Autodesk 3ds Max vs. Autodesk Forma

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Autodesk 3ds Max
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
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 less time.
$235
per month per user
Autodesk Forma
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk Forma (formerly Spacemaker) is an AI 3D modeling technology designed to help users discover smarter ways to maximize the potential of a building site. It was developed by Spacemaker in Oslo, and acquired by Autodesk November 2020.
$185
per month per user
Pricing
Autodesk 3ds MaxAutodesk Forma
Editions & Modules
Monthly Subscription
$235
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$1875
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$5625
3 years per user
Monthly
$185
per month per user
Yearly
$1,460
per year per user
3-Year
$4,380
3 year per user
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Autodesk 3ds MaxAutodesk Forma
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsFlex pricing available for limited usage. Minimum plan $300 for 100 tokens. 3ds Max costs 6 tokens per day.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Autodesk 3ds MaxAutodesk Forma
Best Alternatives
Autodesk 3ds MaxAutodesk Forma
Small Businesses
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Score 6.5 out of 10
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Medium-sized Companies
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Score 6.5 out of 10
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Score 6.5 out of 10
Enterprises
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Score 9.4 out of 10
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Score 9.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Autodesk 3ds MaxAutodesk Forma
Likelihood to Recommend
9.4
(13 ratings)
8.7
(3 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.2
(4 ratings)
7.7
(3 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Autodesk 3ds MaxAutodesk Forma
Likelihood to Recommend
Autodesk
For print media for marketing and for 3d animations for web spots and TV ads/movies/programs. It is less suited for quick 3d graphics or images that you get from AI image programs, but it is much more powerful than most AI image programs.
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Autodesk
It is well suited in helping the team analyze plan changes for change orders. It is good for plan file organization and keeping the entire team on the same page. It is not well suited for adding the client to the project as sometimes it can be too much information for them
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Pros
Autodesk
  • 3ds Max includes some of the inbuild modifiers which can be very good in the case of beginners.
  • 3rd party Rendering support makes 3ds Max a powerful software for rendering out realistic images.
  • Autodesk 3ds max in comparison to its rivals is lightweight and fast, also the animation case also.
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Autodesk
  • Cloud model access.
  • Easy collaboration between users in different locations.
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Cons
Autodesk
  • working in 2d is very frustrating and unreliable. It just lacks the precision
  • How scaling affects units (or doesn't) There needs to be a way for modifiers to address a change of scale in the object.
  • Booleans are not intuitive. Especially for architecture, creating an opening and putting a door or a window is an incredibly cumbersome process.
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Autodesk
  • Stop renaming the product (BIM 360, BIM Collaborate Pro, Autodesk Construction Cloud).
  • A desktop app would be nice.
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Likelihood to Renew
Autodesk
It satisfies 95% of my 3d visualization need. The left over 5% is handled by a few other programs. If Max just can't perform a specific task I can do that elsewhere and then bring it back to Max to finish up. But, it's rare that this occurs in my work
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Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Usability
Autodesk
It is a very difficult program to learn to use and even harder to use well. But once you get to using it it is a great software package to know how to use. Getting to be good at using it takes lots of use.
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Autodesk
Because it is very user friendly and it also adapts the software to the device... For example , iPads are more Superintendent friendly and the desktop version is more useful for PM and Project Engineers. I also like that theres versions of the software that are on our desktop or ipad, so when we have a network failure we are still able to do the majority of our work
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Support Rating
Autodesk
I have contacted support many times and have had a good experience. They have always been helpful
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Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Autodesk
Sketch-up week to be vertically integrated to produce concept all the way to high-end render, an animation (effects, particles, soft-body, etc..) All 3 other softwares are fully capable, it just comes down to what software an operator is most familiar with and if it works in the production pipeline for the client.
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Autodesk
I didn't select Forma; we are forced to use what the Architects and General Contractors set up for a given project. There is really no alternative to the cloud model hosting aspect of what Forma does, but for documents, I would not use it if given the choice.
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Return on Investment
Autodesk
  • 3ds Max has one of the best control tools that can help someone to sculpt almost anything. With the vertex tool and polyline edit function we can create almost any complex geometry.
  • Default rendering is equipped with almost everything that is needed for process, V-Ray for 3ds Max is the best 3rd party plugin for getting crisp renders.
  • The four view port tools for viewing the model helps from each and every angle. The moment and selection tools in the 3ds Max are quit easy to operate.
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Autodesk
  • It has allowed us to work with larger architectural firms.
  • We have been able to coordinate earlier in the project life cycle and more often.
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ScreenShots