Autodesk 3ds Max vs. Rhino 3D

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Autodesk 3ds Max
Score 8.5 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
Rhino
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
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 polygon meshes.
$995
one-time fee
Pricing
Autodesk 3ds MaxRhino 3D
Editions & Modules
Monthly Subscription
$235
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$1875
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$5625
3 years per user
Rhino 3D for Windows & Mac
$995
one-time fee
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Autodesk 3ds MaxRhino
Free Trial
YesNo
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.Discount available for students and faculty.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Autodesk 3ds MaxRhino 3D
Considered Both Products
Autodesk 3ds Max
Chose Autodesk 3ds Max
Best for rendering and geometry flexibility. Interphase is also superior. The stacking of modifiers is unique and allows for combining, and turning on and of which makes presenting options very agile, and clear without destroying the geometry. It's easily reversible. All others …
Rhino

No answer on this topic

Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Autodesk 3ds MaxRhino 3D
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
Autodesk 3ds Max
-
Ratings
Rhino 3D
4.5
1 Ratings
45% below category average
3D Modeling00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
2D Drafting00 Ratings2.01 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings4.01 Ratings
Parametric Design00 Ratings5.01 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
Assembly Design00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
Customization and Extensions00 Ratings4.01 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Autodesk 3ds MaxRhino 3D
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.4 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.4 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.4 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.4 out of 10
Enterprises
Navisworks
Navisworks
Score 9.2 out of 10
NX CAD
NX CAD
Score 8.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Autodesk 3ds MaxRhino 3D
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(11 ratings)
8.0
(9 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
7.7
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(1 ratings)
7.5
(4 ratings)
User Testimonials
Autodesk 3ds MaxRhino 3D
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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Robert McNeel and Associates
One of the main highlights of Rhino is the built-in visual programming system "Grasshopper". It is widely used for parametric architectural design, by a variety of world-class architectural offices. It is also very popular within architectural schools and universities. Its usefulness has increased a lot by having add-ins, plug-ins, scripts, and integrations with Revit and ARCHICAD for BIM workflows.
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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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Robert McNeel and Associates
  • Parametric Modeling - Grasshopper allows for easy/rapid iterative process
  • White box renders display - looks great as a quick diagram export with no post-production required.
  • robust command prompts - rhino was originally made for industrial design and it flexes a lot of unique modeling commands that put it up there with SolidWorks
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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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Robert McNeel and Associates
  • Rhino has very limited sheet layout tools.
  • Grasshopper could be better integrated into the main interface.
  • Lack of backwards file compatibility can be frustrating.
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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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Robert McNeel and Associates
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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Robert McNeel and Associates
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Autodesk
I have contacted support many times and have had a good experience. They have always been helpful
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Robert McNeel and Associates
A majority of the support for Rhinoceros 3D does not come from the company itself, but from online forums and boards where other Rhinoceros 3D users outline their issues and solutions. The Rhinoceros 3D website does not offer much in-depth support and just outlines general how to's. At the same time, online forums allow for more specific issues to be addressed and solved by the Rhinoceros 3D community.
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Alternatives Considered
Autodesk
In Autodesk 3ds Max you can do camera animation with ease, its complex in Cinema 4D. Even I think same with light setup. Setting up light is quite easy in Autodesk 3ds Max as compare to Cinema 4D. Overall Autodesk 3ds Max is less complex in compare to other 3D softwares.
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Robert McNeel and Associates
It's hard to compare Rhino to other modeling software as Rhino is in a niche of its own. No other software (to my knowledge) is as customizable/programmable and has such a large community and such a large amount of free, open-source addons. Rhino (and Grasshopper) can be intimidating at first but once you get familiar with it and grow your toolbox with your own scripts, so much time will be saved
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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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Robert McNeel and Associates
  • Right away Rhino3D is useful for simple and accurate 3D model import, repair and export all in a variety of formats.
  • Rhino3D is easy to use and learn. The time to productivity is very short with this modeling tool.
  • The price is low for the value received, a great investment.
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ScreenShots