Autodesk App Store vs CAD Exchange
The Autodesk App Store is Autodesk's official plugin marketplace and is great for visibility — every Autodesk user sees it in-product. CAD Exchange is independent, focused on the AutoCAD/Civil 3D automation niche, and complements the App Store with stricter security scanning, license-key tracking, and a request marketplace for custom work.
What Autodesk App Store does well
Autodesk App Store has unmatched discovery — it's surfaced in every Autodesk product's Help menu, and Autodesk-employed reviewers approve every listing. Payments and updates flow through Autodesk's own system. For a plugin author, App Store reach is unbeatable; for a buyer, the brand reassurance of an Autodesk-sanctioned channel is real.
What CAD Exchange adds
CAD Exchange runs deeper automated security scans (code analysis, .NET decompilation, VBA extraction, Dynamo parsing) on every uploaded file, issues per-purchase license keys with admin revoke/reactivate, and operates a Request marketplace where buyers post custom jobs and sellers quote — none of which the App Store does. We also focus exclusively on the CAD-automation niche, so the catalog isn't diluted by visualization, rendering, and unrelated tooling.
Side-by-side comparison
| Autodesk App Store | CAD Exchange | |
|---|---|---|
| Discoverability inside AutoCAD/Revit | Built into every product's Help menu | External site (no in-product link) |
| Security scanning | Autodesk reviewer signoff | Automated code/binary scans on every upload + admin review |
| License-key tracking | App-specific (per developer) | Platform-wide license keys with admin revoke/reactivate |
| Custom-work marketplace | Not supported | Request marketplace with quote workflow |
| Refund window | App-specific | 7-day platform-wide refund with admin arbitration |
| Seller payouts | Autodesk-issued | Stripe Connect to seller's own account |
| Niche focus | All Autodesk products (very broad) | AutoCAD / Civil 3D / Revit automation |
When to use Autodesk App Store
Use the Autodesk App Store when you want maximum in-product discoverability, when you specifically want an Autodesk-vetted channel, or when you're buying for an enterprise that requires Autodesk-sanctioned procurement.
When to use CAD Exchange
Use CAD Exchange when you want stricter automated security scanning of plugin binaries, license-key tracking across your team, the ability to request a custom plugin, or when you're shopping the deep CAD-automation niche specifically.
Frequently asked questions
Can a plugin be on both?
Absolutely — many sellers list on both. They're complementary, not exclusive.
Does the App Store check for malware?
Autodesk reviewers approve every listing, but the depth of automated scanning isn't published. CAD Exchange publishes its scan pipeline (code analysis + .NET decompilation + VBA extraction + Dynamo parsing) on every listing as a risk score.
Which is cheaper for buyers?
Pricing is set by each seller on either platform. CAD Exchange takes a lower platform fee from sellers on average, which sometimes flows through to lower listing prices.