Check out the 20 best free STL viewer tools for all platforms: Online, Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Before deciding to 3D print an STL file or when reviewing the work of a colleague, you want to view it. Luckily, there are many options available. Some of these 3D viewers are not too demanding for your computer or your wallet.
A free STL viewer is an excellent way to examine a model without the need for processor-heavy CAD programs that take up huge chunks of memory on your hard drive. To make life even easier for you, there are now a handful of online services that offer viewing STL files for free, no download needed.
STL (Stereolithography) is the standard file format used in 3D printing. Unlike CAD formats, STL only defines the surface geometry of three-dimensional objects, but not color or texture. Before you print a 3D file, you should check if it is printable. Some free STL viewers in our list come with this feature.
Before we start, it should be noted that almost all slicers now support STL and OBJ file viewing functions, cutting out the need for an extra program.
Here’s a selection of the best free STL viewers currently available. If we’ve missed any, let us know in the comments, and we’ll add them in a future update.
| Viewer | Formats | System | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| ViewSTL | OBJ, STL | Online | ★ |
| 3DViewerOnline | STEP, IGES, PLY, OBJ, 2D-DXF, 2D-DWG, STL | Online | ★★ |
| Autodesk Viewer | DWG, DWF, RVT, Solidworks, STP, STL etc. | Online | ★★ |
| ShareCAD | STEP, STP, IGES, IGS, BREP, SAT, AutoCAD DWG, DXF, DWF, PLT, STL etc. | Online | ★ |
| Openjscad | AMF, X3D, JSCAD, STL | Online | ★★★ |
| Dimension Alley | STL | Online | ★ |
| STL Viewer for WordPress | STL | WordPress | ★ |
| Gmsh | STEP, IGES, BREP, STL | Windows, Linux | ★★★ |
| GLC-Player | OBJ, STL | Windows, Mac, Linux | ★★★ |
| 3D Viewer | STL, FBX, OBJ, GLB, GLTF, PLY, 3MF | Windows | ★ |
| 3D-Tool Free Viewer | OBJ, CATIA, X_T, STEP, IGES, VDA, SA, SAB, STL | Windows | ★★ |
| MiniMagics | MAGICS, MGX, STL | Windows | ★★ |
| ADA 3D | OBJ, STL | Windows | ★ |
| Open 3D Model Viewer | OBJ, 3DS, BLEND, FBX, DXF, LWO, LWS, MD5, MD3, MD2, NDO, X, IFC, DAE, STL | Windows | ★★★ |
| EasyViewSTL | STL | Windows | ★★ |
| STLView | STL | Windows, Android | ★ |
| Mac OS X Preview | STL | Mac | ★ |
| Pleasant3D | GCode, STL | Mac | ★ |
| STLView 2.0 | STL | Android | ★ |
| MeshLab for iOS | PLY, OFF, OBJ, STL | iOS | ★ |
ViewSTL
ViewSTL probably is the easiest and simplest way to view your 3D model online. Just visit the website, and drag your file onto the dotted field. The free STL viewer allows you to display the model in one of three views — flat shading, smooth shading or wireframe — and in different colors. This 3D viewer also supports OBJ files, and other formats are planned for the future. In case you are thinking about your 3D model file, ViewSTL allows you send the file to an online 3D printing service near you.
Also, you can get a plugin called “WP ViewSTL” which allows you to display 3D files on your WordPress blog or website. Admittedly, ViewSTL doesn’t have any special tools. On the other hand, this makes the STL file viewer very simple to use, but still very useful for anybody who wants to have a quick look at a 3D model file.
Free STL Viewer Features: ViewSTL
- OS: Browser
- Other File Formats: OBJ
Visit: ViewSTL
3DViewerOnline
3DViewerOnline is another free STL viewer with an eye on usability. The tool doesn’t just allow you to look at your 3D model files for free, but also to share them via email or social media. To take advantage of this feature you need to be registered with the site, which can be done using an existing Facebook, Google or Twitter account or through email. The tool has some advanced options such as measuring the distance between two points and hiding, showing smart lines or cutting the mesh open along a specified axis. Registered users can also embed the STL file viewer in websites.
So far, we have covered the features of the free STL viewer version. However, to unlock the STL file viewer’s full potential, you need to upgrade to a premium account. The premium edition is ad-free, you can upload up to 100 files with a single click, and add your company logo and style to the 3D viewer – this can be especially useful if you want to embed it in your shop system. Moreover, you can disable viewing options for a streamlined user experience.
Free STL Viewer Features: 3DViewerOnline
- OS: Browser
- Other File Formats: STEP, IGES, PLY, OBJ, 2D-DXF, 2D-DWG
Visit: 3DViewerOnline
Autodesk Viewer
3D modeling software specialist Autodesk offers an interesting professional grade free STL viewer. After dropping the file to your browser, the online 3D viewer offers many advanced features. There are numerous tools for viewing alone, like zooming, panning, and turning. But its inspection tools are simply the best: Apart from cutting and measuring, you can inspect the 3D file collaboratively and quite intuitively.
The 3D viewer also allows you take your designs, share them via a link, screenshot, print, or even embed them in a website (the latter is possible when using an Autodesk Account). Instead of uploading a file, you can also connect your cloud storage service to the free STL viewer. Also, it supports the 50 most common 2D and 3D formats, that are relevant to professionals from different fields. No matter if you’re an engineer, an architect or a graphic designer, the chances are that Viewer can display our file. For some of the advanced features of the STL file viewer, you will need to buy a subscription after 30 days.
Free STL Viewer Features: Autodesk Viewer
- OS: Browser
- Other File Formats: DWG, DWF, RVT, Solidworks, STP and many more
Visit: Autodesk Viewer
ShareCAD
ShareCAD is a straight forward free STL viewer. It doesn’t promise more than it can deliver: It will display your STL files in the web browser. After uploading, you can choose from a number of different shaders and viewing modes. Plus, it gives you basic measuring tools. The free 3D viewer supports a noteworthy range of CAD, 3D, Vector and Raster file formats that make it interesting for hobbyists and professional users alike. You can upload archives to the service, share your files, and even embed the viewer on your website. On the flipside, the maximum file size is limited to 50 Mb.
Free STL Viewer Features: ShareCAD
- OS: Browser
- Other File Formats: STEP, STP, IGES, IGS, BREP, SAT, AutoCAD DWG, DXF, DWF, PLT etc.
Visit: ShareCAD
Openjscad
OpenJSCAD.org is a free online STL file viewer. It is built on OpenJsCad and OpenSCAD.org. The STL file viewer provides a programmer’s approach to view and develop 3D models. In particular, this enhancement is tuned towards creating precise models for 3D printing. Similarly to OpenSCAD, you don’t use interactive modeling tools to create 3D models. Instead, you combine primitive shapes using Boolean operations. Clearly, this is not the kind of workflow that will find a mass audience. But if you’re hooked on this concept, take a look at the in-depth wiki documentation.
On the plus side, the free STL viewer is also working when your browser is offline. The viewer is limited to rotating around the objects, and it can display only a small range of file formats. All in all, it’s not an STL viewer industry professionals or hobbyists are likely to bookmark. But if you are into maths, this STL file viewer may be for you.
Free STL Viewer Features: Openjscad
- OS: Browser
- Other File Formats: AMF, X3D and JSCAD
Visit: Openjscad
Dimension Alley
Dimension Alley is a “3D printing experience store and café” in Berlin, Germany. Besides offering workshops for all ages, 3D scanning services, and even 3D printing by the hour, they also have a free STL viewer online on their website. We have to admit, this 3D viewer doesn’t look like much, but it keeps true to its promise: You upload your 3D model, the tool simply and fast displays a 3D view. You can then can color, scale and even order it through the 3D online printing service in a limited variety of plastic materials.
Free STL Viewer Features: Dimension Alley
- OS: Browser
- Other File Formats: –
STL Viewer for WordPress
This free STL viewer is a WordPress plugin to easily display 3D files on your blog. It is implemented by using a simple shortcode. The plugin is based on WebGL. The features are very limited when compared to other 3D viewers on this list: You can freely zoom and rotate the object in any direction. The plugin was last updated in 2015; it can only be used once per page. Also, large files will slow the STL viewer down. On the plus side, the viewer is fairly fast with smaller 3D objects.
Free STL Viewer Features: STL Viewer for WordPress
- OS: Browser
- Other File Formats: –
Visit: WordPress
Gmsh
Gmsh is more than just a free STL viewer. It’s is a three-dimensional finite element mesh generator with a CAD engine that is used to perform complex physical simulations. Although not in the Public Domain, it is distributed under SNU General Public License, so it‘s free for you to use. But beware, this free STL viewer can be pretty overwhelming for beginners. The viewing tools enable you to cross section 3D files.
Apart from viewing 3D models, you can also create them from scratch, by defining points, lines, and surfaces. These surfaces are then extruded to form a 3D file. Since the STL file viewer can import industrial CAD formats, it is a relevant tool for engineers.
Free STL Viewer Features: Gmsh
- OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
- Other File Formats: STEP, IGES, and BREP
Visit: Gmsh
GLC-Player is a free STL viewer that with an extensive set of features. For one, it supports many common 3D file types – COLLADA, 3DXML, OBJ, 3DS, STL, OFF and COFF format. This program features advanced viewing tools, e.g. users can view cross-sections of 3D models and take snapshots. A feature not usually found in free STL viewers is the model management: it is a tree view of the model’s elements, including textures. You can display their respective properties and toggle them on and off.
The rendering capability of this STL viewer is quite adequate, and you can change the camera property to have a precise view from different angles. Another nifty feature: you may also select four different shader options and change the light source. Although GLC-Player is merely an STL viewer, it can be quite challenging for beginners. But advanced users will certainly enjoy its rich set of features.
Free STL Viewer Features: GLC-Player
- OS: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
- Other File Formats: OBJ
Download: GLC-Player
3D Viewer
3D Viewer is, as the name suggests, a file viewer for 3D objects. Coming preinstalled in Windows 10, this program supports most common 3D formats, with the additional perk of being able to display animated files and renders in the case of FBX and similar formats.
One of the more interesting things in 3D viewer is the ability to change the lighting and viewing modes. These allow you to control shading and environment, as well as switch between a render and a wireframe-style view.
Free STL Viewer Features: 3D Viewer
OS: Windows
Other File Formats: FBX, OBJ, GLB, GLTF, PLY, 3MF
Download: 3D Viewer
3D-Tool Free Viewer
3D-Tool is an advanced STL viewer for Windows. The free version features cross-sectioning, this allows you to look inside your model. You can add basic animations to rotate the model, or even add an exploded view. For 3D printing, there is also an option to check the wall thickness. A particular strength of the program is the sophisticated measuring tool. The rendering quality is good, and you can also change the light source and direction of the light easily.
3D-Tool’s extensive CAD support makes this tool particularly interesting for engineers and industrial designers. Overall, 3D-Tool is an STL viewer that offers many useful tools to view and test your model.
Free STL Viewer Features: 3D-Tool Free Viewer
- OS: Windows
- Other File Formats: OBJ, CATIA, X_T, STEP, IGES, VDA, SA, SAB
Download: 3D-Tool Free Viewer
MiniMagics
From 3D printing behemoth Materialise, the free STL viewer MiniMagics is designed for 3D printing service bureaus in mind. The program is designed to visualize the 3D models and prepare a printing quote for customers and partners. What stands out is the program’s user-friendly interface that enables you to quickly analyze the quality of all loaded files.
Basic features include viewing parts by rotate, pan and zoom. Among the advanced features, you can find a cross-section view to inspect the interior and an annotation tool. All in all, this is a very slick and professional STL viewer. It also has an integrated “3DPrintCloud” button that allows users to repair their model quickly and efficiently.
Free STL Viewer Features: MiniMagics
- OS: Windows
- Other File Formats: MAGICS, MGX
Download: MiniMagics
ADA 3D
ADA 3D is a basic free STL viewer with a simple user interface that makes it an ideal tool for displaying 3D models. Users can adjust the visualization colors based on their preferences. The viewing port can be adjusted to render the object with a flat or a smooth shader to examine the finer details of the mesh. For a custom version of the STL viewer that features your company’s logo in the lower left corner, contact ADA 3D’s publisher.
Free STL Viewer Features: ADA 3D
- OS: Windows
- Other File Formats: OBJ
Download from: ADA3D
Open 3D Model Viewer
This is a powerful 3D viewer and basic editor, capable of importing more than 40 3D file formats. This free STL viewer features up to four viewports to display your 3D model file from several angles at once.
Moreover, the STL file viewer comes with editing features that are relevant to 3D printing enthusiasts and game programmers and even reach toward the professional level. Such as editing and fixing broken models, skeletal animation and exporting into different formats. 3D printing enthusiasts can look forward to a mesh repair tool that is in the making.
Free STL Viewer Features: Open 3D Model Viewer
- OS: Windows
- Other File Formats: OBJ, 3DS, BLEND, FBX, DXF, LWO, LWS, MD5, MD3, MD2, NDO, X, IFC, DAE and more
Download from: Open 3D Model Viewer
EasyViewSTL
EasyViewSTL is a basic free STL viewer. The software has many settings and options to alter the way your 3D model rendered in the viewport. Several features like a grid help you get a better understanding of the object you’re viewing. Unlike many other free 3D viewers, this one can point you to potential problems with your 3D object files. On the flipside, the program, the documentation, and the website are all in German. Blöd!
Free STL Viewer Features: EasyViewSTL
- OS: Windows
- Other File Formats: –
Download from: EasyViewSTL
STLView
STLView is a rudimentary free STL viewer for Windows and Android (see STLView 2.0 below) with great touch screen support. This 3D viewer is provided by CNC milling company ModuleWorks. Its feature set is pretty basic: You can move the camera in different directions and change the color of the object and the background. That’s it, but it’s a fast way to view 3D print models from any angle.
Free STL Viewer Features: STLView
- OS: Windows, Android
- Other File Formats: –
Download: STLView
Mac OS X Preview
By now everyone will have heard about it: if you have a Mac computer running OS X El Capitan and higher, you can open 3D models using the Preview application. It has a built-in STL file viewer. The options are very basic, all you can do is zoom and rotate the object, but that is more than adequate for day-to-day displaying and reviewing purposes. Plus, if you expand the view to full-screen, the background switches to a dark shade to better highlight the model.
Free STL Viewer Features: Mac OS X Preview
- OS: Mac
- Other File Formats: –
Pleasant3D
Pleasant3D is a small and simple free STL viewer for Mac OS X. It allows you to change dimensions and the location. Also you can rotate the model along the X, Y and Z axis. If you want to prepare a file for 3D printing, you can even display the GCode from your slicer software and examine it layer by layer to spot potential problems in advance. In the new
In the new versions, you can integrate it into the Finder’s Quicklook function. This makes this 3D viewer is not a fast and nifty way to look at your 3D models, but also a great tool to organize your 3D model files on your computer.
Free STL Viewer Features: Pleasant3D
- OS: Mac
- Other File Formats: GCode
Download: Pleasant3D
STLView 2.0
This STL viewer from ModuleWorks lets you access 3D files on your Android smartphone or tablet. As can be expected from a free app, it’s a very basic 3D viewer. Still, the programmers had some very good ideas: The app makes great use of your phone’s built-in gyroscope – a viewing mode called “Gyrocam” lets you use your smartphone to turn and twist the 3D object. Also, the app can handle multiple models at once.
Free STL Viewer Features: STL File Viewer
- OS: Android
- Other File Formats: –
Visit: STLView 2.0 (free)
MeshLab for iOS
MeshLab for iOS is an easy-to-use STL viewer. MeshLab for iOS displays complex 3D models in a simple and intuitive way, allowing the accurate inspection of a 3D model through straightforward navigation. Though a free iOS app, this 3D viewer reads a variety of standard 3D formats and can display highly complex models (up to 2,000,000 polygons) on the iPad.
Opening 3D model directly from web pages, email attachments or DropBox may seem like the logical thing mobile users might want to do, but so far this feature is only implemented in this STL viewer app.
Free STL Viewer Features: MeshLab for iOS
- OS: iOS
- Other File Formats: PLY, OFF, OBJ
Visit: Meshlab for iOS