Comparison of 3D computer graphics software
3D computer graphics software refers to programs used to create 3D computer-generated imagery.
General information
This is a chart on basic comparative elements that is based on the raw software without the inclusion of additional plugins.
| Application | Latest release date and version |
Developed by | Platforms | Mainly Used For | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ds Max | "2015" | Autodesk | Microsoft Windows | Modeling, Animation (Video Games), Lighting, Rendering | Proprietary |
| 3DView | 2014-02-07 0.1.10 |
Dmitry Trofimov | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Chrome OS | Visualization, Sharing, Quality Control | Proprietary / free for commercial use |
| Afanche3D | 2014-04-15 v 3.1 |
Afanche Technologies, Inc. | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Android, IOS | Visualization, Measurement, Collaboration | Proprietary |
| AC3D | 2014-03-03 v 7.2.17 |
Inivis | Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling | Proprietary |
| AOI | 2013-09-23 v 3.0 |
Peter Eastman | Java Virtual Machine supported platforms | Animation, Lighting, Modelling, Rendering | GNU GPLv2 |
| Blender | 2015-03-31 v 2.74 |
Blender Foundation | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, BSD, Solaris, AmigaOS 4, MorphOS | Animation, Lighting, Modeling, Rendering, Video Game Creation, Visual 3D Effects, Sculpting, Basic Post-Production Video Editing | GNU GPLv2+ / Apache 2.0 [1] |
| Bryce | 2010-12-23 7.1.0.109 |
DAZ 3D | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Animation, Landscape Modeling, Fractal Geometry | Proprietary |
| Carrara | 2010-04-21 8.0 |
DAZ 3D | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Animation, Modeling | Proprietary |
| Cheetah 3D | 2013-12-30 v 6.3 |
Dr. Martin Wengenmayer | Mac OS X | Animation, Modeling | Proprietary |
| Cinema 4D | R16 |
MAXON | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Amiga OS[2] | Animation, Lighting, Modeling, Visual 3D Effects, Rendering, Simulation | Proprietary |
| CityEngine | v 2013 |
Procedural | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux | Procedural Modeling of 3D Cities | Proprietary |
| Clara.io | 2013-07-09 |
Exocortex | Mozilla FireFox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer | Modeling, Animation, Rendering | Proprietary |
| Cobalt | 2009-12-11 v8 SP2r3 |
Ashlar-Vellum | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling, Computer Aided Design, Animation | Proprietary |
| Electric Image Animation System | 2009-05 v8.0. |
EIAS3D | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Animation, Lighting, Rendering, Film, Television, Visual 3D Effects | Proprietary |
| form-Z / form-Z Renderzone Plus | 2013-10-11 7.3 |
autodessys, Inc. | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Animation, Modeling, Lighting, Render, Fabrication, Set Design | Proprietary |
| Hexagon | 2008-05-20 2.5 |
DAZ 3D | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Subdivision Modeling, UV Mapping | Proprietary |
| Houdini | 2015-01-15 v 14 |
Side Effects Software | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | Animation, Lighting, Modeling, Visual 3D Effects | Proprietary |
| IClone | 2014 v 6.0 |
Reallusion | Microsoft Windows | Animation, Film and Television Previz, Videogame Asset Creation, Lighting, Visual 3D Effects | Proprietary |
| LightWave 3D | 2014 v 11.6.2 |
NewTek | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Amiga OS[3] | Modeling, Animation, Lighting, Rendering, Film and Television Previz, Videogame Asset Creation | Proprietary |
| KeyCreator 3D | 2014 Ver 12.6 |
KUBOTEK | Microsoft Windows | Mechanical 3D DIRECT Modeler, Animation, Rendering | Proprietary |
| MASSIVE | ? v 3.5 |
Massive Software | Microsoft Windows, Linux | Artificial Intelligence in Models | Proprietary |
| Maya | 2014 "2015" |
Autodesk | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | Modeling, Animation (Video), Lighting, Rendering, Visual 3D Effects | Proprietary |
| Metasequoia | 2011-05 2.4.13 (Metasequoia), R2.4a (MetasequoiaLE) |
O. Mizno | Microsoft Windows | Modeling | Proprietary |
| Microstation | November 6, 2008, v8i | Bentley Systems | Microsoft Windows | 2d drafting, Modeling, Rendering, Animation | Proprietary |
| MODO | 2014-04-24 v 801 |
The Foundry | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux | Modeling, Animation, Rendering | Proprietary |
| MOI | 2014 v 3 |
Triple Squid Software Design | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling | Proprietary |
| Mudbox | v 2015 |
Autodesk | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux | Lighting, Sculpting (the deformation of the model) | Proprietary |
| POV-Ray | 2004-10-03 v 3.6 |
The POV-Team | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux, AmigaOS | Lighting, Visual 3D effects | non-Free (POV-Ray license) |
| Pro/Engineer | Template:September 2009 2009 Wildfire 5.0 |
Parametric Technology Corporation | Microsoft Windows, HP-UX, Unix | Modeling | Proprietary |
| Remo 3D | v 2.4 | Remograph | Microsoft Windows, Linux | Modeling, Virtual Reality, Real-time modeling, Video Game Creation, Computer Aided Design | Proprietary |
| Rhinoceros 3D | v 5 | McNeel | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X in beta | Modeling, Computer Aided Design | Proprietary |
| Sculptris | 2011-07-22 v Alpha 6 |
Pixologic | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Sculpting, Texturing | Proprietary |
| Shade 3D | 2014 v 14.1.2 |
Shade3D | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling, Rendering, Animation | Proprietary |
| Silo | 2008-08-13 v 2.1 |
Nevercenter | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling | Proprietary |
| SketchUp / SketchUp Pro | 2015-02-5 v 15.3.331 (Win64) v 15.3.330 (Win32) v 15.3.329 (Mac) |
Trimble Navigation | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Computer Aided Design | Proprietary |
| Softimage | "2015" (Final Release) |
Autodesk | Microsoft Windows, Linux | Modeling, Animation, Video Game Creation, Lighting, Rendering, Visual 3d Effects | Proprietary |
| Solid Edge | 2014-08-08 ST7 |
Siemens PLM Software | Microsoft Windows | Computer Aided Design | Proprietary |
| solidThinking | 2014 v 2014 |
solidThinking | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling | Proprietary |
| SolidWorks | 2014-09-09 v 2015 |
Dassault systems | Microsoft Windows | Computer Aided Design | Proprietary |
| SpaceClaim | 2014-11-19 v 2015 |
SpaceClaim Corporation | Microsoft Windows | Computer Aided Design | Proprietary |
| Swift 3D | 2009-06-03 v6.0 (Final Release) |
Electric Rain | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling, Animation | Proprietary |
| TopSolid | 7.9 2014 |
Missler Software | Microsoft Windows | Computer Aided Design/ Computer Aided Manufacturing | Proprietary |
| trueSpace | 2009-05-25 v 7.61 |
Caligari Corporation | Microsoft Windows, AmigaOS | Animation, Modeling | Proprietary |
| E-on Vue | v 2014 |
E-on Software | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Animation, Landscape Modeling, Lighting | Proprietary |
| Verto Studio 3D | 2012-10-9 v 1.3.1 |
Michael L. Farrell | Mac OS X, iOS | Mobile Modeling, Texture Mapping, Lighting | Proprietary |
| ZBrush | 2015-01-29 v 4R7 |
Pixologic | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling, Texturing, Lighting, Sculpting (the deformation of the model), Rendering | Proprietary |
| Wings3d | 2014-04-14 1.5.3 |
Dan Gudmundsson (maintainer) | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, BSD, Linux | Modeling, Sculpting (the deformation of the model), UV mapping | BSD |
| ViewPoint 3D | 2014-09-02 v2.433 |
ViewPoint 3D | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Modeling, Animation, Autostereoscopy, Interactive, Education, Digital Signage | Proprietary |
Operating system support
The operating systems on which the editors can run natively (without emulation or compatibility layers), meaning which operating systems have which editors specifically coded for them (not, for example, Wings 3D for Windows running on Linux with Wine).
| Name | Windows | Mac OS X | Linux | Unix | BSD | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ds Max | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 3DView | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Chrome OS |
| Afanche3D | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | IOS, Android |
| AC3D | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Art of Illusion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Blender | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Solaris, AmigaOS 4, MorphOS |
| Carrara | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Cheetah 3D | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Cinema 4D | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Amiga OS |
| Clara.io | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Chrome OS, Android |
| Electric Image Animation System | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| form-Z | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Houdini | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| IClone | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| LightWave 3D | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | AmigaOS |
| MakeHuman | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Massive | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Maya | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Metasequoia | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Modo | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| POV-Ray | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Amiga OS, Atari TOS |
| Remo 3D | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Shade | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Silo | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| SketchUp | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| SketchUp Pro | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Softimage | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Solid Edge | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| solidThinking | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| solidWorks | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| SpaceClaim | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Swift 3D | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| TopSolid | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| trueSpace | Yes | No | No | No | No | Amiga OS |
| Verto Studio 3D | No | Yes | No | No | No | iOS |
| ViewPoint 3D | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| E-on Vue | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Wings 3D | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| ZBrush | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Features
| Wireframe | Animation | Rendering | Imports | Exports | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ds Max | Yes | Yes | Yes | FBX, 3DS, PRJ, AI, DAE, DEM, XML, DDF, DWG, DXF, FLT, HTR, IGE, IGS, IGES, IPT, WIRE, IAM, LS, VW, LP, OBJ, SAT, SHP, SKP, STL, TRC | FBX, 3DS, AI, ASE, ATR, BLK, DAE, DF, DWG, DXF, FLT, HTR, IGS, LAY, LP, M3G, OBJ, SAT, STL, VW, WRL |
| 3DView | Yes | No | No | STL, OBJ, PLY, COLLADA, CTM, VTK | STL, OBJ |
| Afanche3D | Yes | Yes | Yes | SKP (SketchUp), STL, DXF, OBJ, 3DS, VRML, DAE (Collada), IGES, STEP, Parasolid, Blend (Blender), SHP (ESRI), TER, SMD, Q3D, Q3S, MDL, MD2, MD3, MD5Mesh, CSM, ASE, B3D, OFF, AC, MS3D, PLY, NFF, RAW, ASC, CSV, PCD, NAS, MESH, UNV, APT, G-Code (CNC) | STL, DAE, DXF, OBJ, VRML, PLY, OFF, ATD |
| AC3D | Yes | ? | No | GIF, JPG, PNG, BMP, DDS, PPM, Targa, TIFF, 3D Studio, AC3D, DXF,COLLADA, LDraw (Lego), Lightwave, Massive, Milkshape Ascii, Obj (Wavefront), OFF, Pointfield, Points, Quake BSP, Quake MD2, Renderware, SMF, SOF Airfoil, STL (ascii), Terragen, Triangle, Vector, VRML 1.0[4] | GIF, JPG, PNG, BMP, DDS, PPM, Targa, TIFF, 3D Studio, 3D Studio ASE, AC3D, DirectX, Dive, DVS, DXF, COLLADA, Inventor, LDraw (Lego), Lightwave, Massive, Milkshape Ascii, Obj (Wavefront), Ogre, PovRay, Quake MD2, Quake Map, Renderman, SMF, STL (ascii), Triangle, Unreal Tournament, VRML 1.0, VRML 2.0, X3D[4] |
| Blender | Yes | Yes | Yes | TGA, JPG, PNG, OpenEXR, DPX, Cineon, Radiance HDR, Iris, SGI Movie, IFF, AVI and QuickTime GIF, TIFF, PSD, MOV (Windows and Mac OS X),3D Studio, Autodesk FBX, AC3D, COLLADA, DXF, Wavefront OBJ, DEC Object File Format, DirectX, Lightwave LWO, MD2, Motion Capture, Nendo, OpenFlight, PLY, Pro Engineer, Radiosity, Raw Triangle, Softimage, STL, TrueSpace, VideoScape, VRML, VRML97, X3D Extensible 3D | TGA, JPG, PNG, OpenEXR, DPX, Cineon, Radiance HDR, Iris, SGI Movie, IFF, AVI and QuickTime GIF, TIFF, PSD, MOV (Windows and Mac OS X),3D Studio, AC3D, COLLADA, Autodesk FBX, Adobe After Effects JSX, DXF, Wavefront OBJ, DEC Object File Format, DirectX, Lightwave LWO, MD2, Motion Capture, Nendo, OpenFlight, PLY, Pro Engineer, Radiosity, Raw Triangle, Softimage, STL, TrueSpace, VideoScape, VRML, VRML97, X3D Extensible 3D, xfig export |
| Electric Image Animation System | Yes | Yes | Yes | TGA, JPG, PNG, BMP, Radiance HDR, AVI and QuickTime, TIFF, PSD, MOV, 3D Studio, FBX, DXF, Wavefront OBJ, LWO, MDD | PNG, BMP, AVI and QuickTime GIF, TIFF, MOV,3D Studio, DXF, Wavefront OBJ, LWO |
| Cinema 4D | Yes | Yes | Yes | FBX, OBJ, 3DS, QD3D, STL, DEM, VRML 1, VRML 2, LWO/LWS, DXF | FBX, OBJ, 3DS, QD3D, STL, W3D, VRML 1, VRML 2, DXF |
| Clara.io | Yes | Yes | Yes | FBX, OBJ, Collada, MD2, MD3, MD5, 3DS, STL, DXF, Three.js, LWO, GEO, IRR, PLY, POV, SHP, XGL, ZGL, X, WRL, WRZ, AC, BLEND, BVH, CSM, LWS, PNG, JPG | FBX, OBJ, Collada, STL, Three.js, glTF, Babylon.js |
| Cobalt | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3DS, ACIS SAT, AI, ASCII Text, BMP, CATIA v4, CGM, CCAD, CO (native), Drawing board, DWG/DXF, Facet, GIF, Grid Surface, IGS (IGES), JPEG, Parasolid XT, PICT, PNG, PPM, Pro/E, Rhino 3DM, Spline, STP (STEP), VRML, XBM, XPM | ACIS SAT, AI, ASCII Text, BMP, CATIA v4, CGM, CO (native), Drawing board, DWG/DXF, Facet, GIF, Grid Surface, IGS (IGES), JPEG, Parasolid XT, PDF, PICT, PNG, PPM, Pro/E, RAW Triangle, Shockwave 3D, STP (STEP), VRML, XBM, XPM |
| IClone | Yes | Yes | Yes | FBX, OBJ, BVH, SKP (via 3DXChange) | JPG, BMP, GIF, TGA, PNG | AVI, WMV, MP3, WAV, popVideo | FBX, OBJ, BVH (via 3DXChange) | JPG, BMP, GIF, TGA, PNG | WMV, AVI, MP4, popVideo, FLV, iWidget |
| Lightwave 3D | Yes | Yes | Yes | TGA, JPG, PNG, AI, EPS, BMP, IFF, Radiance HDR, AVI and QuickTime GIF, TIFF, PSD, MOV, 3D Studio, COLLADA, FBX, DXF, Wavefront OBJ, LWO, FBXMD2, VideoScape, VRML, VRML97 | TGA, JPG, PNG, BMP, Radiance HDR, IFF, AVI and QuickTime GIF, TIFF, PSD, MOV,3D Studio, COLLADA, FBX, DXF, Wavefront OBJ, LWO, MD2, VRML, VRML97 |
| MakeHuman | No | No | No | N/A | COLLADA, FBX Export, MD5, MHX, Wavefront OBJ, Ogre3D, STL |
| Maya | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ai, Pix, AVI, Cineon, EPS, GIF, Jpeg, Swf, Maya IFF, Maya16 IFF, MacPaint, PSD, PNG, Quantel, Quickdraw, MOV, RLA, SVG, SGI, SGI16, SGI Movie, TGA, TIF, BMP, HDR, Maya Ascii, Maya Binary, MEL, FBX, DXF, OBJ, IGES, StudioTools Wire, Aiff, VRML2, Openflight, STL | Maya Ascii, Maya Binary, Mel, FBX, DXF, OBJ, IGES, StudioTools Wire, VRML2, GE2, RTG, Mental Ray, RIB, Open Inventor2, OpenFlight, Maya IFF, AVI, QT, GIF, Softimage, RLA, BMP, TIF, SGI RGB, Alias PIX, Jpeg, EPS, Cineon, Quantel, TGA, Macpaint, PSD, PNG, Quickdraw, DDS. |
| Metasequoia | Yes | No | Yes | 3DS, COB (Caligari Object), DXF, LWO, OBJ, ROK (Rokkaku Daiō), RSD (PlayStation), SUF (DoGA CGA System) | 3DS, COB (Caligari Object), DirectX, DXF, LWO, OBJ, POV-Ray, RDS (Ray Dream Studio), RIB, ROK (Rokkaku Daiō), RSD (PlayStation), SCE (SoftF/X Model), SUF (DoGA CGA System), VRML 1.0 |
| Modo | Yes | Yes | Yes | LXO, sldprt, sldasm*, LWO2, LWOB, DXF, FBX, 3DS, GEO, EPS, AI, PSD, OBJ, DAE, MDD, FLX, TGA, BMP, GIF, HDR, HDR, JP2, JPG, JPEG, PNG, SGI, openEXR | LXO, LWO, X3D, DXF, FBX, PLT, PSD, GEO, OBJ, DAE, FLX, TGA, BMP, GIF, HDR, JP2, JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIF, openEXR, MOV, MWV |
| Remo 3D | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3DC, 3DS, AC, DAE, DW, DXF, GEO, LWO, LWS, MD2, OBJ, OSG, OSGB, OSGT, OSGX, IVE, OSGA, P3D, PFB, PLY, STL, STA, SHP, X | 3DS, DAE, DOT, OBJ, OSG, OSGB, OSGT, OSGX, IVE, P3D, IVE, STL |
| Shade | Yes | Yes | Yes | DXF, OBJ, SketchUp, XML; (Pro) 3DS, BVH, COLLADA, LWO | COLLADA, DXF, OBJ, RIB, SWF, QuickTime VR, Second Life Sculpted Prim, XML; (Pro) 3DS, Blue Mars, DirectX, EPix, LWO, VRML 2.0 |
| Softimage | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Solid Edge | Yes | Yes | Yes | IGES, STEP, DXF, JT, ACIS (SAT), ProE, SolidWorks, NX, SDRC, Microstation, Inventor, CATIA (V4/V5), Parasolid, Autocad, STL, XML, MDS | IGES, STEP, STL, PDF, EMS, JT, XGL, XML, DXF, Parasolid, CATIA (V4/V5), ACIS (SAT), Microstation, Autocad |
| SketchUp | Yes[5] | Yes[5] | Yes[5] | JPG, PNG, TIF, TGA, BMP, SKP, SKP+KMZ, 3DS, DEM, DDF[6] | JPG, PNG, TIF, BMP, DAE, SKP, SKP+KMZ[7] |
| SketchUp Pro | Yes[5] | Yes[5] | Yes[5] | JPG, PNG, TIF, TGA, BMP, SKP, SKP+KMZ, 3DS, DWG, DXF, DEM, DDF[6] | JPG, PNG, TIF, BMP, DAE, SKP, SKP+KMZ, PDF, EPS, EPX, DWG, DXF, 3DS, FBX, OBJ, XSI, VRML, MOV(on Mac), AVI (on Windows)[7] |
| ViewPoint 3D | Yes | Yes | Yes | JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF, DDS, PPM, Targa, 3D Studio, Bliz Basic B3D, Cartography shop 4, COLLADA, Delgine DMF, DirectX .x, Lightwave, Milkshape, mY3d, MS3D, Obj (Wavefront), OCT, OGRE, Quake BSP, Quake MD2/MD3, PLY, Pulsar LMTools, STL. | DFM (3D encapsulated scene format) |
| Wings3D | Yes | No | Yes | 3DS, AI, EPS, LWO, LXO, Nendo, OBJ, STL, SVG, Wings3D | 3DS, BZFlag, COLLADA, DirectX, Kerkythea, LWO, LXO, Nendo, OBJ, POV-Ray, Renderware, STL, SVG, VRML 2.0, Wings3D |
See also
- Comparison of raster graphics editors
- Comparison of vector graphics editors
- Comparison of computer-aided design editors
- Comparison of CAD, CAM and CAE file viewers
References
[8]