Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Acrobat
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
Adobe Acrobat DC is the current version of the well-established document / PDF management solution, part of the Adobe Document Cloud (the other part being Adobe's eSign services based on technology acquired with EchoSign in 2011).
$12.99
per month
AutoCAD
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
AutoCAD is a CAD product from Autodesk. It allows designers to work in 2D and 3D, and is available on Windows and Mac, but with extensive online collaboration tools.
$245
per month
Pricing
Adobe AcrobatAutoCAD
Editions & Modules
Acrobat Standard for Individuals
$12.99
per month
Acrobat Standard for teams
$14.99
per month per user
Acrobat Pro for Individuals
$19.99
per month
Acrobat Pro for Teams
$22.19
per month per user
Acrobat for Enterprise
Contact sales team
Monthly Subscription
$245
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$1975
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$5925
3 years per user
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AcrobatAutoCAD
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AcrobatAutoCAD
Considered Both Products
Adobe Acrobat
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat works hand-in-hand with Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop, and InDesign. Anything that is designed within those platforms can easily be exported as a PDF in order to be viewed in Acrobat DC. Where Adobe Acrobat excels is that we can send our final PDFs to our customers …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Microsoft Word used to be my workhorse; however, now I only use it on very rare occasions. I am not a writer and if I were this review would read differently. I create technical documents using an array of software and the final submission of all documents is always a pdf …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
When it came down to the final decision on choosing to go with Adobe Acrobat DC, it came down to the one that most of our team was comfortable working with and what they found easiest to use. It seemed that more people liked how you navigate through and use Adobe Acrobat DC …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
There are many pdf viewers and editors in the market but none of them can compete with Adobe Acrobat DC. This software also gives good services but many of them are not for only pdf like Acrobat. In many applications, you can view or edit but can not sign and secure documents.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is an integrated tool, which captures open/view, edit and sign/stamp features all together in a single software without adds or advertisements. When cloud feature is added then it becomes an essential tool for the office work. Mobile version is a good plus to …
AutoCAD
Chose AutoCAD
AutoCAD is much more stable and comes with 3D capability as standard. DraftSight is less stable and requires the pro version for 3D capability, but it is also 1/4 the price of AutoCAD.
Chose AutoCAD
AutoCAD is still the top choice although the software subscription is more on the costly side. Time saved on every mouse stroke justifies the value of AutoCAD. After using AutoCAD for a while, other competitors' less expensive copycat versions feel very inefficient and not …
Chose AutoCAD
For the HVAC engineering and design field, companies like RHVAC and Wrightsoft make competing products. I have not used these packages, but I have seen the designs they produce. These designs are not up to the quality, customizability, or standard that I am able to put out …
Chose AutoCAD
AutoCAD is used more widely which makes collaboration easier. Learning curve for ARCHICAD didn't outweigh cost differences.
Chose AutoCAD
AutoCAD is more for architecture/building designs which is what or Industrial Hygiene department uses and since they are the larger department, that is what the company decided will be used company wide. ArcGIS has more environmental features and the ability to do statistical …
Chose AutoCAD
I like AutoCAD for design purpose so, I would highly recommend this software to anyone in the designing field, especially signal designing, architectural, engineering or surveying field. AutoCAD is user-friendly software. AutoCAD allows you to be very detailed with your …
Chose AutoCAD
We use Inventor, but AutoCAD is more friendly in the 2D world for quick technical drawings, or for adding electrical notes.
Chose AutoCAD
Revit is the 3D modeling portion of AutoCAD. AutoCAD is great for 2D drafting and designing. AutoCAD is great for 2D because it analyzes each floor thoroughly.I believe 2D gives more of a detailed idea of what the design of the building and each floor is supposed to look like.
Features
Adobe AcrobatAutoCAD
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
Adobe Acrobat
-
Ratings
AutoCAD
6.4
6 Ratings
12% below category average
3D Modeling00 Ratings5.36 Ratings
2D Drafting00 Ratings9.06 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings5.56 Ratings
Parametric Design00 Ratings6.46 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings7.16 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings8.06 Ratings
Assembly Design00 Ratings5.96 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings3.55 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings7.56 Ratings
Customization and Extensions00 Ratings6.26 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Adobe AcrobatAutoCAD
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Square 9 Softworks
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Score 9.7 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 8.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 8.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 7.8 out of 10
Rhino
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Score 8.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatAutoCAD
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(550 ratings)
7.6
(87 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.6
(28 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(238 ratings)
8.4
(8 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
6.8
(9 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.2
(57 ratings)
6.9
(13 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.4
(10 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Configurability
8.5
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
6.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.0
(8 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
6.7
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
4.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
5.5
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatAutoCAD
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
I don't want to ignore copy. Rather than send copy for approval as Word docs or as raw copy in email or, god forbid, a Teams message, Slack and other communication tools where it can be changed, deleted, mangled beyond recognition and face stresses and tortures the written word never should, you can print those documents as a PDF. It's not like a recipient can't change a word, but in our experience, non-creatives generally don't know what they've have to hit in order to commit such heresy. Also as you route PDFs of copy or design for approval, it's simple to see who has already weighed in and what they said. No need for crazy direction like "On paragraph 2 on the right side of the page, about a fourth down, rephrase those last 4 words" — that's near-DaVinci Code stuff to unpuzzle! Each person who needs to approve can simply drop their comment on the exact place they're talking about. That encourages others to view those comments and "talk it out" through the comments thread, rather than leave another comment giving similar direction.
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Autodesk
AutoCAD is the Industry best and standardized software used industry wide. This comes with support of some free to use plugins which can be downloaded form AutoDesk Store. AutoDesk has already nurtured a strong community of Developers, Students and Architects this helps any one new with Forms which help them get integrated with the commiunity very quickly.
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Pros
Adobe
  • Organizing large documents and saving individual document from them.
  • Editing or updating existing documents within the organization to keep up with most current versions.
  • Collecting signatures internally and externally for the organization.
  • Drafting policies and procedures that require multiple collaborators and contributors.
  • Protecting documents from being edited or modified without permission or by ill intent.
  • Great for sending multiple photos in one document!
  • Great for document progress, for example, keeping record of who makes edits, when the edits are made, and what edit was done to the document.
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Autodesk
  • The tools are easy to use and the learning curve is fairly minimal to be able to create blueprints.
  • The 3D application is very fun to use and it is nice to be able to see your product instead of having to imagine what it will look like.
  • The speed and accuracy in which students can create plans is a huge bonus. Students can plan their industrial art projects out and use their own set of plans to build them.
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Cons
Adobe
  • When editing text, it can sometimes get a little tricky getting paragraphs to line back up if too much is added
  • Paragraph grouping needs to be a little better when editing. Often times sentences with be split into two separate text blocks
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Autodesk
  • User Interface Customisation: AutoCAD's user interface could benefit from more robust customisation options. Allowing users to rearrange toolbars, menus, and panels according to their specific workflows and preferences would enhance productivity.
  • Enhanced 3D Modeling Tools: While AutoCAD is capable of 3D modeling, it's not as intuitive or feature-rich as dedicated 3D modeling software. Streamlining the process and adding more advanced modeling tools would be a welcome improvement.
  • Enhanced Collaboration and Version Control: AutoCAD could improve its collaboration tools, such as real-time editing and version tracking, to facilitate smoother teamwork, especially in multi-disciplinary projects.
  • Intelligent Object Libraries: AutoCAD could benefit from an expanded and more intelligent library of standard objects and components. This would save time for designers who often have to create custom components from scratch.
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Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
I bought a perpetual license to Acrobat some time ago, but if the software ever stopped being supported in my version of windows or other solution that makes me need to buy another license I would not hesitate to do so since it saves me a lot of headaches. There are workarounds to merge files and edit pdfs with an online interface but I dont think those are a good usage of time when Acrobat exists.
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Autodesk
Because rarely we [would] rather wait for a whole year to update, sometimes the new updates don't bring many new features and we are still ok with the current version. Also the change of interface is always something that takes time for every partner in the company to get comfortable with. So those are the main reasons we may want to keep the same version.
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Usability
Adobe
My overall experience with Adobe is great because because the it has almost all of the tools in one place and it can be used it for most of my work without going anywhere else. Because the tools are available right there in the main interface, it makes it very easy to use.
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Autodesk
It is very usable once you understand the program. I believe there is room for improvement in the 2D to 3D modeling capability. We have to use other apps to 3D model and that can be time consuming and sometimes AutoCAD doesn't transfer work that well between apps. They can improve there.
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Reliability and Availability
Adobe
The software is readily available and rarely has application errors.
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Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Performance
Adobe
One of the best features of Adobe Acrobat is its speed and stability. When dealing with massive multi-page files, having to reload a crashed program over and over again would slow down progress unnecessarily. And expanding on that, having the table of contents generated allows me to skip to different pages with ease, a necessary feature with exceptionally long files. word searches are even more helpful with text recognition.
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Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Adobe
Because I don't need it. Used it years ago for account management/billing issues but they have changed the user experience so more of that can be managed online. If I have a question the knowledge base or a video that Adobe has posted answers
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Autodesk
AutoCAD has the issue of crashing or slowing down the design procedure once a heavy design that includes several disciplines or multiple families/blocks is involved. Customer services gets the feedback from the crash reports but this issue seems like it has never been addressed in the software updates past several years.
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Online Training
Adobe
Easy to follow and understand
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Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Adobe
Works well with JamF and SmartDeploy. These are our Enterprise imaging solutions for Mac's and PC's. The Enterprise installer is required when pushing out this app.
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Autodesk
the implementation was realy easy , to set up our workstation we pay for the licenses we are about to use , there was a little bit of delay to get the payment processed to receive the serial but after that the install runs without any problem , so you can fell secure there will be not issue with the implementation.
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Alternatives Considered
Adobe
I just don't feel as comfortable using other PDF editors. They just don't have the same name and look as Adobe Acrobat and I worry about the security of using other software to work on our company's documents. They may have similar features as Adobe Acrobat but I don't see any overall improvement to the features that Acrobat offers
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Autodesk
I use Revit far more than I use AutoCAD. AutoCAD is great for simple linework, but even then I will often create the lines in Revit and then export to AutoCAD for final touches and printing. AutoCAD is a bit easier for large-format prints, which is why I almost always end up using it after starting in Revit.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Adobe
The only thing I can think of that may be helpful would be a more flexible tiered pricing options based on usage or document volume.
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Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Scalability
Adobe
I find that many users aren't aware of many features of the software they use, nor may they be comfortable with learning multiple-step processes. For the simplest of PDF purposes (scanning, downloading, exporting), it gets a thumbs-up. For anything involving electronic signatures, meh--causes eyes to glaze over, or forgetting what all is involved.
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Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Savings of time trying to format documents correctly; PDFs hold their format.
  • Ease of transfer for print-ready or larger file types.
  • It has empowered multiple "non-designer" users to manipulate PDFs in minor ways, saving our design team time and allowing them to use their resources/time on other, more complex projects.
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Autodesk
  • AutoCAD has helped our smaller firm produce lots of finished products matching that of a much larger size firm. With its many features, we have been able to do so much more and meet deadlines that much faster.
  • Since we do use AutoCAD, we're able to work with many other engineering firms to collaborate together to complete various building projects.
  • We have many clients now who expect us to provide for them at the end of a project not just printed construction drawings but also the digital AutoCAD drawing so they can in turn use it for future modifications themselves.
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ScreenShots

Adobe Acrobat Screenshots

Screenshot of where to create, edit, convert, and share PDF files all from within Microsoft Teams – as part of Acrobat integrations with Microsoft 365 apps.Screenshot of Liquid Mode in Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app, where users can read PDFs on phones and tablets without having to pinch and zoom. Navigate lengthy documents with intelligent outline and search tools, while maximizing readability and comfort with font size and line spacing that are adjustable.Screenshot of where to fill and sign PDF forms from anywhere and on any device. Here, users can collect signatures, digitally track progress, and automatically archive the signed document.Screenshot of the Adobe Scan mobile app, used to capture and convert documents into high-quality, interactive PDF documents that can be filled out, signed, and shared. This eliminates the hassle of finding a printer, filling a form by hand, and scanning it again.