AutoCAD is one of the most iconic pieces of software that you’ll find in the workflow of architects, designers, and engineers. Though there are many alternatives to AutoCAD, it’s considered the standard. It makes designing complex structures so much easier, and brings that ability to our computers.

AutoCAD is very capable software on its own, but if you want to dive into its full potential, you need to learn how to enhance AutoCAD with plugins. These can bring extremely useful functionality that wasn’t baked into the program from the start. They can also enhance specific workflows. Let’s dive into some of the top AutoCAD plugins in 2024.

Why Use AutoCAD Plugins?

So, you might be wondering: why should I use plugins in AutoCAD? Well, the reasons are pretty simple. They’re helpful, in a whole lot of ways. By using the right plugins, you can optimize your workflow, either by simplifying certain tasks, saving time on others, or even adding new functionality to AutoCAD.

There are so many different kinds of plugins you can use. For instance, visualization plugins can improve the visuals of your renders, productivity plugins for AutoCAD improve your speed and efficiency, and design plugins can add new tools for your specific profession (engineers, architects, manufacturers, etc.)

Top AutoCAD Plugins for a Variety of Use Cases

Now, there can never be an exhaustive list of the plugins that you can get for AutoCAD (if there is, it’ll be extremely long). That’s why I’ll try my best to choose some of the best options out there, and you can do your own research to discover the variety that is out there. Now, let’s get into a few.

Drawing Purge

Drawing Purge is one of those essential AutoCAD tools and plugins. It can be used to remove a lot of unnecessary data and objects from your AutoCAD drawings and projects. You can choose certain object types, like empty layers, duplicate blocks, and others, and Drawing Purge will automatically get rid of them for you.

The main reason why you want something like this is because it can not only improve performance when working on a project, but it can also reduce file sizes. This helps with efficiency by simplifying cleanup and improving performance (knowing the right keyboard shortcuts can help with speed too!).

Spatial Manager

If you’re an architect, you will very frequently need to work using real-world data related to terrain, topography, etc. You can refer to that kind of data as “spatial data”, and Spatial Manager is one of the best AutoCAD plugins for architects as it provides an incredibly easy way to import (and export) that data into AutoCAD.

This is very useful because it can make sure that whatever you’re designing accurately takes real-world spatial data into account. If your workflow involves working with spatial data, this plugin is essential and will make your designs more accurate and reliable.

Mark

If you’re a programmer, you understand how essential it is to leave comments in your code — most particularly when others will read your code. In CAD software, the analog to that is annotating. Whether you’re using AutoCAD or SolidWorks, annotations can help others looking at your drawing, and even yourself, understand certain aspects better. It can let you emphasize important dimensions, communicate ideas, and more.

The best plugin for this is Mark, which makes marking and annotating incredibly easy by allowing you to customize marks, apply them automatically or in batches, and even link marks to external sources so they update dynamically based on that source.

AVCAD

AutoCAD can be useful not just when designing the actual structure of a building, but components down to the wiring. If you’re an AV technician putting together a fancy living room or home theater, AVCAD makes it easy for you to incorporate objects like amps, speakers, projectors, and their wiring into a building’s layout. You can even design equipment racks, down to calculating their power needs. If you work with audio-visual systems, this is a must-have.

Mplot

If you don’t ever need to print your drawings, you’re not the kind of person who needs Mplot. If you print drawings on a daily or weekly basis though, you’re going to find this one extremely useful. It makes it possible to print a batch of multiple drawings at once, allowing you to tweak your printing configuration as required for your specific needs, and it applies those settings to all the drawings in the batch.

How to Choose the Right Plugins for Your Needs

One of the first things to do when deciding on a plugin for AutoCAD is to make sure that it’s compatible with the version of AutoCAD you use, as not all plugins work with all AutoCAD versions. It’s also a good idea to see the reviews other users have left behind. If you’re getting a paid plugin, you’ll want to make sure there’s enough documentation and support in case you face any issues (especially if you’ll be using the plugin for work!).

However, the most important thing is to actually get plugins that you’ll use and will actually help you out. It could be a plugin that adds functionality AutoCAD doesn’t come with, simplifies or automates an existing action or task, or improves performance and efficiency. You know your needs best, so I can’t tell you what plugins you should acquire.

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How to Install and Manage AutoCAD Plugins

The best part is that installing plugins on AutoCAD is hardly a difficult task, though the AutoCAD tutorials you watch might not have covered that. You can find a wide selection of plugins from the Autodesk App Store, but if you know exactly what you want, you can also get it from the developer’s website. Either way, once you have a plugin in your sights, the steps below will help you get it installed.

1. The first thing you want to do is download the installer for the plugin.

2. Run the installer file and follow the steps shown to you to install the application on your computer.

3. Now that that’s done, restart AutoCAD.

4. AutoCAD should now automatically detect the installed plugin and you’ll be able to use it in your projects right away.

You can take a glimpse at the plugins that you have installed by going to the “Plug-ins” or “Add-ins” folder on the ribbon of the app. If it’s not there, you can right-click the ribbon, go to Show Tabs, and then make sure Add-ins/Plug-ins is ticked. When you go to that tab, you’ll have a clear idea of all the plugins installed on AutoCAD.

Conclusion

You can get by without ever touching a plug-in in AutoCAD, but when a single plug-in can make your workflow so much smoother, there’s no point in being a purist. If you’re not sure where to start, you can start with the plug-ins we’ve mentioned here, and then keep exploring to find the perfect ones for your needs. 

Plus, you don’t need to let your plug-in use be limited by your hardware. Using our Vagon cloud computers, you can run AutoCAD with a powerful system and zero worries about performance. And if you’re just starting out, how about you check some of these excellent AutoCAD courses?

FAQs:

1. What is Autodesk AutoCAD?

   • Autodesk AutoCAD is a computer-aided design program that is used by architects, engineers, designers, and other technical professionals, for 2D and 3D drafting and design.

2. How much does AutoCAD cost?

   • AutoCAD operates on a license basis. A one-year license will cost a single user $1,350. A three-year license costs $4,050, the benefit of which is to protect against potential price increases.

3. Are they called AutoCAD plug-ins or add-ins?

   • AutoCAD previously referred to them as plug-ins, but at the moment, all official references will call them add-ins. However, the terms can be used interchangeably as they refer to the same thing.

4. Are all AutoCAD plug-ins free?

   • Not all AutoCAD plug-ins are free. You will find many free AutoCAD plugins, however, there are hundreds that you will need to pay for.

5. Where can I easily download AutoCAD plug-ins?

   • The best place to start your search for an appropriate plugin is the Autodesk App Store. You can easily download and purchase plugins from this source, for all of Autodesk’s products.