features

The product supports more than 30 import formats and more than 10 export formats, including CATIA, NX, SOLIDWORKS, Revit, IFC, JT, STEP, STL, and FBX. Broad coverage can help teams avoid building separate format pathways, although format support alone does not establish which data a particular workflow will retain.

HOOPS Exchange uses PRC for data access and says it preserves data integrity and geometry accuracy. Tech Soft 3D also says files can be compressed up to 100 times smaller than the originals using HOOPS Exchange and PRC; that maximum is not a guarantee for every model. Integrations include Parasolid, ACIS, Open Cascade, Polygonica, HOOPS Visualize, OpenGL, DirectX, Vulkan, Unity, and Unreal, giving teams several routes into geometry and visualization stacks.

Animation conversion and API access are supported. The APIs are available in C, C++, and C#. The maker provides a product forum with dedicated sections for its HOOPS SDKs, where developers can ask and answer questions. Tech Soft 3D says its information security management system is certified to ISO 27001 and that in-scope computers and servers use AES-256 full-disk encryption.

Pricing

The HOOPS Exchange evaluation costs 0.00 USD per free and includes full access for 60 days plus technical expert support. That is enough time to assess the SDK in a development workflow, but evaluation keys expire at the end of the period and cannot be used for production software. There is no free plan; production pricing is custom pricing.

Version upgrades also carry an engineering cost: releases are not binary compatible with older versions, so applications must be recompiled when moving to a new release. Teams should account for that work when planning updates.

Platforms

The SDK's product FAQ lists Windows, Linux, macOS, and Mac Catalyst, with limited functionality on iOS and Android. The broader platform listing also includes web, but the platform-specific API details distinguish full platform coverage from the limited mobile functionality. That makes desktop development the clearest fit, while mobile teams should assess the limitations against their needs.

Who it's for

HOOPS Exchange is aimed at development teams building engineering applications for mechanical design, manufacturing, building and construction, shipbuilding, plant, and process industries. It suits teams that need CAD interoperability and access to structured engineering data inside their own software. It is not a ready-made end-user converter for people who simply want to change a file's format.

Pros and cons

Pros

Broad import and export format coverage, with access to engineering data beyond geometry, suits applications that need more than a visual model.
Connections to geometry, graphics, and visualization technologies offer multiple integration paths.
The 60-day evaluation includes full SDK access and technical expert support.

Cons

The evaluation expires after 60 days, and its license keys are not suitable for production use.
Upgrading requires recompilation because releases are not binary compatible.
iOS and Android functionality is limited, which narrows its fit for mobile-first applications.
Production pricing is custom pricing, so the evaluation's free cost does not indicate the cost of deployment.

Alternatives

For a no-cost viewer on Windows, 3D-Tool has a free plan with no time limit that opens DDD, STL, and 3MF files, but it cannot export CAD files. Its Basic plan costs 200.00 EUR.

CAD Exchanger is another paid option with a free trial; its Lab licensing offers perpetual or subscription terms and node-locked or floating licenses, which may suit teams choosing between those license arrangements.

For metered API conversion, Convert3D offers a free plan with 10 conversions/month and no commitment, while Starter costs 899.00 USD per year for 5,000 conversions/year. It may suit teams whose needs fit a defined conversion quota rather than embedding a broad SDK.

Spin 3D has a free version for non-commercial use only. For free CAD viewing and conversion on several desktop and mobile platforms, CAD Assistant is free for personal and commercial use, though commercial import components restrict model export and conversion.

ODA File Converter is a free option from a non-profit technology consortium focused on CAD and BIM interoperability. For a narrowly scoped open-source route from FBX to glTF, FBX2glTF is free under a 3-clause BSD license and supports FBX SDK 2019.2 only.

For browser-local mesh work, 3D Model Converter has a free plan with unlimited browser-local workflows, five cloud credits per month, 24-hour cloud history, a 50 MB cloud-file limit, and a standard queue. The broader 3D File Converter Software directory can help compare other conversion-focused tools.

Verdict

Choose HOOPS Exchange if you are building engineering software and need broad CAD import and export alongside access to structured model data. Its main advantage is the combination of format coverage and engineering context in one SDK; look elsewhere if you need a ready-made converter, a production-ready free plan, or an upgrade path that avoids recompilation.

	HOOPS Exchange	NEXUS Model Converter
Free trial	Yes	No
Platforms	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows	Web, Windows
Free plan	No	Yes
Format scope	cad	mesh
Animation conversion	Yes
API access	Yes
Supported platforms	web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android	Windows
Batch conversion		Yes

HOOPS Exchange vs NEXUS Model Converter

HOOPS Exchange

NEXUS Model Converter