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, Spline, Cinema 4D and Bforartists.

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Autodesk Maya alternatives are mainly 3D Modelers but may also be CAD Software or 3D Painting Apps.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Autodesk Maya.
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Comprehensive software for 3D modeling, animation, and rendering, trusted by top artists for films and games, with tools to enhance workflows.

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Autodesk Maya alternatives page was last updated Dec 15, 2024
  1. Blender icon
     1673 likes

    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.

    143 Blender alternatives
    Splash Artwork for Blender 4.3

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Steam
    • Flatpak

    Top Blender Features

    1.  3D Animation
    2.  3D Sculpting
    3.  Real time rendering
    4.  Compositor
    5.  Community-based
    6.  Keyframe Animation
    7.  Texturing
    8.  Animation Rigging
    9.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    10.  3D Renderer
    11.  Texture painting
    12.  Grease Pencil
    Blender iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Blender VS Autodesk Maya

    Is Blender a good alternative to Autodesk Maya?
     
    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.
    Guest

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

    Top positive commentJul 24, 2018
    12
    Edward Stewart

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

    Positive commentMay 22, 2024
    0
    smess

    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.

    Positive commentMay 16, 2022
    1
    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
  2. Autodesk 3ds Max icon
     147 likes

    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.

    84 Autodesk 3ds Max alternatives
    Autodesk 3ds Max screenshot 1

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Autodesk 3ds Max Features

    1.  Splines
    2.  Keyframe Animation
    3.  Parametric Modeling
    4.  Bones
    Autodesk 3ds Max iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Autodesk 3ds Max VS Autodesk Maya

    Is Autodesk 3ds Max a good alternative to Autodesk Maya?
     
    • 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
  3. Spline icon
     21 likes

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

    19 Spline alternatives
    Spline screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)

    Spline Features

    1.  No Coding Required
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Real time collaboration
    4.  3D design
    5.  Web-Based
    Spline iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Spline VS Autodesk Maya

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

    • Spline is Freemium and ProprietaryAutodesk Maya is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Cinema 4D icon
     82 likes

    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...

    49 Cinema 4D alternatives
    Cinema 4D screenshot 1

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows

    Cinema 4D Features

    1.  Rendering
    2.  Keyframe Animation
    3.  Support for scripting
    4.  Procedural Modeling
    Cinema 4D iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Cinema 4D VS Autodesk Maya

    Is Cinema 4D a good alternative to Autodesk Maya?
     
    Comments about Cinema 4D as an Alternative to Autodesk Maya
     
    Guest

    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.

    Positive commentJun 7, 2019
    3
    Guest

    It's exactly the same but better

    Positive commentJun 27, 2015
    -1
    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. Bforartists icon
     32 likes

    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.

    75 Bforartists alternatives
    Splash

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • MorphOS

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Rendering
    2.  3D Sculpting
    3.  Texturing
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Keyframe Animation
    7.  Motion Capture
    8.  Live Preview
    9.  Parametric Modeling
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Support for Layers
    Bforartists iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Bforartists VS Autodesk Maya

    Is Bforartists a good alternative to Autodesk Maya?
     
  6. Plasticity icon
     4 likes

    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.

    19 Plasticity alternatives
    Plasticity screenshot 1

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Parametric Modeling
    2.  Portable
    Plasticity iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Plasticity VS Autodesk Maya

    Is Plasticity a good alternative to Autodesk Maya?
     
  7. Rhinoceros icon
     31 likes

    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.

    62 Rhinoceros alternatives
    Rhinoceros screenshot 1

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Nurb Surfacing
    2.  Parametric Modeling
    3.  Support for scripting
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Procedural Modeling
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  3D Sculpting
    8.  Portable
    9.  Works Offline
    10.  Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)
    Rhinoceros iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Rhinoceros VS Autodesk Maya

    Is Rhinoceros a good alternative to Autodesk Maya?
     
  8. Houdini icon
     36 likes

    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.
    50 Houdini alternatives
    Houdini screenshot 1

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Houdini Features

    1.  Procedural Modeling
    2.  Node Based
    3.  Motion Capture
    4.  3D Sculpting
    5.  3D Renderer
    Houdini iconAutodesk Maya Icon

    Houdini VS Autodesk Maya

    Is Houdini a good alternative to Autodesk Maya?
     
8 of 64 Autodesk Maya alternatives