Free STL viewer for any OS?

Microsoft 3D Builder (Windows), Apple Preview (macOS native), Blender (all platforms), MeshLab (research-grade, all platforms).

STL vs 3MF — which should I use?

3MF is the modern successor: keeps the simplicity of STL but adds colour, materials, units, and metadata. Use 3MF if your slicer supports it. Use STL for maximum compatibility.

Software That Opens & Edits STL Files (12 Tools, 2026)

STL is the universal language of 3D printing. The format represents 3D geometry as a mesh of triangulated facets — simple, ubiquitous, and supported by every slicer and every printer. STL is lossy (no colour, no parametric history, no NURBS) but its simplicity is its strength: anything that can output STL can be 3D printed. Below are every tool in our catalog that imports or exports STL.

Full read & write support (12)

O
OnshapeRead & Write
from $1500 · Web / iOS / Android · ★ 4.9
The professional CAD system built for agile cloud development.
R3
Rhino 3DRead & Write
from $995 · Windows / macOS · ★ 4.9
The industry standard for complex NURBS modeling and computational design.
S
SolidWorksRead & Write
from $1295 · Windows · ★ 4.9
The de-facto industry standard for 3D parametric mechanical design.
A
AutoCADRead & Write
from $255 · Windows / macOS / Web / Android / iOS · ★ 4.8
The global industrial standard for 2D drafting and 3D modeling.
B
BlenderRead & Write
Free · Windows / macOS / Linux · ★ 4.8
The free and open-source 3D creation suite.
F3
Fusion 360Read & Write
from $85 · Windows / macOS / Android / iOS · ★ 4.8
The cloud-native powerhouse for integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE.
PC
PTC CreoRead & Write
from $2430 · Windows · ★ 4.8
The original parametric 3D CAD powerhouse.
SN
Siemens NXRead & Write
from $6000 · Windows / Linux · ★ 4.8
Powerful high-end CAD/CAM/CAE suite for advanced manufacturing.
AI
Autodesk InventorRead & Write
from $315 · Windows · ★ 4.7
Professional-grade 3D mechanical design and simulation.
C
CATIARead & Write
from $4500 · Windows · ★ 4.7
The high-end PLM standard for Aerospace and Automotive engineering.
S
SketchUpRead & Write
Freemium · Windows / macOS / Web / Android / iOS · ★ 4.7
The world's most intuitive 3D design tool for architecture and interiors.
F
FreeCADRead & Write
Free · Windows / macOS / Linux · ★ 4.2
The premier open-source 3D parametric modeler.

Frequently asked

Free STL viewer for any OS?: Microsoft 3D Builder (Windows), Apple Preview (macOS native), Blender (all platforms), MeshLab (research-grade, all platforms).
STL vs 3MF — which should I use?: 3MF is the modern successor: keeps the simplicity of STL but adds colour, materials, units, and metadata. Use 3MF if your slicer supports it. Use STL for maximum compatibility.

Full read & write support (12)

Frequently asked

Other file formats