GitHub vs CAD Exchange
GitHub hosts a vast amount of open-source CAD automation — AutoLISP libraries, Revit add-ins, Civil 3D extensions, Dynamo packages — usually under MIT, BSD, or Apache licenses. CAD Exchange is a curated marketplace where verified sellers list paid and free plugins with license keys, refunds, and security scanning. They serve different needs.
What GitHub does well
GitHub is unbeatable for: open-source plugin discovery (search 'AutoCAD .NET'), reading source code to learn or fork, contributing fixes back, and accessing the community-driven projects (pyRevit, Speckle, Open Design Alliance). For developers, GitHub is the natural ecosystem.
What CAD Exchange adds
GitHub is not designed as a buyer-protected marketplace: no per-purchase license keys, no refund window, no automated security scanning of compiled binaries, no Stripe-Identity-verified sellers, no warranty that the project is actively maintained. CAD Exchange adds all of those by design. For a CAD coordinator deploying tools across a team, those guarantees turn 'an interesting GitHub repo' into 'something I'd stake production on'.
Side-by-side comparison
| GitHub | CAD Exchange | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (open source) | Paid (with free listings) |
| Code visibility | Source-open by default | Source-Included listings; otherwise binary |
| License keys | Not applicable | Per-purchase with admin revoke |
| Security scanning | Caveat emptor (read the code) | Automated scans + risk score |
| Maintenance guarantee | Whatever the maintainer feels like | Active seller relationship + refund window |
| Vendor accountability | Community goodwill | Verified seller + admin arbitration |
| Best for | Developers, learners, contributors | Buyers needing vendor support |
When to use GitHub
Use GitHub when you want open-source code to read or fork, when you're contributing to a project (pyRevit, Speckle, ODA), or when you have the in-house dev capacity to maintain a fork yourself.
When to use CAD Exchange
Use CAD Exchange when you want vendor accountability — a real seller you can contact, a license key, a refund path, and a security-scanned binary that you can deploy to production without becoming the maintainer.
Frequently asked questions
Are CAD Exchange listings open source?
Some are — look for 'Source Included' in the license type. Most paid listings ship compiled binaries to protect the seller's IP.
Can I link my GitHub project from a CAD Exchange listing?
Yes — sellers can include support and source links in their listing.
Do you scan GitHub-sourced code uploaded to your platform?
Every upload is scanned regardless of source. Pulling code from a GitHub repo and listing it doesn't bypass scanning.