Mastering the best 3D modeling software means you’ll be in high demand in the rapidly expanding 3D industry. We walk you through the best 3D modeling software options available right now on the market. Or even better?
Whatever your skill level, now is an excellent time to try out the best 3D modeling software. Let’s take a look at some of the best 3D modeling software programs available!
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The best paid 3D modelling software
MAYA
Industrial-strength 3D modelling software, with a price to match.
Try to ask any 3D artist to name the best 3D modeling software, and most will choose Autodesk Maya. Have considered as the industry standard for CG, Autodesk Maya has an unequaled breadth of tools and functionality. This massively extensible app isn’t for the faint-hearted: its toolset is hugely sophisticated and requires time to understand. However, if you’re looking to acquire a job in the animation or VFX sectors, you’d be suggested to use the same software that the likes of ILM, Pixar, DNEG, and Framestore employ.
Maya excels at modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering; its extensive feature set includes particles, hair, solid body mechanics, fabric simulations, and character animation. There’s a chance you’ll never use any of its features, so consider whether it’s genuinely excessive for your specific requirements.
This degree of power comes at a cost – a Maya subscription is not cheap.
ZBrush
Market-leading sculpting software that’s ideal for 3D printing.
ZBrush is a standalone sculpting and modeling app best suited for creating organic forms – although recent updates have gradually improved its hard-surface abilities. It works in a non-standard fashion, with a workflow and user interface that’s initially very hard to learn, so you need to use it every day to become proficient.
However, ZBrush isn’t only for sculpting and modeling: it can also create UV maps and paint textures, enabling seasoned artists to craft entire figures with clothing and props, ready for rendering. ZBrush is a popular choice among artists wanting to 3D print toys and action figures, too, with tools specifically aimed at 3D printing.
Houdini
3D modelling software used in today’s movie and TV VFX.
Houdini by SideFX is ranked second in our list of the best 3D modeling software. Houdini’s node-based procedural approach, widely used in the VFX industry for creating a variety of 3D imagery, gives digital artists an unprecedented level of power, flexibility, and control. This nodal workflow isn’t for everyone, but Houdini also includes more traditional tools for interacting with polygons on the screen.
This level of power and non-standard workflow, like Maya, can be challenging to grasp. Fortunately, SideFX provides Houdini Apprentice, a free version of Houdini FX that you can use for personal, non-commercial projects by students, artists, and hobbyists.
Cinema 4D
Brilliant 3D modelling software for beginners and pros alike.
Cinema 4D by Maxon has been around for a long time and is well-known in the realms of motion graphics, visualization, and illustration. It’s a professional, complex piece of software known for its overall stability and the easiest learning curve of any 3D modeling software.
Cinema 4D has a strong community and a massive online library of tutorials and how-tos, not to mention the training site Cineversity, which you get free membership to when you buy the app or pay for the annual Maxon service agreement (MSA). C4D’s parametric modeling toolset is generally excellent, and you can extend its functionality with a variety of low-cost plugins. It also includes volumetric modeling, which is ideal if you don’t have the time or ability to build smooth solid forms.
Perpetual licenses are not inexpensive, but you may always start with Prime and gradually upgrade. Check out the trial version, which allows you to experiment for 14 days for free, as well as the free education version for students and instructors.
Download free trial of Cinema 4D
Autodesk 3ds Max
The best 3D modelling software for Windows users.
Autodesk’s 3ds Max is a PC-only 3D computer graphics tool used for TV and feature film production, as well as architectural and product visualization. 3ds Max, like its sister software Maya, has a sophisticated toolset for 3D modeling, as well as fluid simulations, hair and fur, and character rigging and animation.
It employs both direct manipulation and procedural modeling techniques, and lots of library of different modifiers simplifies the modeling process for new and intermediate 3D artists. 3ds Max has a professional toolset and, predictably, a professional price tag. Students, on the other hand, can obtain the software for free.
Download free trial of 3ds Max
Modo
3D modelling, texturing and rendering software.
Modo evolved from a basic subdivision surface modeler to the fully-featured digital content production tool we know today, thanks to the development team behind LightWave 3D. Its features have been well-thought-out and executed, making it incredibly user-friendly. When you combine that with a pretty robust rendering system, it’s easy to understand why Modo has risen in popularity.
Modo with modeling at its core is one of the top apps for creating polygonal forms using both direct tools and procedural techniques. The incorporation of the best-in-class MeshFusion Boolean system broadens its modeling capabilities. Although Modo lacks the high-end dynamics and simulation tools found in programs like Maya, it holds its own when creating attractive artwork, providing as good a 3D render as any other package currently available.
Lightwave 3D
Fully-featured, production-proven 3D modelling software.
LightWave was formerly the go-to software for TV science-fiction shows. But after a botched attempt to build a modernized version, NewTek’s app sat dormant for several years. However, it has lately seen a revival, with an upgraded version released in early 2020.
Lightwave operates as two apps: Modeler (for creating assets) and Layout (for texturing, lighting, animation, and rendering). Although, much of the core technology is rather old (although many new features have been added in recent years). It remains a solid digital content creation suite with many features and a fast interactive PBR renderer.
So disregard LightWave’s reputation: it’s a fantastic 3D modeling program for learning the fundamentals. You may test it out for free for 30 days, and students can get a copy for $195.
Download free trial of Lightwave 3D
The best free 3D modelling software
A license to utilize the top 3D modeling software on the market these days is not cheap. Thankfully, there are a lot of corporations offering free versions of paid-for applications.
Blender
Read Why Blender?
Blender, the free modeling, texturing, animation, and rendering app, is unrivaled in terms of free 3D modeling software. It has an outstanding collection of 3D modeling and sculpting tools and is regarded as a perfectly credible alternative to commercial modeling programs. Blender was formerly infamous for its non-standard manner of working, lots of these difficulties have already been resolved, and it will feel more familiar if you’re switching from another tool.
Blender is a terrific place to start if you want to see if 3D graphics are for you, and we have a plethora of fantastic Blender tutorials to get you started elsewhere on the site. Despite the lack of a price tag, it is capable of producing graphics and animation on par with almost any other 3D modeling software.
Download the latest version of Blender
Daz Studio
Previously priced at $249, 3D software Daz 3D is now entirely free to download. It is a 3D figure customization, posing, and animation application that allows artists of all ability levels to make digital art using virtual people, animals, props, vehicles, accessories, and environments.
SketchUp
SketchUp Free describes itself as “the simplest free 3D modeling software on the web With no strings attached,” and it is. Its basic 3D modeler runs directly in your web browser and has 10GB of storage space, plus there are free user-generated and manufacturer-produced 3D models to incorporate into your projects. All of this, plus a free app for viewing your 3D models on mobile, adds up to a fantastic deal at no cost. Also, don’t forget to go through our collection of the best SketchUp textures.
Hexagon
If you have a Daz 3D Studio account, you also have to download Hexagon, a free modeling tool. It was created by Eovia circa 2001, and acquired by Daz in 2006, and has been irregularly updated ever then. Hexagon is a simple subdivision surface modeler, and while Daz touts it as a tool to create garments and props for its figure, you may use it to create anything you want.
Fusion 360 (education version)
Fusion 360, Autodesk’s cloud-based modeling program, is designed for the CAD/CAM community, but you can use it to construct any solid object, from teapots to tanks. It costs £438 a year. There is also a free education version for Windows and Mac for non-commercial projects that includes a wide range of modeling techniques, such as freeform sculpting, polygon manipulation, and parametric modeling.
Houdini Apprentice
As we said earlier, Houdini is a 3D animation and visual effects application that is used in the media industry for cinema, TV, entertainment, and visualization. Its cheapest edition costs just under $2,000, although its developer SideFX provides a free ‘Apprentice’ version. Houdini Apprentice gives you access to all of the full version’s capabilities, allowing you to hone your skills in the software and work on personal projects. The program is solely for educational and non-commercial purposes.
Wings3D
Wings 3D is a pure modeling tool that has been in development since 2001 and is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is like all subdivision modelers. Allows you to create an underlying polygonal form and then make a smoothed shape by subdividing the mesh.
It’s pretty basic as modelers go, and the interface is a little strange, but it’s user-friendly and an excellent method to get a feel for poly modeling and see whether 3D is something you’d be interested in.
Rocket 3F
This Windows-only polygonal modeler bills itself as quick, enjoyable, and user-friendly. The professional-looking interface is customizable, and it includes a robust modeling toolkit that would be at home in apps costing hundreds of pounds. It is a pretty well-equipped program containing sculpting, retopology tools, and non-linear subdivision edge creasing.
The free version does not allow you to customize the UI or apply your hotkeys – for that, you must purchase the €99 Pro version – but Rocket 3F is a class act whether you’re creating models for illustration, VFX, or games.
Image source: Stephan Duquesnoy
