Free 3d Modeling Software Mac Os X
Best 3D Modeling Software for Mac: 3D Printing with Mac OS
Everything you need to create complete, detailed, textured 3D models ready to be rendered. Blender is certainly one of the best programs to use on a Mac. It is free, open-source and provides 3D modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking, video editing, and game creation. All of these great tools can be used to create animated movies, visual effects but also great 3D printed models. Best Mac Os X Software 2014 Parallels For Mac Ipad App 3d Blu Ray Software For Mac Dvd Authoring Software For Mac Reviews Mac Audio Waveform And Spectrum App Open Source 3d Cad Software Mac Bbc Radio Iplayer App For Mac Free Closed Caption Software For Mac Music Creation Software Mac Os X Hp Envy Scan 5660 Software For Mac Start 3.3 Mac App.
Blender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, video editing and 2D animation pipeline. Cycles is Blender’s built-in powerful unbiased path-tracer engine that offers stunning ultra-realistic rendering. Artec ScanApp is a brand new Mac OS application, which allows users, for the first time ever to capture 3D data with Artec Eva 3D scanner directly on a Mac. This 3D software, designed specifically for Mac OS, features a new, easy way to scan, as well as a clean, ergonomically designed interface, perfect for new Mac users and a breakthrough for 3D technology.
Not all 3D modeling software is available for every operating system. That’s why we compiled a list of the most popular 3D design programs for Mac users. Read on to discover the top 20!
The list of the most used 3D design software for Mac (see below) is based upon our list of the 25 most popular 3D modeling programs. However, we excluded software that is not available or not suitable for the Mac OS. This leaves us with the ultimate 3D modeling list for Macintosh users.
The Ranking: 3D Modeling Software for Mac Users
The two most used 3D modeling software programs for Macintosh devices are freeware program Blender (score: 80) and freemium software SketchUp (75). Blender is known for its enormous design freedom and its endless number of tools and functions – however, it’s also known for its steep learning curve. SketchUp, on the other hand, is said to be rather beginner-friendly and great for architectural and geometric objects. However, it’s not suited for creating organic structures.
Next come three programs from the Autodesk family: its professional high-end programs AutoCAD (59) and Maya (59) as well as its beginner-friendly free-to-use online app Tinkercad (51) all score well with Mac users. ZBrush (49), a professional 3D sculpting software, comes in 6th. Its free light version, named Sculptris (19), made it to rank 15.
Os x el capitan update. Once you’ve done that, here’s how to install, reinstall, or upgrade to El Capitan, step by step: Boot from your Recovery HD partition by restarting your Mac while holding down the Command+R keys. The OS X Utilities window appears. Select Reinstall OS X, and click Continue. The OS X El Capitan splash screen appears. What Disk Utility looks like in Lion through Yosemite. In El Capitan, Disk Utility looks slightly different, as you can see below. 5) Launch “Install OS X El Capitan.” Stick to the stages offered by the setup program tips. 6) Select the SSD disk that you wish to install the OS to, and Restart. Using New Disk Utility Clean Install OS X El Capitan from USB Boot Disk. How To Clean Install OS X El Capitan Using Disk Utility. Clean Install OS X El Capit.
After ZBrush, Cinema 4D (43), 123D Design (42), OpenSCAD (38), and Rhinoceros (36) complete the list of the top 10.
Screenshot of SketchUp, a popular 3D modeling software with Mac users.
The Popularity Score for 3D Modeling Programs
We calculated the popularity of a 3D modeling software for Mac based on their ‘popularity score’ in the 3D printing community. The popularity score consists of mentions and fans on social media, page authority, forum mentions, video mentions, 3D printing database mentions, and Google results. This score is especially helpful if you’re looking for a modeling software for Mac that is widely used for 3D printing, so you can be assured of an online community to brainstorm with and help you out if you get stuck.
3D Design Programs that Won’t Run on Apple’s Mac
Most 3D design programs are available for Windows and Mac users alike. However, some 3D design software that is not available for Mac OS includes Solidworks (62), 3DS Max (55), and Inventor (55). While these are not many, they still represent quite popular 3D modeling software packages. In our original list which includes all platforms, these programs ranked 3rd, 6th, and 7th among the most popular.
Some good news to end with: there are more and more options for Mac users. For example, Rhino 5 is available for Mac. Since many 3D design apps run online now (browser-based), programs like Tinkercad and 3DTin are also accessible from any device. With Cheetah3D there’s also a 3D design software which is exclusively available for Mac OS.
Are you new to the world of 3D modeling and 3D printing? Make sure to avoid these 5 common mistakes in order to create stunning designs. Do you already know how to create printable 3D files? Then simply upload them to our website, choose from more than 100 materials and finishes, and let us take care of printing your object.
3D modelling software
Online 3d Modeling

Designing three-dimensional models (like buildings, cars and packages) doesn’t have to be take years of training just to use. SketchUp offers the same results as other 3D modeling software without the steep price point or the intimidating jargon. In fact, you don’t even have to transition your drawings from 2D to 3D. SketchUp takes care of perspective and shading so you can focus on perfecting your product design.
An inexpensive and easy-to-use 3D modeling software
As an artist, your program should not restrict how you want to create a model.
Sketchup gives you three options to begin your design
From Scratch The home page of SketchUp shows you a little person standing in the middle of your screen. You can opt to delete him to start with a completely blank slate. In Google Earth It will take some time to learn this, but SketchUp allows you to create a model on top of a Google Earth aerial photograph. Files Take your inspirations to SketchUp by building a model based on a JPG or CAD file of the product you want to build. Just like Google Earth, it’s a useful but advanced feature.
Perfect training ground for new designers
When it comes to 3D modeling software, it doesn’t get easier than SketchUp. The program’s popularity lies in how quickly you can build something, even if you’re using it for the first time. In fact, you can build something recognizable in under four hours. That’s not to say you’ll be a sketch whiz in that time – it just means that SketchUp’s learning curve is shallow. It’s not even necessary to read it’s manual or be familiar with special geometric concepts. You will only work with line and shapes, which gives you the freedom to arrange things how you want it. Well, how you want things to be arranged in 3D that is.
SketchUp focuses on making things appear hand-drawn by using non-photorealistic rendering. This means you won’t be bothered by providing measurements, plans, and sections, but you also won’t be able to create extremely detailed models like buildings and mansions. These limitations are expected given that making model views look like photos are a specialized undertaking.
Simple and functional design
With the addition of small-scale modeling, SketchUp is just like any program you already use. It only has four main areas that you need to be familiar with.
Modeling Window this is the big area in the middle of your screen, and where you will spend most of your time in SketchUp. It’s sort of like a window to the three-dimensional world since it’s always in 3D view of your model, even if you’re looking at it from the top or sides.
ToolbarSketchUp really makes it a point to do the heavy lifting for you; instead of bombarding you with tons of tools to choose from, you’re greeted with the Getting Started toolbar. It has all the essential tools and commands to get started. Once you’re confident enough to use the rest of them, just click the arrow to the right of the toolbar.
Dialog Boxes SketchUp doesn’t have a technical name for its dialogue box, but it’s like palettes or inspectors you find in other modeling programs.
Context menu whenever you right-click things in your modeling window, the context menu will appear with commands and options to open. It only shows a limited set of tools, but all of them are relevant to what you’re doing or the area that you selected.
Where can you run this program?
A powerful but compact tool, Sketchup can run on both Windows and mac OS X devices with these minimum requirements:
- Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows 7
- NET Framework version 4.5.2
- 64-bit version of Windows
- 1 GHz processor
- 4GB RAM500MB of free hard-disk space
- 3D class video card with 512 MB of memory or higher and support for hardware acceleration
- 3-button, scroll-wheel mouse.
Mac OS 10.14+ (Mojave), Mac OS 10.13+ (High Sierra), and 10.12+ (Sierra)
3d Modeling Software For Beginners
- Quicktime 5.0 and web browser
- 2.1+ GHz Intel™ processor 4GB RAM
- 500MB of available hard-disk space.
- 3D class video card with 512 MB of memory or higher and support for hardware acceleration 3-button, scroll-wheel mouse.

Is there a better alternative?
SketchUp can only offer the basics of 3D modeling. If you’re looking to deepen your knowledge of CAD software, look no further than Blender. It offers an advanced mesh-based direct modeling software to create, well, anything you want really. Its main use is for video game development and animation, but you can practically create any 3D printable model you want. But with all that power, you’re going to need to know exactly what you want to design before you start your project.
Our take
This is not a tool that calls itself ‘free’ but doesn’t offer anything useful. Sketchup is the perfect CAD software to start learning 3D modeling – or even discover if you like designing in the first place. For sure, it will amaze you how easy it is to come up with a well-thought-out three-dimensional model of your own.
3d Modeling Software
Should you download it?
Yes. It's a great piece of software to start learning or even just dabble in 3D modeling.
Highs
- Rich modeling tools
- Direct editing technology
- User-friendly interface
- Customizable dialog box
- Free to use
Lows
- acks photorealistic rendering
- Lacks advanced tools
- Limited animations
Free 3d Modeling Software Mac Os X Download
SketchUpfor Mac
Free 3d Modeling Software For Mac Os X
15.3.329