3D tools compared on facts,
including who they are wrong for

A structured catalog of 3D software: pricing, platforms and the exact file formats each tool reads and writes, checked against vendor documentation and dated. Every entry also records who the tool does not suit, which is often the more useful half. We do not run the software ourselves, and every page says so.

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3D Tool Wiki modeling · sculpting · texturing · rendering · scanning · conversion · slicing · AI 3D
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20 tools cataloged
66 file formats mapped
7 head to head comparisons
5 free browser tools

20 tools catalogued so far: 8 open source, 7 freemium and 2 free, across 66 file formats. Every entry records its pricing tiers, the formats it imports and exports, what third-party reviewers consistently praise and criticise, and who should look elsewhere. We do not test the software ourselves, so any score you see is a labelled synthesis of public third-party reviews rather than our own verdict.

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FreeCAD

4.3

Open source parametric CAD built on the OpenCASCADE B-Rep kernel, with a full Python API and workbenches for mechanical design, BIM, FEM and CAM.

Open Source CAD

Autodesk Fusion

4.5

Cloud-connected CAD, CAM, CAE and PCB in one subscription, strongest on integrated manufacturing and weakest on air-gapped or very large assemblies.

Subscription · USD 680/year CAD

SOLIDWORKS

4.4

The Windows-only mechanical CAD standard, unmatched on sheet metal and drawings, sold through resellers with capabilities gated hard across three tiers.

Paid (one-time) · USD 2,820/year (reseller quoted) CAD

Onshape

4.2

Browser-only parametric CAD on the Parasolid kernel, with built-in version control and branching, and a free tier where every document is public.

Freemium · USD 1,500/year CAD

Tinkercad

4.6

Autodesk's free browser modeller for beginners and classrooms, built from primitive solids, with a one-way bridge into Fusion and no STEP support at all.

Free · Free CAD

Godot Engine

4.5

MIT-licensed open source engine with a node and scene architecture, a purpose-built 2D pipeline and a Vulkan Forward+ 3D renderer.

Open Source Engine Plugins

Head to head comparisons

Two tools side by side on pricing, platforms, formats, documented strengths and who each one fits. No winner is declared, because we do not test them.

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File formats in the directory

Every entry records which formats it imports and which it exports, so the directory doubles as a compatibility map. These are the 66 formats covered so far.

Open the full compatibility table