Free Rhinoceros AlternativesTop 3D Modelers & CAD Software like Rhinoceros

The best free alternative to Rhinoceros is Blender, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Rhinoceros and many of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Rhinoceros are FreeCAD, Bforartists, Autodesk Fusion and CAD Sketcher.

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Rhino can create, edit, analyze, document, render, animate, and translate NURBS* curves, surfaces, and solids, point...

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Rhinoceros alternatives page was last updated Jan 27, 2025
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  1. Blender icon
     1694 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

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • NL flagNetherlands
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

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

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

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

    Blender VS Rhinoceros

     
    Comments about Blender as an Alternative to Rhinoceros
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Nov 4, 2021
    0

    Can't stop laughing. As NURBS was the main concern ("don't use for real life" posted anypoop) and is now fully integrated, what else but snobbery could keep easy-payers wasting money on a proprietary software?

    Top Negative Comment
    Iaian7
    Jan 27, 2025
    1

    I really like Blender, but it's not a Computer Aided Design application. While it's slowly supporting more procedural workflows, in no way is it a direct replacement for Rhino3D or any other CAD program.

    Most Recent Comment
    Troy McConaghy
    Sep 7, 2021
    -1

    Blender does support NURBS now, but that's not the default.

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    3 of 9 comments
    Rhinoceros Icon
    Blender icon
    • Most users think Blender is a great Rhinoceros alternative.

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

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

    • Blender is Free and Open SourceRhinoceros is Paid and Proprietary
  2. FreeCAD icon
     447 likes
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    A powerful open-source parametric 3D modeler ideal for mechanical engineering, supporting Python scripting, running on Windows, Linux, and Mac, with modular architecture allowing extensive adaptability and use with scientific computing libraries.

    111 FreeCAD alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak

    Top FreeCAD Features

    1.  Parametric Modeling
    2.  Drawing 2D
    3.  Interior Design
    4.  FEM
    5.  Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)
    6.  Parametric
    7.  3d Drawing
    8.  DWG support
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Procedural Modeling
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Dark Mode

    FreeCAD VS Rhinoceros

     
    Comments about FreeCAD as an Alternative to Rhinoceros
    Iaian7
    Positive Jan 27, 2025
    1

    FreeCAD interface is less intuitive than some of the alternatives, but it mostly works. Overlapping fillet operations, however, can break down where other CAD software operates just fine. FreeCAD should be ok for simpler projects.

    Rhinoceros Icon
    FreeCAD icon
    • Almost everyone thinks FreeCAD is a great Rhinoceros alternative.

    • FreeCAD is Free and Open SourceRhinoceros is Paid and Proprietary
  3. Bforartists icon
     33 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.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • MorphOS

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable

    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 VS Rhinoceros

     
  4. Autodesk Fusion icon
     42 likes
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    A comprehensive CAD, CAM, and CAE solution that supports collaborative editing and cloud computation. It offers free-form modeling, data import, and toolpath generation. Free licenses are available for students, hobbyists, and startups, with seamless transition to commercial entitlements.

    40 Autodesk Fusion alternatives

    License model

    • Free PersonalProprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows

    Autodesk Fusion Features

    1.  Parametric Modeling
    2.  Procedural Modeling
    3.  Real time collaboration
    4.  Cloud Sync
    5.  Keyframe Animation
    6.  3D Sculpting
    7.  Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)
    8.  3D design
    9.  CAE
    10.  Surface Modelling

    Autodesk Fusion VS Rhinoceros

     
  5. CAD Sketcher icon
     5 likes
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    CAD Sketcher is a free and open-source project looking to enhance precision workflows in Blender by bringing CAD like tools, features and usability to Blender.

    52 CAD Sketcher alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Blender
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Parametric Modeling
    5.  No Tracking
    6. Blender icon  Blender Integration

    CAD Sketcher VS Rhinoceros

     
  6. Shapr3D icon
     29 likes
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    From design to manufacturing. Teams collaborate with more impact. Instinctive design meets multidevice capability and full interoperability for the ultimate 3D design workflow.

    50 Shapr3D alternatives

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • HU flagHungary
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPad

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Easy to use

    Features

    1.  Mechanical Design
    2.  Apple Pencil support
    3.  Sketching
    4.  Augmented Reality
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Cloud Sync
    8. Android icon  Android Sync

    Shapr3D VS Rhinoceros

     
    • Shapr3D is the most popular iPad alternative to Rhinoceros.

    • Shapr3D is Freemium and ProprietaryRhinoceros is Paid and Proprietary
    • Shapr3D is LightweightRhinoceros is not according to our users
  7. MagicaCSG icon
     4 likes
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    A lightweight signed distance field editor and renderer.

    131 MagicaCSG alternatives

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    MagicaCSG Features

    1.  Rendering

    MagicaCSG VS Rhinoceros

     
  8. Vectary icon
     12 likes
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    Vectary is the most accessible 3D and Augmented Reality design platform. Create an account for free online. No app download needed. Build immersive experiences for the real world. Publish 3D and Augmented Reality content to any website.

    38 Vectary alternatives

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    • Figma
    • madewitharkit
    • WebGL
    • Sketch
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)

    Vectary Features

    1.  Augmented Reality
    2.  Real time collaboration
    3.  Web-Based
    4.  Rendering
    5.  3D Renderer
    6.  Figma plugin
    7.  HD-Rendering
    8.  3d sketching
    9.  Sketch

    Vectary VS Rhinoceros

     
    • Vectary is the most popular SaaS alternative to Rhinoceros.

    • Vectary is Freemium and ProprietaryRhinoceros is Paid and Proprietary
  9. K-3D icon
     31 likes
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    K-3D is free-as-in-freedom 3D modeling and animation software. It features a plugin-oriented procedural engine for all of its content, making K-3D a very versatile and powerful package.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    Discontinued

    According to the official website k-3d.org :The latest "source code" release is from November 2015. And the latest binary executable release is even older. According to its Sourceforge page ( https://sourceforge.net/projects/k3d/files/K-3D Win32 Binaries/ ), latest release is from june 2010.

    K-3D Features

    1.  Portable

    K-3D VS Rhinoceros

     
  10. Zmodeler icon
     6 likes
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    ZModeler (or Zanoza Modeler) is a 3D modeling application. It is aimed at modelers who model for computer games such as 18 Wheels of Steel, Grand Theft Auto, Need for Speed, Midtown Madness or similar video games.

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Country of Origin

    • UA flagUkraine

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Zmodeler VS Rhinoceros

     
    Comments about Zmodeler as an Alternative to Rhinoceros
    Guest
    Negative Sep 18, 2015
    2

    Zanoza is a low-poly modeller, lacking all the surface modelling capabilities available in Rhino.

    Rhinoceros Icon
    Zmodeler icon
    • Zmodeler is Freemium and ProprietaryRhinoceros is Paid and Proprietary
  11. Gmsh icon
     15 likes
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    Gmsh is a 3D finite element grid generator with a build-in CAD engine and post-processor. Its design goal is to provide a fast, light and user-friendly meshing tool with parametric input and advanced visualization capabilities.

    30 Gmsh alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Gmsh Features

    1.  FEM

    Gmsh VS Rhinoceros

     
  12. Awakening icon
     5 likes
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    Awakening is a powerful professional real-time 3D solution. With it, you can easily create eye-catching interactive 3D presentations, brief films, games...

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Discontinued

    Last update was in 2011, and the official website is unavailable.

    Awakening VS Rhinoceros

     
12 of 24 Rhinoceros alternatives