123D isAutodesk's entry into the hobbyist 3D modelling market.
3D-Coat is a digital sculpting program specializing in voxel and polygonal sculpting.
3Delight, also known as 3DelightNSI, is a path tracing renderer based on its NSI API andOSL.
3DCrafter (previously known as 3D Canvas) is a 3D modeling and animation tool available in a freeware version as well as paid versions (3D Canvas Plus and 3D Canvas Pro).
3ds Max (Autodesk), originally called 3D Studio MAX, is a comprehensive and versatile 3D application used in film, television, video games, and architecture forWindows andMacintosh (but only running via Parallels or other VM software). It can be extended and customized through its SDK or scripting using a Maxscript. It can use third-party rendering options such asBrazil R/S, finalRender andV-Ray.
AC3D (Inivis) is a 3D modeling application that began in the 1990s on theAmiga. Used in a number of industries,MathWorks actively recommends it in many of their aerospace-related articles[1] due to price and compatibility. AC3D does not feature its own renderer, but can generate output files for bothRenderMan andPOV-Ray, among others.
Adobe After Effects (Adobe) is a digital visual effects, motion graphics, and compositing application used in the post-production process of filmmaking and television production.
Aladdin4D (DiscreetFX), first created for theAmiga, was originally developed by Adspec Programming. After acquisition by DiscreetFX, it is multi-platform forOS X, Amiga OS 4.1,MorphOS,Linux,AROS andWindows.
Amiga Reflections is a 3D modeling and rendering software developed by Carsten Fuchs for the Amiga.
Anim8or is a proprietary freeware 3D rendering and animation package.
Animation:Master from HASH, Inc is a modeling and animation package that focuses on ease of use. It is a spline-based modeler. Its strength lies in character animation.
AutoQ3D Community is not a professional CAD program and it is focused to beginners who want to make rapid 3D designs. It is a free software package developed under theGPL.[2] It has a commercial sibling called AutoQ3D CAD.[3] gap
Blender (Blender Foundation) is afree,open source, 3D studio for animation, modeling, rendering, and texturing offering a feature set comparable to commercial 3D animation suites. It is developed under theGPL and is available on all major platforms including Windows, OS X, Linux,BSD, andSolaris.
BRL-CAD is an open sourcesolid modelingcomputer-aided design system with interactive geometry editing,ray-tracing for rendering and geometric analysis, network-distributed framebuffer display support, and image and signal processing tools. It supports a myriad of geometry representation types including boundary representation (BREP)NURBS, triangle and polygonal models, volumetric data visualization, and efficient implicitconstructive solid geometry (CSG). It's been under continuous active development since 1984.
BREP.io is a browser based parametric CAD application that appliesboundary representation topology concepts on top of triangular meshes. It includes a 2D constraint solver for constrained sketches and a feature history for developing models. It also has limited support for constrained assemblies and a simplified PMI annotation system for creating views. Exports3MF (with editable feature history),stl andobj files. Source code available ongithub.
Bryce (DAZ Productions) is most famous for landscapes and creating 'painterly' renderings, as well as its unique user interface. Daz3d has stopped its development and it is not compatible with MAC OS 10.7x or higher. It is currently being given away for free via the daz3d website.
Cheetah3D is a proprietary program forMacintosh computers primarily aimed at amateur 3D artists with some medium and high-end features.
Cinema 4D (MAXON) is a light (Prime) to full-featured (Studio) 3d package dependent on version used. Although used in film usually for 2.5d work, Cinema's largest user base is in the television motion graphics and design/visualisation arenas. Originally developed for theAmiga, it is also available forOS X andWindows.
CityEngine (Procedural Inc) is a3D modeling application specialized in the generation of three-dimensional urban environments. With theprocedural modeling approach,CityEngine enables the efficient creation of detailed large-scale 3D city models, it is available forOS X,Windows andLinux.
Clara.io (Exocortex) is a 3D polygon modeling, solid constructive geometry, animation, and rendering package that runs in anyweb browser that supportsWebGL. It supportscollaborative real-time editing andrevision control. It supports format conversions as well to popular web-formats includingThree.js, and Babylon.js.
Daz Studio a free 3D rendering toolset for adjusting parameters of pre-existing models, posing and rendering them in full 3D scene environments. Imports objects created inPoser and is similar to that program, but with fewer features.
DX Studio a complete integrated development environment for creating interactive 3D graphics. The system comprises both a real-time 3D engine and a suite of editing tools, and is the first product to offer a complete range of tools in a single IDE.
Electric Image Animation System (EIAS3D) is a 3D animation and rendering package available on bothOS X andWindows. Mostly known for its rendering quality and rendering speed it does not include a built-in modeler. The popular filmPirates of the Caribbean[4] and the television seriesLost[5] used the software.
ElectroGIG 3dGO was a 3D modeling, animation and rendering package for the SGI Irix platform.
Element 3D is third partyafter effectsplugin developed by Video Copilot.[2] it is a64 bit plugin that run in bothWin/Mac os. It is used for importing/creating3d objects and for particle rendering. It is mostly used for motion design andvisual effects. It can do professional work in much less time according to its simpleinterface and presets, that it was designed for easier workflow, user friendly and final results.
FaceGen is a source of human face models for other programs. Users are able to generate face models either randomly or from input photographs.
FreeCAD is a full-featured CAD/CAE open-source software. Python scripting and various plugin modules are supported, e.g. CAM, Robotics, Meshing and FEM.
form•Z (AutoDesSys, Inc.) is a general-purpose solid/surface 3D modeler. Its primary use is for modeling, but it also features photo-realistic rendering and object-centric animation support. form•Z is used in architecture, interior design, illustration, product design, and set design. It supports plug-ins and scripts, has import/export capabilities and was first released in 1991. It is currently available for bothOS X andWindows.
Gelato is a hardware-accelerated, non-real-time renderer created by graphics card manufacturer NVIDIA.
GigaMesh Software Framework is a tool for analyzing high-resolution 3D-measurement data focused on applications in forensic sciences like archaeology. It is known for robust visualization and extraction of features like weathered inscriptions or faint fingerprints.
Gmax is a deprecated lightweight freeware edition ofAutodesk 3ds Max originally developed for hobbyists and game content creation. It was discontinued in 2005, but As of December 2013[update], it is still available for download.
Grome is a 3D environment editor for terrain, water, and vegetation suitable for games and other 3D real-time applications.
Hexagon (Daz Productions) is a 3D subdivision modeler with an emphasis on organic modeling.
Houdini (Side Effects Software) is used for visual effects and character animation. It was used inDisney's feature filmThe Wild.[6] Houdini uses a non-standard interface that it refers to as a "NODE system". It has a hybrid micropolygon-raytracer renderer, Mantra, but it also has built-in support for commercial renderers like Pixar'sRenderMan andMental Ray.
iClone (Reallusion Inc.) is a stand-alone,real-time 3D animation software used inprevisualization, video games,Machinima, and story-telling, that specializes in quick facial and body animation. iClone provides a global library of template-based content and a collection of animation tools including a motion capturing plug-in, and content exporting capabilities to other 3D applications and game engines.
Kerkythea is a freeware rendering system that supports raytracing. It can be integrated with 3ds Max, Blender, SketchUp, and Silo (generally any software that can export files in obj and 3ds formats). Kerkythea is a standalone renderer, using physically accurate materials and lighting.
KernelCAD is a large component aimed to present CAD as a GUI element for programming engineers. Includes interface toOpen CASCADE.
LightWave 3D (Lightwave Digital), first developed for theAmiga, was originally bundled as part of theVideo Toaster package and entered the market as a low-cost way for TV production companies to create quality CGI for their programming. It first gained public attention with its use in the TV seriesBabylon 5[7] and is used in several contemporary TV series.[8][9][10] Lightwave is also used in a variety of modern film productions.[11][12] It is available for bothWindows andOS X.
MakeHuman is a GPL program that generates 3D parametric humanoids.
MASSIVE is a 3D animation system for generating crowd-related visual effects targeted for use in film and television. Originally developed for controlling the large-scale CGI battles inThe Lord of the Rings,[15] Massive has become an industry standard for digital crowd control in high-end animation[citation needed] and has been used on several other big-budget films. It is available for variousUnix andLinux platforms as well asWindows.
Maxwell Render is a multi-platform renderer that forgoes raytracing, global illumination and radiosity in favor of photon rendering with a virtual electromagnetic spectrum, resulting in very authentic-looking renders. It was the first unbiased render to market.[citation needed]
Maya (Autodesk) is currently used in the film, television, and gaming industry. Maya has developed over the years into an application platform in and of itself through extendability via itsMEL programming language. It is available forWindows,Linux andmacOS.
mental ray is another popular renderer, and comes default with most of the high-end packages. (Now owned by NVIDIA)
MeshLab is a freeWindows,Linux andmacOS application for visualizing, simplifying, processing, and converting large three-dimensional meshes to or from a variety of 3D file formats.
MetaCreations Detailer and Painter 3D are discontinued software applications specifically for paintingtexture maps on 3-D Models.
MicroStation is proprietary 2D / 3D modelling program with extensive import/export capabilities byBentley Systems.
Modo (The Foundry) is a subdivision modeling, texturing, and rendering tool with support for camera motion and morphs (blend shapes). It is now used in the Television Industry and is available forWindows,macOS andLinux. (x86_64).
Mudbox is a high-resolution brush-based 3D sculpting program, that claims to be the first of its type. The software was acquired by Autodesk in 2007 and has a current rival in its field known as ZBrush (see below).
NX (Siemens PLM Software) is an integrated suite of software for computer-aided mechanical design (mechanical CAM),computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer-aided engineering (CAE) formed by combining the former Unigraphics and SDRC I-deas software product lines.[16] NX is currently available for the following operating systems: Windows XP and Vista, Apple Mac OS X,[17] and Novell SUSE Linux.[18]
ParaView is an open source 3D scientific visualization platform.
PictureMaker (Cubicomp) was another pioneering 3D computer graphics software package for x86-based personal computers.
Pixie is an open-source photorealistic renderer.
Poser (Bondware) Poser is a 3D rendering and animation computer program optimized for models that depict the human figure in three-dimensional form and is specialized for adjusting features of preexisting character models via varying parameters. It is also for posing and rendering models and characters. It includes some specialized tools for walk cycle creation, cloth and hair.
POV-Ray (or The Persistence of Vision Raytracer) is a freeware (with source) ray tracer written for multiple platforms.
Presto is aproprietary software developed and used in-house byPixar Animation Studios in the animation of their feature and short films. Presto is not available for sale and therefore is only used by Pixar.
Ray Dream Studio was a 3D modeling software application initially developed for the Macintosh in 1989. A less expensive, more limited version lacking animation capability was sold as Ray Dream Designer.
RenderMan (Pixar) is arenderer, used in many studios. Animation packages such as 3DS Max and Maya can pipeline to RenderMan to do all the rendering.
RealFlow simulates and renders particle systems of rigid bodies and fluids.
Realsoft 3D Full-featured 3D modeling, animation, simulation, and rendering software available for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and Irix.
Remo 3D is a commercial 3D modeling tool specialized in creating 3D models for real-time visualization, available for Windows and Linux.
Rhinoceros 3D is a commercial modeling tool that has excellent support for freeformNURBS editing.
Sculpt 3Draytrace application released in 1987 forAmiga computers programmed by Eric Graham.
Shade 3D is a commercial modeling/rendering/animation tool from Japan with import/export format support for Adobe, Social Worlds, and QuickTime, among others.
Seamless3d is aNURBS based modelling and animation software with much of the focus on creating avatars optimized for real-time animation. It is free,open source under theMIT license.
Showplace is a 3D computer graphics program which was released in the 1990s byPixar with versions for Macintosh and Microsoft Windows.
Simplygon is a commercial mesh processing package forremeshing general input meshes intoreal-time renderable meshes.
SketchUp Free (Trimble) is a 3D modeling package that features a sketch-based modelling approach integrated withGoogle Earth and limits export toGoogle's "3D Warehouse", where users can share their content. It has a pro version which supports 2D and 3D model export functions among other features.
SquidNet-NDP is a commercially available product for rendering 3D animations within a distributed network environment.
Softimage (Autodesk) (formerly Softimage|XSI) is a 3D modeling and animation package that integrates withmental ray rendering. It is feature-similar to Maya and 3ds Max and is used in the production of professional films, commercials, video games, and other media.
Solid Edge (Siemens PLM Software) is a commercial application for design, drafting, analysis, and simulation of products, systems, machines and tools. All versions include feature-based parametric modeling, assembly modeling, drafting, sheet metal, weldment, freeform surface design, and data management.[19] Application-programming interfaces enable scripting inVisual Basic andC programming.
solidThinking (solidThinking) is a 3D solid/surface modeling and rendering suite which features a construction tree method of development. The tree is the "history" of the model construction process and allows real-time updates when modifications are made to points, curves, parameters or entire objects.
SolidWorks (SolidWorks Corporation) is an application used for the design, detailing, and validation of products, systems, machines, and toolings. All versions include modeling, assemblies, drawing, sheetmetal, weldment, and freeform surfacing functionality. It also has support for scripting inVisual Basic andC.
SolveSpace is a free libre and open source 2D and 3D CAD (computer-aided design) program. It is a constraint-based parametric modeler with simple mechanical simulation capabilities. Version 2.1 onward runs on Windows, Linux and macOS. It is developed by Jonathan Westhues and a community of volunteers.
Spore (Maxis) is a game allowing users to design their own fully functioning creatures with a very rudimentary, easy-to-use interface. The game includes aCOLLADA exporter, so models can be downloaded and imported into any other 3D software listed here that supports theCOLLADA format. Models can also be directly imported into game development software such asUnity (game engine).
Substance 3D (Adobe) is a suite of 3D model and texture authoring tools.
Sunflow is an open source, photo-realistic renderer written in Java.
Swift 3D (Electric Rain) is a relatively inexpensive 3D design, modeling, and animation application targeted to entry-level 3D users andAdobe Flash designers. Swift 3D supports vector and raster-based 3D animations for Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight XAML.
Typestry (Pixar) is an abandonware 3D computer program released in the 1990s by Pixar for Macintosh and MS-DOS. It rendered and animated text in 3d in various fonts based on the user's input.
The Advanced Visualizer, a.k.a. TAV (Wavefront Technologies) was a high-end 3D package between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, running on Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations. Wavefront first acquired TDI in 1993, before Wavefront itself was acquired in 1995 along with Alias by SGI to form Alias|Wavefront.
TOPAS (AT&T/CrystalGraphics) was a pioneering 3D computer graphics software package for x86-based personal computers. It was a fully integrated 3D modeling, rendering, and animation package.
trueSpace (Caligari Corporation) is a discontinued 3D program forWindows, although the company Caligari first found its start on the Amiga platform. trueSpace features modeling, animation, 3D-painting, and rendering capabilities. In 2009, Microsoft purchased TrueSpace and it is now available completely free of charge.
VRay is promoted for use in the architectural visualization field used in conjunction with3ds Max andSketchUp. It is also commonly used withMaya andRhino.
Vue is a tool for creating, animating and rendering natural 3D environments. It was most recently used to create the background jungle environments in the 2nd and 3rdPirates of the Caribbean films.[20]
ZBrush (Pixologic) is a digital sculpting and animation tool that combines 3D/2.5D modeling, texturing and painting. It is available forOS X andWindows. It is used to create normal maps for low resolution models to make them look more detailed.
^Drawing Program Lends Perspective, InfoWorld - Volume 7, Issues 40-52, 1985 - Page 125,...has announced Macperspective, a program for the Macintosh...
