- 3D modeling tools are a crucial element in putting your creativity into practice in digital production.
- You will have presented the best tools for 3D design, so that you can choose the most suitable for you.
- Check out our 3D design page for more solutions.
- Don’t forget to bookmark our Design & Graphics Center to stay in touch with the latest technology releases.
Having the right 3D software is crucial in helping you create the perfect 3D model. A 3D model can be described as a model that represents an object in a 3D graphic model and the process of developing 3D models is what is known as 3D modeling.
Used in industries such as 3D printing, interior design, architecture, film, games, and animation, 3D models are essential components of digital production.
As you all know, 3D modeling has evolved tremendously with the advancement of technology. Consequently, its use has now transcended to more industries, including medicine and architecture.
If you are looking for good 3D modeling software, you will soon find that there are tons of them.
Choosing the right software may not be as easy as it sounds due to the wide range of features and various aspects found in these tools. In this article, we will introduce you to the top 10 3D design software.
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Contents index
- Free 3D Design Software for 3D Modeling: Which One to Choose?
- 3D design software for beginners and advanced users.
- Adobe Dimension CC (recommended)
- Solid work
- Blender
- FreeCAD
- MeshMixer
- 3DReshaper
- DX Studio
- Crafter 3D
- FAQ: Learn more about 3D design software
Free 3D Design Software for 3D Modeling: Which One to Choose?
How do you choose a good tool for 3D modeling? You will then find a series of questions such as:
- What Features Are Important To 3D Design Software?
- Is there a difference between free and paid 3D animation tools?
- Is it for engineering or design purposes?
- What file formats does it support?
- What kind of modeling can you use?
- Does the 3D software have a timeline editor?
- Can you use it for movie / animation production?
3D design software for beginners and advanced users.
1
Adobe Dimension CC (recommended)
As part of the Creative Cloud suite, Adobe Dimension is the way to bring new dimensions to your design.
High-quality models, materials, and lighting allow you to quickly create compelling 3D content by simply dragging and dropping a vector graphic or image onto a 3D model.
Integration is everything, and Dimension offers flawlessly seamless integrations to help you create photorealistic images with perfect depth, texture, and lighting. Composite 2D designs from Illustrator, import models from Adobe Stock and other third-party applications, or export your scenes as layers for further refinement in Photoshop.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- Drag and drop function (apply 2D graphics and images created in Photoshop or Illustrator on 3D models)
- Perfect lighting (apply multiple light sources, change the color, size, shape and position of lights)
- Photorealistic scenes (automatically match your 3D design with any background image)
- 360 and AR (360-degree views and immersive AR experiences in Adobe Aero, XD, and InDesign)
- High-quality images and interactive 3D content from a single Dimension file
⇒ Get Adobe Dimension CC for free
For more information, we suggest you take a look at their official website at the link below.
Our selection Daz 3D
- Free version
- Photorealistic results
- Excellent customer service.
Download now Daz 3D Studio
⇒ Get 3ds Max
⇒ Get SketchUp
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6 6
Solid work
SolidWorks is the most popular 3D design software and it comes with tons of easy-to-use features that make it the best 3D modeling software.
Developed and published by Dassault Systemes, SolidWorks is a Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) and Computer Aided Design (CAD) program that runs on Microsoft Windows.
The large collection of tools makes it a perfect asset for designers and engineers.
Its ease of use is remarkable, thanks to the SolidWorks tutorial, videos, PDF guides, and the various options provided for modifying the quality of the final model.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- Create and collaborate on 3D designs faster, in the cloud
- Create and collaborate on organic shapes and complex surfaces in the cloud
- Quickly generate 2D drawings from 3D models
- Integrated CAD solutions
⇒ Get SolidWorks
7 7
Blender
Blender is free and open source 3D design modeling software and one of the most reliable and versatile programs out there.
Once you study it well, you will realize that it can do more than you can handle, from 3D animation to designs for 3D printing and more.
The large community behind the success of Blender ensures constant development and improvement of the software.
The community can also be very helpful in troubleshooting and providing important advice on how to get the best out of Blender.
You can install plugins to unlock numerous functionalities and extensions depending on your project.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- Combine 2D and 3D in the graphics window
- Full animation support with onion peeling
- Real-time preview of tracking sequences and 3D scenes
- 3D painting and sculpting with textured brushes and masking
- Connect with the Blender rendering API
⇒ Get Blender
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8
FreeCAD
FreeCad is 3D parametric design software that can be used to design real objects of any size.
As it is a parametric modeler, you can easily change your model parameters by going back to your model history.
Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, FreeCAD is an open source tool that can be used to make 3D game models, architectural models, industrial models, and animation models.
Some of the primitive objects it provides include Box, Sphere, Cone, Cylinder, and Torus, while the image modification tools include Thickness, Cut, Fillet, Extrude, Fuse, Boolean, etc.
Being a cross-platform product, it can read and write multiple file formats like IGES, STEP, DAE, IFC, OBJ, DXF, SVG, STL, and many others.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- Easy editing in the model history.
- Compatible with the main operating systems.
- Strong image modification tools
- Supports multiple file formats
⇒ Get FreeCAD
9 9
MeshMixer
MeshMixer is state-of-the-art 3D modeling software that creates robust 3D designs for 3D printing.
It is useful when you already have a 3D model, as it allows you to modify and repair the model to suit your needs.
However, you can also use it to create from scratch, as the software provides all the necessary tools. There is a complete part of the program dedicated to 3D printing.
You can use this part to analyze your design to check for problems with your model and to see if your model is complete for printing.
MeshMixer comes with a long list of 3D design tools including tools for measuring stability and thickness, mesh smoothing, brushing tools, and more.
Best of all, the software is free and available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- Create 3D designs ready for 3D printing
- Wide range of 3D design tools.
- Compatible with the main operating systems.
⇒ Get MeshMixer
Looking for the best 3D animation software for Windows PC? Here are our top picks.
10
3DReshaper
3DReshaper is robust and affordable 3D design software dedicated to 3D model processing.
Its flexibility allows it to be used in various industries, including shipbuilding, civil engineering, mining, the arts, etc. It includes many functions and supports many scripts to facilitate modeling.
3DReshaper actively processes 3D point clouds from various sources such as UAVs, laser scanning, 3D scanners, or any other digitizing device.
Since point cloud processing is the most important step to handle, 3DReshaper provides powerful features like Fusion and Auto Segmentation to help process point clouds.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- 3D point cloud rendering
- Supports many different sources (UAV, laser scan, 3D scanners, etc.)
- Flexible and versatile that allows its use in various industries.
- Strong 3D design tools
⇒ Get 3DReshaper
eleven
DX Studio
DX Studio offers a complete development environment for developing interactive 3D graphics. The software consists of a suite of editing tools and a real-time 3D engine.
With DX Studio, you can create intuitive 3D models, 3D games, 3D animations, and more. easily. It not only provides a wide range of 3D models, but also tools to make these models.
It also allows you to create two or more models simultaneously.
Among the many tools available for 3D modeling, you will find tools for creating special effects, a terrain system for adding vegetation and rocks to your terrain, and a real-time editor for 2D and 3D scenes.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- Create interactive 3D graphics
- Strong 3D modeling and design tools
- Real-time editor for 2D and 3D scenes.
- Create two or more models at the same time
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12
Crafter 3D
3D Crafter is a powerful 3D modeling and animation tool that incorporates efficient drag and drop functionality for ease of use.
Its initial basic shapes are a cube, cone, sphere, cylinder, or torus. You can easily drag and drop these shapes into your workspace where you build and mold the final model.
Many tools are provided and they are all labeled, so by hovering your mouse over them you will have an idea of what each tool does.
For beginners, this is the best tool to use as it provides tutorials for all levels and also has a built-in help menu with search functions.
Let’s quickly take a look at its key features :
- Efficient drag and drop capabilities
- Integrated help menu with search functions
- Strong 3D modeling and design tools
⇒ Get 3D Crafter
We will finish our list here. We hope the information mentioned above has helped you decide which 3D animation software to download on your computer.
It is worth mentioning that running animation tasks on your computer requires powerful hardware.
Make sure your computer is equipped with a reliable GPU card so that it can run 3D animation software properly.
When choosing the correct 3D modeling software, it is important to first determine the purpose for which you want the program. This is because most of these programs are geared toward engineering or art.
File conversion is also a very important factor to consider. If you intend to 3D print the part you design, be aware that 3D printing uses the STL file type.
Although with the cost comes more features, there are so many free 3D design tools that can get the job done with precision.
Most of these free tools are more suitable for beginners as they come with built-in apps and tutorials for learning.
The list above highlights some of the best free 3D design software available on the internet.
FAQ: Learn more about 3D design software
- Is it easy to model in 3D?
It’s easy if you have the right tool, so we suggest that you use Adobe Photoshop CC as one of the most popular tools and it provides many learning tools and tutorials.
- What is the best free 3D design software?
Blender is free and open source 3D design modeling software and one of the most reliable and versatile programs out there.
- Does Adobe have 3D modeling software?
Yes, Adobe Dimension and Adobe Fuse (beta) are the best tools for designing 3D models. Also, you can have Adobe Fuse (beta) absolutely free if you are a Creative Cloud member.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2019 and has since been renewed and updated in April 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and completeness.
