3D Modeling Software

TrustRadius Top Rated for 2023

Top Rated Products

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Blender

Blender is a free and open source 3D creation suite available in under the GNU General Public License. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, video editing and 2D animation pipeline. Blender…

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Onshape

Onshape is a cloud-native product development platform with integrated CAD, data management and analytics. Onshape aims to accelerate time to market and improve innovation by:1) Access: Unlike file-based CAD which is on-premise only, Onshape enables remote access for designers and…

All Products

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1
Onshape

Onshape is a cloud-native product development platform with integrated CAD, data management and analytics. Onshape aims to accelerate time to market and improve innovation by:1) Access: Unlike file-based CAD which is on-premise only, Onshape enables remote access for designers and…

2
SketchUp

SketchUp is 3D modeling software with an emphasis on usability. SketchUp is a Trimble product.

3
Autodesk Inventor

Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD software offers professional-grade 3D mechanical design, documentation, and product simulation tools. These blend parametric, direct, freeform, and rules-based design capabilities. Inventor includes integrated tools for sheet metal, frame design, tube and…

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Blender

Blender is a free and open source 3D creation suite available in under the GNU General Public License. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, video editing and 2D animation pipeline. Blender…

5
NX CAD

Siemens NX software is an integrated product design solution that helps deliver products faster and more efficiently. NX delivers design, simulation, and manufacturing solutions that enable companies to realize the value of the digital twin.

6
Navisworks

Autodesk's Navisworks is a 3D model and construction project review and coordination software allowing the user to combine design and construction data into a single model, and identify and resolve clash and interference problems before construction.

7
Solid Edge

Solid Edge is a software solutions for product development — 3D design, simulation, manufacturing, data management, and cloud collaboration. Solid Edge aims to combine the speed and simplicity of direct modeling with the flexibility and control of parametric design.

8
Autodesk 3ds Max

Autodesk offers 3ds Max, 3D modeling and rendering software for design visualization, games, and animation. The vendor states that users can produce professional-quality 3D animations, renders, and models with an efficient and flexible toolset to help create better 3D content in…

9
Rhino 3D

Robert McNeel and Associates headquartered in Seattle offers Rhinoceros 3D (or Rhino 3D), a 3D modeling and design application. Rhino can create, edit, analyze, document, render, animate, and translate NURBS curves, surfaces and solids, subdivision geometry (SubD), point clouds, and…

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Autodesk Maya

Autodesk offers Maya, a 3D animation, modeling, simulation and rendering tool available to artists, animators, and educators, used to create realistic characters, models, and scenes, as well as effects such as explosions, cloth movement, etc.

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Autodesk Tinkercad

Autodesk offers Tinkercad, a 3D modeling and design tool available free for educational purposes. Shapes are the building blocks of Tinkercad. Users can add pre-existing shapes, or import them. To adjust objects, users can rotate the workplane to adjust shapes or change views and…

12
Cinema 4D

Maxon, headquartered in Germany, offers Cinema 4D, an animaton suite for 3D artists, which the vendor states is suitable for beginners and seasoned professionals alike, who can take advantage of Cinema 4D’s wide range of tools and features to achieve stunning results for demanding,…

13
NX CAM

NX CAM provides NC programming capabilities that enables the use of consistent 3D models, data and processes to connect planning and shop floor operations with a digital thread. It is used to streamline and automate NC programming, while reducing cycle time using application-specific…

14
ActCAD Software

ActCAD is a 2D & 3D CAD software with two product options: - ActCAD Standard for 2D Drafting Power Users- ActCAD Professional for 2D Drafting & 3D ACIS Modeling Users- ActCAD Prime for 2D Drafting, 3D Modeling, and AEC Objects (walls, doors, windows, staircases, roofs, floors,…

15
ZBrush

Pixologic in Los Angeles offers ZBrush, a digital sculpting and painting program for the 3D industry. Built within its interface, ZBrush offers tools for digital artists with an arsenal of features that have been developed with usability in mind, to create a user experience designed…

16
Google VR

Google VR is an SDK for building VR applications including two mobile VR platforms, Daydream and Cardboard.

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Autodesk AEC Collection

The AEC Collection provides a set of BIM and CAD tools supported by a cloud-based common data environment that facilitates project delivery from early-stage design through to construction. The bundle includes popular Autodesk tools such as Revit, AutoCAD, FormIT, and Navisworks Manage,…

18
Matterport

Matterport headquartered in Sunnyvale develops immersive 3D technology. They offer a platform for prosumers and professionals to capture, edit and share 3D models of physical spaces. These navigable virtual tours are presented in Matterport's proprietary photo-realistic digital media…

19
CADWorx

CADWorx Plant Design Suite from Hexagon PPM is a 3D plant design software toolset that allows for the option to run on the AutoCAD or BricsCAD platform and design piping, structural steel, equipment, process and instrument diagrams, and design review, plus automatic isometrics and…

20
Geomagic

3D Systems headquartered in Rock Hill offers the Geomagic product design suite, supporting 3D modeling and prototyping of manufactured products for a variety of industries.

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Vectorworks Landmark

Vectorworks, headquartered in Columbia, offers the Landmark BIM design application. The solution helps users produce 2D and 3D design concepts and analyze existing building sites.

22
Dynamo BIM

Dynamo is an open-source software platform for computational design and building information modeling (BIM). Through a visual interface, construct logic routines to smooth and automate workflows, find optimum solutions, and sift through design options. The commercial product Dynamo…

23
BricsCAD

BricsCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) toolkit, supporting 2D drawing, 3D modeling and visualizations, and is customizable as well as compatible with many 3rd party applications, developed by Belgian company Bricsys, a Hexagon company since late 2018.

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Adobe Substance 3D Collection

Adobe Substance 3D is a suite of apps that support 3D design, including texture assets and rendering tools. Workflows can connect to Adobe Creative Cloud apps.

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VIRNECT Make
0 reviews

VIRNECT Make is software supporting extended Reality (XR) content creation with the goal of enabling fast and stable XR content creation, and allowing users to translate industrial knowledge and operation manuals into engaging immersive content. It boasts a no-coding editor with…

Videos for 3D Modeling Software

Best 3D Modeling Software for Beginners (CAD): TinkerCAD, Meshmixer, and SketchUp
04:04
Looking at Meshmixer, TinkerCAD, and SketchUp - we explore who these beginner 3D modeling software are each best suited to help.

Learn More About 3D Modeling Software

What is 3D Modeling Software?

3D modeling software is used to create computerized representations of an object for digital art or animation. Additionally, 3D modeling software typically also includes support for texturing, lighting and rendering, allowing users to create complete models for animation in a single program. This software is frequently used in industries such as television, film, and video gaming. Many businesses also use 3D modeling software to create designs and models for physical products, or blueprints for 3D printing.

3D Modeling Software Features & Capabilities

Below are some of the most common features included in 3d Modeling software options:
  • Modeling

  • Rigging

  • Lighting

  • Texturing

  • Rendering


3D Modeling Software Considerations

When considering a 3D modeling software for your business, consider the following aspects of each software option:

  1. Use Case: While 3D modeling tools can be used for blueprinting and product designs, many CAD tools are built expressly for this purpose, so it is worth considering if a CAD tool might be more appropriate.

  2. Rendering Needs: Many 3D modeling tools come with built in support for rendering models, but some require a supplementary tool for rendering. Consider what tools your business already has available to them for modeling and rendering, and what you need from a new tool.

  3. Budget: Pricing for 3D modeling tools can vary greatly depending on the feature set each business needs. Free tools can cover the basics of rendering, but feature complete tools can cost thousands of dollars per year. If you only have specific needs, there may be some more affordable options available to you compared to the most premium 3D modeling tools.

3D Modeling Software Pricing

3D modeling software is priced depending on the robustness of the features offered. There are free 3D modeling tools available that only offer simple modeling and rendering features, but more sophisticated options can cost up to $2,000 each year, or anywhere in between.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a CAD tool and 3D modeling software?

CAD tools are typically used for creating models or 3D drawings of products to be manufactured. In contrast, 3D modeling software is designed for artistic endeavors such as sculpting and animation. Both tools have some overlap, but a business specializing in product modeling will likely appreciate the specialized features of CAD tools, while an artist or animator will prefer 3D modeling software.

Are there free or open source 3D modeling tools?

There are free 3D modeling tools available, the most popular being blender, an open source modeling tool that supports texturing, lighting, and rendering. These tools are free to use, but they lack the support and guaranteed ongoing development offered by popular proprietary options.

Is powerful hardware needed for 3D modeling software?

Many 3D modeling software options can be run on mid-range machines, but rendering speeds can be very slow without high-end hardware. For businesses creating multiple models and renders at a quick pace, slower machines will be a bottleneck.