It has never been easier to breakthrough into creating your animations. Whether these be games, humorous little animations like those of populating the internet over the past 20 years, or just playing around with the software and its capabilities, 3D development is right at your fingertips.
- Best Free 3d Modeling Software
- 3d Modeling And Animation Software Freeware
- 3d Modeling And Animation
- 3d Modeling And Animation Software Free
- 3d Modeling And Animation Software Free Software
If you are like me, you are always on the lookout for some great deals. I’m talking about Steam sales, GOG.com sales, and Xbox deals.
3D modeling takes a lot of practice, but anyone can learn it. Check out the top 10 free and easy 3D modeling software tools for beginners in 2020. This is a list of 17 Best Free 3D Modeling Software For Windows. A 3D model can be defined as a model which represents an object in a 3D graphical mode and the process of creating a 3D model is known as 3D modeling. 3D modeling has evolved a lot with the growth of computer technology. Take your animation to the next level with space and depth. Create fluid camera swoops while keeping your animation workflow simple and intuitive. Make it come alive and take your viewers along for the journey with industry-leading, intuitive 3D animation software. With efficient design, tweening.
On that note, we live in great times: you can download free, software that can help stoke creativity and create the 3D games of your dreams. Of course, there might be a learning curve if you’re a novice in game development, but the potential is there. Let’s get down to it.
We have already gone through and examined some of the best 2D software out there that doesn’t cost you a dime, but what about 3D?
Here I will examine some of the best free 3D animation software for 2019 and beyond. I included some programs that emphasize 3D modeling as well since they both go hand in hand.
1. Blender
For over 20 years, Blender has been a trusted source of 3D software animation. Not only that, but the $0 price tag doesn’t hurt!
This is an optimal piece of software for creating 3D games. It allows the user to draw different assets from many different existing 3D engines, allowing versatility and variety to your game developing experience.
Blender has some impressive features:
- Simulation
- Modeling
- Customizable UI
- High-End Production Path Tracer
- GPU Rendering
- Game CreationAnimation Toolset
- Fast Rigging
The list goes on, but when asked: “What is the best free 3D animation software?” Blender is the best.
2. KeyShot
What is the easiest 3D animation software to use? KeyShot. You’ll see why.
KeyShot is a bit simpler than Blender but still has the potential to create some seriously impressive 3D graphics and animations for no charge.
With impressive texture mapping, HDRI lighting control, KeyShot blends more complicated actions with the ease for beginner animators and developers. This is a key balance that allows for people on a budget who just want to get an easier intro to the animation world to experience what it has to offer.
Both a great starting point or a stepping stone to more complicated projects, KeyShot rules.
3. SketchUp
This piece of software is pretty cool.
Rather than focus on complicated game development that programs like Blender, SketchUp is the ideal piece of software for those who are into design. I remember taking an architectural design class in 10th grade, and this would fit right in. Maybe it would have made the class a little less tortuous, (Sorry, Mr. Donohue!).
This program comes with tons of prefab models and more, allowing you to stoke creativity without digging up more 3D assets.
However, this program could be a little more difficult for newer users to use compared to the user-interface included in KeyShot. If you are looking to bring a blueprint to life, you cannot go wrong with SketchUp.
4. K-3D
K-3D is another great piece of free software.
A solid development tool for 3D developers, K-3D has a great undo and redo function, allowing you to have some leeway when it comes to making mistakes and making sure your work is the best it can be.
People love K-3D, as it is simple yet complex. You can get a lot of great work done compared to what you pour into it.
5. PowToon
What is the best free 3D animation software for beginners? PowToon, no doubt.
I know this was mentioned in our 2D list, but the 3D capabilities are also so great that they can’t be ignored.
Focusing more on platforms like social media, PowToon is a great program for users that have their fingers on the pulse on trends in social media. With aspects and projects that can easily be uploaded to several social media sites and Vimeo, PowToon evokes imagery of a bygone era of the Internet: amusing animation, (think JibJab).
PowToon allows users to make presentations and short animations, (around 3 minutes).
This program is great for beginners, as projects usually are small yet colorful and informative animations. The learning curve is super small, ensuring that even the most computer-illiterate user can start making great toons or presentations in no time.
6. Tinkercad
Like me, you may be a newcomer in terms of coming to the world of 3D animation. With free 3D animation software like Tinkercad, creating a presence in the 3D world has never been more accessible.
This program, through AutoDesk, provides the user with 3D tools and architecture for easy and light 3D animation. I think this is a great piece of animation software if you have no familiarity with animation. It is a great introduction and allows the animator to experiment on a bunch of cool little things.
7. Daz Studio
If there is one aspect of free software, it is a slew of free assets and models included with the initial package. Much like the Unity asset marketplace, Daz Studio has the potential for a huge about of models that can be accessed.
For those of you out there looking to create small animations and short films, Das Studio is a great alternative to the more advanced 3D animation software. It allows you to create your projects without the tweaking of every little thing when it comes to rendering and mapping assets.
If you are a more casual animator, Daz Studio is a solid option.
8. AutoDesk
Attention students and nonprofessionals! AutoDesk is completely free if you are not planning to commercially release your project. This could be a double-edged sword for some of you, but if you are more casual, this could be a great program for you.
It has one of the best set of features that you won’t find in other free 3D animation programs, only rivaled programs used by professionals.
Some caveats to this great package are that it might require a faster, more powerful system to execute some features, and the learning curve could prove to be a little steep for some.
This aside, this is a prime piece of software you can utilize completely free of charge if you’re a student or community member.
9. Mandelbulb 3D
What a name!
From the website, you can download 3D examples to tinker around with. This is super helpful for visual learners like me who need to see something in action to better understand it.
Not only can you download examples, but you can create a bunch of impressive fractal 3D models. The UI can prove to be a little much and could probably do with some cleaning up, but once you get it down, you will be creating some cool 3D scenes in no time.
10. Pixologic Sculptris
This is a great piece of 3D animation software for beginners.
It is tailor-made for those who perhaps aren’t the most familiar with 3D modeling and sculpting. Can you play world of warcraft on macbook air. Unfortunately, the program isn’t exactly supported any longer, although you can still download it for free. It just means that the developers won’t be updating it, etc. This isn’t an excuse NOT to download though, because it is a great little stepping stone for beginners.
11. 3D Crafter
Although initially more intimidating than other programs, 3D Crafter proves to be a lot easier than originally shown. It gets that reputation from being used by professionals. It turns out that this is a winning endorsement for the program.
Again, it can serve architectural designs as well as 3D modeling, allowing you to create nearly anything you want by using a balanced interface and ‘drag and drop’ models to help you home in on specific aspects of your design.
Don’t be afraid to download some more advanced-seeming software like this!
12. OpenSCAD
A free program designed to create 3D CAD models, OpenSCAD is a great opportunity to work out the kinks in your 3D modeling design.
This is a great option to bone up on 3D skills before you jump into more complicated projects and creations. It allows the user to script different 3D models and what they can do within the program.
Some of the animations possible through the use of the program are pretty impressive; namely, some complicated geometric shapes given life through animation.
13. LeoCAD
This one is truly unique. Anyone familiar with LEGO, (who isn’t?!), will immediately catch onto the basics of this 3D animation and modeling program.
You create your models using LEGO bricks, allowing a new, interesting, and creative method of making 3D assets and projects. It is open-source and includes literally tens of thousands of 3D assets to get your 3D animation project off of the ground. More importantly, all of these things are free!
Give yourself an excuse to play with LEGOs again.
14. Houdini Apprentice
This is a free version of Houdini FX that allows you to create many 3D animations and renderings. It is marketed towards creative people of all levels of society: professionals, hobbyists, and students to name a few.
Houdini FX has been used in some seriously impressive projects like Blade Runner 2049 and the great game, The Long Dark.
The versatility available with this program is breathtaking, and you have nothing to lose by downloading the free version.
15. VUE Pioneer
If you are
Best Free 3d Modeling Software
all about terrain, this is the animation program for you. Think of Mass Effect’s numerous explorable planets and how cool that was to play.Now you can create environments ten times better than the moon of a fictitious world. It allows you to manipulate some great terrain models with excruciating detail, allowing you to become a certified terrain builder, for free.
16. CelAction2D
This is a program that is highly valued among many animators. it balances out that beautiful combination of an easy learning curve mixed with a powerful program. You can easily use CelAction2D to create small, niche projects, or giant creative powerhouse ideas. the high level of customization, along with it being available for many platforms makes it a winner.
17. Wings 3D
Another great 3D modeler, Wings 3D allows you to get your hands dirty by allowing the user to tweak 3D geometry and shapes, allowing you to develop your style and image, which will help you later on when you use a program like Blender.
Again, this is an open-source program, so hit that download button and get tweaking.
18. Rocket 3F
Rocket 3F, (standing for Fast, Fun and Friendly), is a free to use 3D polygon modeler.
This program is primarily aimed at concept artists and different shades of designers. They emphasize workflow and an easy to use user interface, something that is crucial when using 3D software.
You can accomplish a ton of actions by the use of only the mouse. They tout that you don’t need to have multiple windows, tabs, and more open to accomplish simple tasks.
19. Clara.io
This is a cloud-based 3D animation and modeling program.
By using Clara.io, “you can make complex 3D models, create beautiful photorealistic renderings, and share them without installing any software programs.” This program has a staggering amount of tools to choose from to do even the most basic of animating actions.
With a great interface, multiplatform support, and huge customization options, you can’t go wrong with Clara.io.
20. Boats Animator
For those that are fans of stop motion animation, this one’s for you!
It has a great interface and can easily help you make your stop motion animations more fluid, and with ease of use. It allows you to see your very last image to integrate your animation better, without needless backtracking that eats up valuable time.
Animations come to life instantly without the need for lengthy processing times that have you waiting by your computer for what seems like ages.
Free compositing software. There you go the top 20 free 3D animation software for 2019 and beyond.
This list is a comprehensive look at what will work best for you as an animator and 3D designer. These programs are aimed at beginner, intermediate, and expert users, and all free to download.
Do you know what this means? It means you can’t put off your 3D animating ambitions any longer!
Use these free 3D modeling software solutions to quickly turn your design ideas into realistic 3D construction models.
Construction professionals are constantly coming up with new ideas for innovative designs, and it’s helpful to have software that can quickly turn these ideas into three-dimensional (3D) representations.
3D modeling software allows construction professionals to transform their designs and blueprints into lifelike models and lets artists clearly visualize the dimensions of their building designs before construction is complete.
There are several 3D modeling software tools available on the market, each with varying capabilities. And if you thought that buying one will cost you a lot of money, think again!
We’ve analyzed over 100 free design software options in Capterra directories and evaluated user reviews to identify the five best free 3D modeling software solutions (listed alphabetically). You can read our complete product selection methodology here.
5 best free 3D modeling construction software
BIMx
Live Home 3D
Onshape
SketchUp
SkyCiv Structural 3D
Note: Some of these software tools are listed as computer-aided design (CAD), but we chose them because they also offer 3D modeling options for intricate and precise designs and are a good option for users who simply want to do basic 3D design without any animation or texture painting.
1. BIMx
BIMx is a project presentation and collaboration software with integrated 2D and 3D navigation for building projects. Its cloud-integrated workflows and intuitive user interface make project management easier for architects and designers working on building information models and architectural documentation.
3D models in BIMx (Source)
BIMx helps users design interactive 3D models of buildings. Builders, clients, and consultants can use these 3D models to give prospects virtual tours of projects before construction is completed.
We analyzed user reviews for BIMx to understand what buyers liked and areas they felt could be improved. Here’s what we found.
![Animation Animation](https://www.cheetah3d.com/img/screenshots/Animation.jpg)
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
The software UI is intuitive. | A steep learning curve to master key commands. |
Virtual tours allow customers to view every dimension of a property even before construction is complete. | The desktop version is less functional than the mobile version. |
How much does BIMx cost? | |
BIMx offers a basic free version with limited features, but users can upgrade to the paid version for additional features. |
2. Live Home 3D
Live Home 3D is an interior and home design software that allows users to create 3D environments that give the actual look and feel of building interiors. It’s mostly used by solo architects and small teams of startup designers working on home interiors.
3D view in Live Home 3D ( Source)
Live Home 3D automatically suggests and generates 3D views of floor plans. Users can either design their own floor plan or import an external image to extract a design and recreate it. In both cases, the software offers users the option of converting their design into a 3D plan.
We analyzed user reviews for Live Home 3D to understand what buyers liked and areas they felt could be improved. Here’s what we found.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
The software’s UI is easy to use. | Not many terrain options are available. Even demo projects have the same standard terrain. |
Users can choose a wide range of colors and furniture for their models. | The UI could be aesthetically improved, and the walkthrough mode is difficult to control. |
How much does Live Home 3D cost? | |
Live Home 3D offers a free version with limited features, but users can upgrade to its paid version, Live Home 3D Pro, for a one-time payment of $19.99. |
3. Onshape
Onshape is cloud-based 3D CAD software that offers top-down designs with multipart modeling and in-context editing. It’s useful for designers, engineers, and manufacturers who want the flexibility of working from anywhere on any device.
3D section view in Onshape (Source)
As a SaaS-based tool, Onshape uses online databases to store data, eliminating the need for any physical servers and other IT infrastructure costs.
We analyzed user reviews for Onshape to understand what buyers liked and areas they felt could be improved. Here’s what we found.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A fast learning curve. Anyone with basic CAD knowledge can operate the software with ease. | Since Onshape is cloud-based, it lacks offline caching. Therefore, models have to be constantly reloaded during poor connectivity. |
Users have access to detailed instructional videos to understand primary features. | Since the software operates via browsers, designing large models can be difficult. |
How much does Onshape cost? | |
Onshape’s free version has limited features, but users can upgrade to its paid version, which costs $125 per user per month and is billed annually ($1,500). |
4. SketchUp
SketchUp is CAD software that allows users to design and edit 3D models of interiors, landscapes, and more. It assists in end-to-end designing, starting from the earliest design stage to the end of construction. It can be used by architects and interior designers for different designing steps, such as initial diagramming, design development, detailing, documentation, and requests for information (RFI).
3D construction model in SketchUp (Source)
SketchUp allows users to include lighting effects, texture paintings, and animations in their design models. It also offers a wide range of symbols and predesigned models that allow designers to achieve desired outputs.
We analyzed user reviews for SketchUp to understand what buyers liked and areas they felt could be improved. Here’s what we found.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
The software modules are easy to navigate, even for beginners. | SketchUp cannot be integrated with other design software. |
Besides drawing and sketching options, the software also offers built-in features such as animations, lighting, and texture effects. | Customer support isn’t responsive, and most queries are answered only via online message boards. |
How much does SketchUpcost? | |
The basic version (web only) of SketchUp is free, but users can upgrade to the paid version, SketchUp Shop (web only), for $119 per user, per year or the pro version, SketchUp Pro (both desktop and web), at $299 per user, per year. |
5. SkyCiv Structural 3D
SkyCiv Structural 3D is cloud-based structural analysis and design software that allows users to model, analyze, and design 3D structures. Due to its structural analysis capabilities, the software is well-suited for civil, mechanical, and structural engineers.
3D structural analysis in SkyCiv Structural 3D (Source)
3d Modeling And Animation Software Freeware
SkyCiv Structural 3D allows users to analyze structural factors, such as bending, shear, stress, and deflection. Since the software is cloud-based, it requires no installation and works completely online.
We analyzed user reviews for SkyCiv Structural 3D to understand what buyers liked and areas they felt could be improved. Here’s what we found.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A fast learning curve. | Only a limited number of structural analysis methods are available. |
The customer support team is quick to respond. | The software’s mobile app interface for iPhones isn’t intuitive. |
How much does PRODUCT cost? | |
SkyCiv Structural 3D offers a free version with limited features, but users can upgrade to the paid (basic) version at $69 per user, per month or the professional version at $109 per user, per month. |
The final decision: Which free 3D modeling construction software to buy?
Our list of the five best free 3D modeling solutions can get you started with your software search, but the right fit depends on your design needs.
We recommend the following approach to make your ultimate decision:
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If you’ve used or are currently using free 3D modeling construction software that works well for you, tell us about it in the comments section below.
Product selection methodology
To be considered for this list, products had to offer a free, stand-alone version of the software and not a trial version wherein users have to purchase the product after the trial period.
A product was classified as 3D modeling construction software if it contained the core 3D modeling and collaboration features and at least one design feature, such as design analysis, design templates, or design export.
3d Modeling And Animation
We analyzed nearly 150 products from our engineering CAD software, architecture software, and BIM software market categories to identify these free products. To be selected, each product had to have a minimum user rating of 4 out of 5 on Capterra as of January 6, 2020.
3d Modeling And Animation Software Free
Note: Listed pros and cons are derived from features listed on the product website and product user reviews on Gartner Digital Markets domains (Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice). They do not represent the views of, nor constitute an endorsement by, Capterra or its affiliates.
3d Modeling And Animation Software Free Software
Looking for Construction Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Construction Management software solutions.