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formerly AUTODESK Exchange App, started to open since Mid 2011, which was 3 years late compared with Apple App store and Google Play store.  However, it is still the first App store in CAD-CAM software industry.

After 13+ years, the number of Apps that are live on AUTODESK App Store reach ~4000 Apps and keep stability around that number, 42% of them are paid Apps.  However, the percent of FREE App is also significant: 34%.

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Apps for Revit is the most common, with more than 34% of live Apps.  Revit users also appear to be the most active, as shown by their willingness to pay.

Apps for AutoCAD and AutoCAD-based software are the second-most common, with more than 25% of live Apps.

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The CAD guys from non-English speaking countries, especially those middle ages who still use the legendary AutoCAD 2007, seems not familiar with AUTODESK® App Store.

This video series will try help everyone get used to AUTODESK® App Store and see the huge advantages of it.

To create an Autodesk account, the only requirement is that you must have an email account then add a password of sufficient complexity and open the email to verify your account information. DONE.

Click Show All, then the Sort option bar will be shown. The two "Newest" and "Most downloads" are the most useful sort options.

Almost every most-download Apps are FREE.  Surprisingly, top 5 of most download list are Revit, 3D max and Maya Apps, not AutoCAD Apps.

You can also filter the Apps by many criteria, such as "Free" criterion.  You can also search Apps by product family,  combine Search with Sort options.  

Each App comes with a description and usage instruction with images, video clips.

Free Apps are free to download, install and run, provided that Autodesk parent applications can run.  All Apps, including Free ones, are carefully reviewed by Autodesk QA specialists before published to App store.

Free Apps cannot use Autodesk license system to track user ID.  In other words, most Free Apps can be used offline, long term, on any PC, without signing-in parent Autodesk application.

To install App, users need to have ADMIN right of Windows/MacOS.  A clean installer should be downloaded directly from Autodesk App store. (You can follow the link to "App install WITHOUT Admin right" clip to install App without Windows admin right.)

Usually, App is silently installed to "C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins" folder.  After installed, App button will be shown in Add-in tab.

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You can have a look at the most download Apps, which are all Free Apps.

First tip:  Search all Apps from a reputable publisher.

The easiest way to find a good publisher is choose some one who owns a Most download App.  Open the link to Publisher home page to see a list of published Apps

Attention:  Not All Apps of the publisher are shown here.  Publisher may "forget" to show his Apps in Publisher home page

To find the "hidden" Apps, let's search by the publisher's NAME

Open "Publishers" tab, and search by publisher name

Second tip:  Use "Categories" filters to search for specialized Apps

To search specialized Apps for a specific AutoCAD-based (or vertical) program, a simple Program selection in Drop down box is NOT enough.   Users need to use the "Categories" filters to provide more details. By this way, we narrow the scope and increase search accuracy and find some leading Apps for the specialized AutoCAD-based program.  Such specialized App cannot easily found by common Most downloads sort

When buying a Subscription App, Repeating/recurring Payment is AUTOMATICALLY CREATED. You should Cancel or Pause the scheduled payment manually in your PayPal account settings or contact the App Publishers to Cancel the repeating payment from Seller's account

If you buy 2 or more licenses, you can distribute licenses to other Autodesk accounts from the second license onward by:

• Open "My Downloads" page of the primary account that purchased multi licenses

• Choose "Manage License", click + button and type the email of an Autodesk account

Caution: Account email is CASE SENSITIVE !

1. Common online license system

Normally, it is rare for a company to freely share its licensing system with 3rd party developers like AUTODESK.   In such situation, a developer must build an independent license system for his own Apps.  Depend on available resources, a license system may be as simple as an activation code generator ,or as complicated as an entire license server.

No doubt that Common online license system provided by AUTODESK is the most convenient for both Clients and 3rd party developers/publishers. Clients just buy Apps and run, no additional license registration is required.  A license record is automatically saved in AUTODESK database when App is successfully purchased.

Publishers are also able to manually add license records for any Autodesk Accounts. By this way, Apps purchases without PayPal, Credit or Debit cards are possible.  Provided that seller and buyer have a way to transfer/receive money.

This license form cannot apply to standalone application.

2. Private Online license system

If a company does not allow client computers to connect directly to AUTODESK server, then Private Online license system is a good choice, which also helps 3rd party publishers provides his App as a standalone .exe file; or provide a product for multi CAD platforms.

With one account, a client can use purchased App on any computers.  However, a license server needs money to maintain web service.  Clients still need to do additional registration to receive a network license for the first time.

3. Private Offline license system

Private offline license system is a classic, simple license distribution method.  The most inconvenient of this license form is that App is glued to a unique physical computer.  A hardware failure may lead to license lost. This License form is suitable for local area networks that do not allow direct internet connection.