Hi, I gave my son a 3d printer for Christmas, and he has been really enjoying it. He learned how to download files and models to his printer all by himself and is very proud of that fact. Recently he has expressed a want to begin making his own 3d models. He's down his own research but has become torn between using blender and free cad. He said that people online have said freecad is better for functional things, which could be useful for things around his room and small inconveniences, but blender is better for artistic stuff which is one of the things he loves about his printer. I am not very knowledgable about such things and thus I turn to you reddit, please help me out tell me which one he should download.

So, my little brother gotten a 3d printer for Christmas (a flashforge adventurer 5m), and I've been printing stuff for me and him. However, it's mostly just public STL files, rather than own prints. Due to this, I'm been wanting to know what's the best one there is for a beginner. I'm mostly wanting to make functional gadgets or such, like one I've found online being a cable winder, and been wanting to make stuff similar to that in a sense? Probably wording this oddly (go figure lol), but wanting to know before getting started properly.

I just got my first 3d printer and I want to start experimenting. There is a model on Thangs that I like, but I want to tweak it a little bit and use it as my first project.

I tried to use Onshape to edit, but from what I've gathered, I wouldn't be able to edit STL with that program. If anyone has recommendations of what I could use, I would be greatly appreciative.

I got a 3D printer a couple months ago and I've mostly just been printing random doodads off thingiverse but now I want to start making my own models. I've had experience with technical 3D modelling through Sketchup but I want to start making models that are more viable for my printer - I tried blender but I could never understand how to use it (even after a few hours of tutorials). So what software do you recommend? I'd prefer it to be free because I know if I do quit I won't have wasted my money, which I don't have much to burn anyway.

What do you think is best (or should I try blender again)?

I am very tech savvy (majored in comp sci) but haven't used a 3d modeling program since 2004... what is the best easy option for making and/or tweaking models to print on my new 3D printer? Thanks in advance!

Im about to get my first 3D printer and thought I would learn how to design stuff first.

I'm being struggle with which software to use for 3d printing especially for stylised print like toy's and character. What do you recommend?

I’m currently using tinker cad for my 3D printing, however I need something I little more advanced.

Hello, I just got my first 3D printer(Ender 3 V2 Neo) and I was wondering what is the best software to do 3Dmodeling/CAD for free, on windows? Because all I can find are web-based and I want a soft that I can use enven without Internet!!

I feel like the title says it all lol. I'm getting into 3D printing. VERY EXCITED about that. I just got a new computer that I believe will be able to handle the rendering of 3D objects and modelling aspects needed to design your own 3D modelling PDF's and I was really hoping for some advice on what programs are best in your opinion.

Hi all,

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT affiliated with any software. If you are a professional and CAD is your main software, ignore below, the price is irrelevant and workflow and speed are more important.

I am not US based but prices below are in USD.

I've put dozens and dozens of hours of research and hands-on experience into a CAD software. I share this as it may help others to see what I've done and how I chose. There are others that I looked at and didn't try such as Blender, Rhino, BricsCAD and GstarCAD. Blender too powerful for what I need and the others I will probably look at Rhino and BricsCAD for their perpetual licence.

These are just my opinions and findings. Feel free to critique or add to the below.

Main considerations were: ease of use, price, some sort of undo function, preferably not online only. Linux variant is a bonus.

Why? Fusion didn't seem fun and I wanted to see what am I committing to and what else it is out there.

What I tried:

1. Fusion

2. SolidWorks + SolidWorks for Makers

3. OnShape

4. FreeCAD

5. Plasticity

6. Shapr3D

7. Tinkercad

8. Sketchup

9. Alibre

--

TLDR: After a lot of research, I settled on Alibre and Plasticity. I mainly use Plasticity. I use Alibre where I need to be exact and parametric.

---

1 - Fusion 360

This is the first one I tried. Probably most in your face and I think that's because Autodesk lowered the entry barrier many moons ago, released it cheap and probably paid a lot of people to advertise it. I really wanted to like this software.

Pros:

• Training - many training videos available on YT and other platforms. Both free and paid.

• Availability of files - if there are any 3D model share around on the 3D print model websites, it will likely be this

• Modern looking - nice colors, modern looking, seems to be easy

• Free for personal use

Cons:

• Training - the pro with so much training online means the software is not easy and it will take a very long time until you will pick it up. I found this myself.

• Mesh imports - you need a paid licence to start playing with 3D printing files such as steps and 3mf. You can import them as a mesh but you cannot convert to parametric model. Pro only.

• Buttons and toggles everywhere - some of them make no sense why they are there.

• Leads bad habits - you can build stuff that's not fully constrained and you can still go on with your model., leading to problems later on when you want to change something.

• Limited licence - personal licence is only for earning less than $1000/yr and the maximum total number of files set at maximum 10 editable and 40 readable.

• Cloud based - Although you can save your models offline to work on them, having to download/upload and jiggle them around is very annoying. Also, the dashboard looks simplistic but it is a mess. Creating folders/files and moving around is pain. Some folders you can't even delete after creation.

• Hard on resources - becomes very slow on models, even with high-end computers. I found this myself already and looking on Reddit, it seems to have been the case since the genesis.

• Price - The price increased from $495/yr in 2023 to $690/yr in 2024 or $85/month. That's a 37% increase overnight. This is not including any of the add-ons. Fusion for Design is $2190/yr or $185/month. I suspect the trend will continue.

2 - SolidWorks

I downloaded and installed a cracked version of 2025 SW, to try it out. To see what's the hype about it and how it compares with Fusion and wow, they are different. I have not tried Maker.

Pros:

• Nice, good workflow

• Customisability - you can change pretty much anything you want.

• Robust software - although you need a good computer, it doesn't have the issues that Fussion has on larger models.

• One app - everything in one app.

• Offline files - although I can see the trend for them as well.

• Price - SW Maker is $48/year. Fantastic price!

Cons:

• Price - at the time of writing, $2820/year is the baseline.

• Limiting files for Makers - Makers files are digitally watermarked and you cannot change from Maker to SW if you need to later on or want to share them with someone else.

• Makers is for non-commercial - you cannot use makers if you make more than $2000/yr

3 - OnShape

From SolidWorks to OnShape is an easy transition, very good and robust software. One of the best in the industry for this price point if you don't mind public files and don't sell anything.

Pros:

• Free

• No high-end computer needed - runs in your browser

• Lots of training resources online

• Good workflow, just like SW

Cons:

• Free - public models only and only for non-commercial stuff

• Price - $1500/yr

• Online only - runs in browser and thus an internet connection is needed. For larger models can slow down your computer, even if it is browser based.

4 - FreeCAD

I really wanted to learn FreeCAD and I know there is a community out there of great people supporting this software. I will probably give it another go when I'm more experienced with CAD in general. Once you get the hand of FreeCAD, this will probably be the best go-to CAD software.

Pros:

• FOSS - Free and open-source.

• Lots of training around

• Customisable

• Fully featured

Cons:

• Looks very old - not a modern, pleasing aspect to it

• Buttons everywhere - not sure what to click and when

• You need dedication and patience with this.

• Time costs money - this is the primary reason I didn't go with this at this stage

5 - Plasticity

When I tried this the first time, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I modeled stuff in 1 hour that took me 3 hours in Fusion. It is insanely easy to pick up. My 10yo son picked it up and designed a sturdy support bracket that we have used.

Pros:

• Very easy to pick up. A 25 minutes video covers most of the things you need.

• Price - $175 - you get to keep the software, there's no subscription.

• Backups - see it in cons

• Cad and modeling in one software

• Speed of modeling - very quick to model stuff with it, with a sane base. Can't really break it.

Cons:

• Not parametric - there's no parametric history to it but you can have up to 100 backups per model consistently. You can schedule the backups however way you want. Very useful that saved me already.

• Not many training resources online but those that are cover most of the things.

6 - Shapr3D

I don't have a lot of experience with this, what put me off was the basic resolution export. From my short experience with this

Pros:

• Not many training resources online but those that are cover most of the things.

• Price - only $25/mo for the pro version

Cons:

• Cloud only storage

• Free version has only 2 projects

• Free version - Basic resolution export - This is what turned me off from the software. On the free version, it is unusable.

• Free version - no versioning

7 - Tinkercad

Great piece of software with which you can play design a lot of stuff

Pros:

• Free

• Simple - easy to pickup by anyone

Cons:

• You can only design very simple models and you have to be creative on how to do certain stuff.

• Not parametric - no history. Close the tab and you didn't save, loose the model.

• Online only.

8 - Sketchup

You can use it to design stuff but it's not really meant for 3D printing or CNC.

Pros:

• Lots of resources around for training

• Very capable - you can design most of the things like you do with other software.

• Free version available

Cons

• Free version - not for commercial

• Price - $750/year 2025 for the off-line version. There are other alternatives for CAD design at this price point.

• No sculpting or organic shapes

• Not parametric design

9 - Alibre

This, just like Plasticity, was a breath of fresh air and I was able to pick it up straight away.

Pros:

• Price - at $199 - you keep the software, there's no subscription

• Sane habits - this software will force you to design things properly

• Offline

Cons:

• The entry version is stripped-down - but not that limiting. You can work around the limitations and design stuff like the next tier but needs more clicks. Stuff like thinning walls, booleans and direct modeling.

• Looks a bit dated - you need to adjust the colors to make it the way you want

• Not a lot of resources online but enough to get you comfortable with the software.

I am new to 3d printing and looking to master a software for this purpose. I do not have a 3d printer right now but will be buying one very soon. I would like to get recommendations from you peeps which software should i use? I prefer to be able to make my own models and also use downloaded ones. So far I heard AutoCAD is great for this purpose, am I going in the right direction?

Any good free 3D software to use as an inexperienced novice? Just want to be able to make basic shapes. Prefer simpler software.