17 rules in 5 groups, worth 100 points in all. They were set before any product was scored and apply the same way to all 9.
Version 1, published 9 Oct 2026
In short
Each rule is a yes-or-no fact, a list (such as the systems with an app) or a number with published thresholds, read from the vendor's own pages.
A fact the vendor does not publish earns nothing. A feature in beta or preview does not count.
The list follows the points. A tie goes to the lower price on "cheapest way to use it for paid work", then to the name.
General-purpose 3D modeling programs for individuals and small studios that run on Windows (an app, or in the browser). Pure renderers, scanners, slicers and AI model generators are left out. Plans for schools and large companies are not used for the price. CAD-first tools are judged on the same lines, so animation and sculpting lines score them low.
Systems 8 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Other systems
An official version for each system besides Windows, or a web app that does the modeling in the browser. Each one earns 2 points.
8
Licence 33 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Free version without a time limit
A free version or free personal licence with no expiry date, on a vendor page. Trials and education-only licences do not count. A watermark or a ban on commercial use does not stop it counting.
10
Free version allowed for paid work
The vendor's terms let you use the free version to earn money, with no income limit.
6
One-off licence you keep
The vendor sells a paid one-off licence you can keep using with no renewal (a paid update window is fine as long as the installed version keeps working). Subscription-only products and free programs earn 0; free programs are rewarded by other lines.
8
Open source
The source code of the program is public under an open-source licence.
5
Free licence for students
The vendor page offers students a free licence to a paid product (a discount does not count). Programs that are free for everyone earn 0 here; they are rewarded by the free-version lines.
4
Modelling tools 38 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Precise curve and solid modeling
The manual or feature list names NURBS surface modeling or parametric / solid (B-rep) modeling as a built-in feature. Polygon and subdivision modeling alone do not count.
5
Digital sculpting
Built-in brush-based sculpting of a mesh, shown on a vendor page or in the manual.
5
Node-based procedural modeling
The manual or a feature list names a built-in, generally available node graph that builds or changes geometry procedurally (for example Geometry Nodes, Scene Nodes or Houdini networks). Beta features do not count.
5
Rigging and animation
Built-in bones or rigging tools and a keyframe timeline.
5
Physics simulation
Built-in cloth, fluid or rigid-body simulation.
4
UV unwrapping
Built-in tools to unwrap a model's UV map for texturing, documented in the manual.
4
Built-in ray-traced renderer
The program ships with its own ray- or path-traced renderer (including one made by another company) that is included in the plan you price at no extra charge. Real-time viewports and paid add-ons do not count.
5
Scripting and add-ons
A public scripting or plug-in API (for example Python), documented by the vendor.
5
Formats 6 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Built-in export formats
The manual or a vendor page lists export to the format without a paid add-on. Each one earns 1 point.
6
Price 15 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Cheapest way to use it for paid work
Cheapest plan for one person that allows paid work, in US dollars a month. Subscriptions: yearly billing, regular price, one user. One-off licence: its price divided by 36. Free program that allows paid work: $0. Plans that bar paid work do not count. Euro prices are converted by the build. Price not shown on a vendor page (quote or cart only): null.
12
Full-feature trial
The vendor page states a free trial of at least 14 days of the full program. Programs that are free for everyone earn 0 here; they are rewarded by the free-version lines.