The Best Autodesk Maya AlternativesTop 3D Modelers and other similar apps like Autodesk Maya

Autodesk Maya is described as 'Comprehensive software for 3D modeling, animation, and rendering, trusted by top artists for films and games, with tools to enhance workflows' and is a very popular 3D Modeler in the photos & graphics category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Autodesk Maya for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Web-based and iPad apps. The best Autodesk Maya alternative is Blender, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Autodesk Maya are Autodesk 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Spline and Bforartists.

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Alternatives list

  1. Blender icon

    Blender

     1745 likes
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    A comprehensive open-source 3D software suite for modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, and animating. It supports renderings, simulations including fluid and cloth dynamics, complex compositing, video editing, and Python scripting, running across all major operating systems.

    139 Blender alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Steam
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Splash Artwork for Blender 4.3
     
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    139
    Comments about Blender as an Alternative to Autodesk Maya
    Comment summary: Blender is frequently praised for being a free, open-source, and powerful alternative to Autodesk Maya. Users appreciate its active development, a large online community, and significant updates since the 2.8 version, which greatly improved its usability and feature set. While Blender offers functionalities similar to Maya, some users note differences in UI and rendering quality. However, its constant updates make it increasingly robust for 3D modeling and animation.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    12

    The team is continually adding updates, and the features are excellent. Unfortunately, the UI is hard to navigate.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Edward Stewart
    Positive
    0

    Blender is being actively developed. Besides, you can't beat free.

    smess
    Positive
    1

    Blender has advanced to become a powerful tool. Just look at the improvements that have been made in the UI, viewport quality, performance improvements, and new feature releases. Just one simple download of about ~200Mb will give you a valuable 3D editor for your graphics career.

    Show more comments
    3 of 12 comments
    Autodesk Maya Icon
    Blender icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Blender is a great Autodesk Maya alternative.

    • Blender is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Autodesk Maya.

    • Blender is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Autodesk Maya.

    • Blender is Free and Open SourceAutodesk Maya is Paid and Proprietary
    • Blender is Customizable, Lightweight and Privacy focusedAutodesk Maya is not according to our users
  2. Autodesk 3ds Max icon

    Autodesk 3ds Max

     147 likes
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    Professional-grade software designed for 3D modeling, rendering, and animation, equipped with comprehensive tools for creating detailed worlds. Widely used across film, TV, games, and design projects, it includes the powerful Arnold renderer, offering artistic control over scenes and characters.

    82 Autodesk 3ds Max alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Autodesk 3ds Max screenshot 1
     

    • Some users think Autodesk 3ds Max is a great Autodesk Maya alternative, some don't.

    • Autodesk 3ds Max is the most popular commercial alternative to Autodesk Maya.

    • Autodesk 3ds Max is Paid and ProprietaryAutodesk Maya is also Paid and Proprietary
  4. Cinema 4D icon

    Cinema 4D

     84 likes
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    CINEMA 4D is a commercial, cross-platform, high-end 3-D graphics application, produced by MAXON Computer GmbH of Friedrichsdorf, Germany. Noted for its flexible interface and ease of use, it is capable of procedural and polygonal/subd modelling, animating, lighting, texturing...

    47 Cinema 4D alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once or Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Cinema 4D screenshot 1
     
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    10
    Comments about Cinema 4D as an Alternative to Autodesk Maya
    Guest
    Positive
    3

    It's faster, more stable, easier to use and more powerful and it's made for artist not programmer. Don't believe the marketing hype that Maya is the standard, it's a software made in the 90's for the 90's by programmer for programmer. In Maya you will work on 1 idea for 1 week. In Cinema 4D you will work on 5 ideas per day.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    -1

    It's exactly the same but better

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Autodesk Maya Icon
    Cinema 4D icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Cinema 4D is a great Autodesk Maya alternative.

    • Cinema 4D is Paid and ProprietaryAutodesk Maya is also Paid and Proprietary
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Autodesk 3ds Max icon
    Autodesk 3ds Max

    Professional-grade software designed for 3D modeling, rendering, and animation, equipped with comprehensive tools for creating detailed worlds. Widely used across film, TV, games, and design projects, it includes the powerful Arn...

    https://www.autodesk.com
    Learn More
  6. Spline icon

    Spline

     24 likes
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    Create 3D objects, edit materials, add interactivity, and export. Control the outcome of your 3d design work.

    19 Spline alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Spline screenshot 1
     

    • Spline is the most popular Web-based & SaaS alternative to Autodesk Maya.

    • Spline is Freemium and ProprietaryAutodesk Maya is Paid and Proprietary
    • Spline is LightweightAutodesk Maya is not according to our users
  7. Bforartists icon

    Bforartists

     34 likes
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    Bforartists is a complete 3D suite to create 3D content. It offers you the full 3D art pipeline to create game graphics, prerendered movies and stills.

    72 Bforartists alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • MorphOS
    Splash
     
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  8. Houdini icon

    Houdini

     40 likes
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    Houdini covers all the major areas of 3D production, including:

    • Modeling - All standard geometry entities including Polygons, (Hierarchical) NURBs/Bezier Curves/Patches & Trims, Metaballs
    • Animation - Keyframed animation and raw channel manipulation (CHOPs), motion captur.
    48 Houdini alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Houdini screenshot 1
     
  10. Plasticity icon

    Plasticity

     7 likes
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    Plasticity is a 3d modelling software for concept artists. Modelling in Plasticity is quick and efficient due to the unique gizmos, shortcuts, and thoughtful workflow.

    20 Plasticity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Plasticity screenshot 1
     
  11. Rhinoceros icon

    Rhinoceros

     33 likes
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    Rhino can create, edit, analyze, document, render, animate, and translate NURBS* curves, surfaces, and solids, point clouds, and polygon meshes. There are no limits on complexity, degree, or size beyond those of your hardware.

    59 Rhinoceros alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Rhinoceros screenshot 1
     
  12. Vue icon

    Vue

     29 likes
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    Create vast expanses of terrains, add trees, select the best point of view and render hyper-realistic images of your landscapes in moody atmospheres... in a few mouse clicks.

    62 Vue alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    vue final
     
  13. Rumba icon

    Rumba

     1 like
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    Because 3d animators are crucial in today’s animation and VFX productions, they deserve a productive and modern software dedicated to their art.

    12 Rumba alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Rumba screenshot 1
     
  14. TouchDesigner icon

    TouchDesigner

     9 likes
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    TouchDesigner is a complete authoring tool for building interactive 3D art, visualizations, prototypes and UIs. Derivative makes and supports TouchDesigner and offers their services to do custom production using TouchDesigner.

    32 TouchDesigner alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Sample project screen
     
  15. Electric Image Animation System (EIAS) icon

    Electric Image Animation System (EIAS)

     3 likes
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    The Electric Image Animation System (EIAS) is an eminent 3D animation and rendering package. Available for the Mac and PC, with it, you can texture, animate and render your 3D scenes. Extraordinarily, EIAS includes the ability to network render to an unlimited number of...

    38 Electric Image Animation System (EIAS) alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Electric Image Animation System (EIAS) screenshot 1
     
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