Interface feels dated; struggles with some 3D DWG elements.

This is the "official" viewer from the creators of the DWG format. It is the gold standard for compatibility.

Completely free forever; open-source; very lightweight.

While built for 3D manufacturing, eDrawings is an exceptional tool for viewing 2D DWG files.

If a "2013" viewer won't open a file, the file might actually be saved in a newer format (like 2018). Use Autodesk DWG TrueView to convert it down.

If you want a viewer that also lets you do some basic editing without a subscription, this is a top choice.

100% accuracy; includes "DWG Convert" to turn newer files into older versions (like 2013, 2010, or 2004).