RIP GrabCAD Workbench: What Now?
Ken Maren
In June 2023, GrabCAD Workbench officially shut down. For thousands of engineers, that meant losing a beloved tool that made sharing CAD files, tracking versions, and collaborating with teammates actually bearable.
If you landed here, chances are you’re one of them, and you’re wondering:
What’s the best GrabCAD Workbench replacement for SolidWorks teams?
We’ll get to that. But first, let’s understand why Workbench mattered, and why its end left such a frustrating gap.
What GrabCAD Workbench Got Right
For a tool built in a pre-cloud-collaboration world, Workbench had a lot going for it:
- No server setup
- Version control without the overhead of PLM
- Easy sharing with external partners
- Built-in preview & markup tools
- SolidWorks plugin to check files in/out directly from the CAD tool
It wasn’t perfect, but for small-to-midsize teams, it was just enough structure to avoid chaos, without IT getting involved.
Then Stratasys pulled the plug.
Why the Shutdown Hurt
On June 1, 2023, Workbench went offline. No fallback. No archival access. Just… gone.
Teams scrambled. Some tried to bolt together replacements with Google Drive and file naming gymnastics. Others reluctantly looked at enterprise PLMs and recoiled at the price tags and onboarding docs.
Many just got stuck. Still stuck?
Sibe PDM: A Modern GrabCAD Workbench Alternative
Sibe.io wasn’t built because Workbench died, but it does solve the same problems - in a way that feels like 2025, not 2015.
Here’s what you get:
Why Teams Are Switching
If you liked GrabCAD Workbench for its:
- Simplicity
- Speed
- CAD-awareness
- Low overhead
…you’ll like sibe.io for the same reasons. But better designed, actively maintained, and not about to vanish.
No IT tickets. No server installs. No 3-day onboarding. Just a fast way to collaborate on CAD projects with your team, wherever they are.
Book a free Demo with Ken to see Sibe in action
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