# Alternatives to Plasticity CAD for artists, one-time price. Plasticity ranks #13 of 13 in 3D modeling software, with an Alt Score of 32. It is proprietary, sold as a one-time purchase from $175 USD and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 7 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source. Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/plasticity/ Category: 3D modeling software ## Where Plasticity stands out - **One-time purchase option** — 2 of 13 apps with a verified answer have this - **CAD formats (STEP, IGES)** — 6 of 12 apps with a verified answer have this ## Overview - **Who it's for**: Concept artists, industrial designers, game artists, and mechanical engineers who want CAD-level modeling precision without the complexity of traditional CAD software. - **What you get**: A NURBS and solid modeler built on the Parasolid geometry kernel, giving clean, precise surfaces alongside boolean operations, sketching tools, and curvature/continuity analysis. The interface is streamlined with context-sensitive widgets and Blender-style keybindings and selection modes, keeping the CAD toolset accessible to artists rather than engineers. It supports exporting models as meshes (for sculpting, rendering, or game engines) or as CAD formats (like STEP) for manufacturing. - **How it works**: You build shapes from 2D sketches and primitives, then combine and refine them using boolean operations (union, subtract, intersect) and direct surface edits. Once the model is finalized, you export it as a mesh or CAD file for use downstream in other 3D or manufacturing pipelines. ## Profile - **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-11) - **Pricing model**: One-time (verified 2026-07-11) - **Starts at**: $175 USD (verified 2026-07-11) - **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux - **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-11) ## Ranked alternatives | # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms | |---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------| | 1 | [Blender](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/blender.md) | 73 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux | | 2 | [3ds Max](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/3ds-max.md) | 64 | Proprietary | Windows | | 3 | [Fusion 360](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/fusion-360.md) | 64 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Web | | 4 | [Rhino](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/rhino.md) | 64 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS | | 5 | [Cinema 4D](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/cinema-4d.md) | 60 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS | | 6 | [Maya](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/maya.md) | 60 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux | | 7 | [Onshape](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/onshape.md) | 60 | Proprietary | Web | | 8 | [ZBrush](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/zbrush.md) | 60 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS | | 9 | [FreeCAD](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/freecad.md) | 50 | LGPL-2.1 | Windows, macOS, Linux | | 10 | [Shapr3D](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/shapr3d.md) | 46 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS, Web | | 11 | [SketchUp](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/sketchup.md) | 42 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Web, iOS | | 12 | [OpenSCAD](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/openscad.md) | 32 | GPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux | Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/ ## Feature comparison Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified). | 3D modeling software checklist | Plasticity | Blender | 3ds Max | Fusion 360 | Rhino | Cinema 4D | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pricing model | One-time | Free | Subscription | Subscription | One-time | Subscription | | Starts at | $175 USD | ? | ? | $680/year | €995 one-time | ? | | License | Proprietary | GPL-3.0 | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | | Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows | Windows, macOS, Web | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS | | Parametric modeling | No | ? | ? | Yes | Partial | No | | Sculpting | No | Yes | Partial | ? | ? | Yes | | Rendering engine included | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Animation & rigging | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | Yes | | CAD formats (STEP, IGES) | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | Partial | | One-time purchase option | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | | Free for hobby use | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | | Plugins ecosystem | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | | GPU rendering | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | | Simulation | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | ## Sources Sources for Plasticity. Each alternative is sourced on its own page. - **Pricing model**: One-time — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Both our Indie and Studio licenses are perpetual, meaning you pay only once for a 12-month maintenance window, but you own and can use the software forever.” - **Starts at**: $175 USD — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Indie $175 USD Plus local taxes” - **License**: Proprietary — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Please read this End-User License Agreement carefully before clicking the 'I Agree' button, downloading or using Plasticity.” - **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Plasticity is available for: Windows (10+) macOS (12+) Linux (Ubuntu 22)” - **Status**: active — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Whats New 2026.1” - **Parametric modeling**: No — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Unlike parametric CAD tools — which rely on constraints, feature trees and design history — Plasticity is designed for clarity and speed, letting you make changes directly to the model at any time.” - **Sculpting**: No — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Plasticity is a direct modeling tool created for artists and designers who want powerful CAD capabilities without the complexity of traditional engineering software.” - **Rendering engine included**: No — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Render Mode is located in the View Mode menu in the top-right corner of the screen. You can enable it by clicking the sphere icon (1). Once turned on, the shading in the viewport will update to show a” - **CAD formats (STEP, IGES)**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “STEP (*.stp; *.step) ✓ ✓” - **One-time purchase option**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Both our Indie and Studio licenses are perpetual, meaning you pay only once for a 12-month maintenance window, but you own and can use the software forever.” - **Free for hobby use**: No — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “We offer a 30-day free trial available for download from our website.” - **Plugins ecosystem**: Partial — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Integration Blender Introduction of Blender Bridge Setup Blender Bridge How to use Blender Bridge FAQ Cinema 4D Introduction of Cinema 4D Bridge Setup Cinema 4D Bridge How to use Cinema 4D Bridge FAQ” --- Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/