Shapr3D

Plasticity

Plasticity is a 3D modeling application described by its makers as CAD for artists, blending NURBS surfacing and solid modeling with a fast, freeform workflow more familiar to game and film artists than traditional engineering CAD. It runs on the Parasolid geometry kernel, the same kernel used by SolidWorks and Shapr3D, giving it precise boolean operations and clean surfacing. The software includes a live Blender Bridge for round-tripping models into Blender, SpaceMouse support, and import/export for formats including STEP, IGES, OBJ, FBX, STL, and 3MF. Plasticity is sold as a perpetual, one-time license across Indie and Studio editions with a 30-day free trial, and runs natively on Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), and Linux.

FreeCAD

FreeCAD is a free and open-source 3D parametric modeler that allows users to create complex 3D models using a variety of tools and techniques. It is designed to be highly customizable and extensible, with a large community of users and developers contributing to its development.

Rhino 3D

Rhino, developed by Robert McNeel & Associates, is a general-purpose 3D modeling application described by its maker as a jack-of-all-trades used across architecture, marine design, jewelry, industrial design, and film. It handles free-form NURBS surface modeling as well as newer SubD tools, letting users design, present, analyze, and prepare models for manufacturing or 3D printing. Rhino is sold as a one-time perpetual license rather than a subscription, with no required maintenance fees, and includes Grasshopper, a visual programming environment for generative and parametric design that has become widely used in architecture and computational design workflows.