{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "blender",
            "name": "Blender",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://www.blender.org/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/blender",
            "tagline": "Free, open-source 3D creation suite for modeling and animation",
            "summary": "Blender is a free, open-source 3D creation suite for modeling, sculpting, animation and rendering. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Its code is released under the GNU General Public License, and the Blender Foundation develops it.",
            "developer": "Blender Foundation",
            "platforms": [
                "windows",
                "macos",
                "linux"
            ],
            "pricing": "open-source",
            "price_note": "Free to use, including for commercial work; open source under the GPL",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
            "source": "https://github.com/blender/blender",
            "strengths": [
                "Free to use, including commercial work",
                "Full 3D pipeline in one application"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Steep learning curve",
                "Less suited to engineering CAD work"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Blender covers a full 3D pipeline in one application, including modeling, sculpting, rigging, animation, shading, rendering and compositing. The Blender site says the software is free to sell work made with it, and it lists current builds for Windows, macOS and Linux. The project publishes long-term support releases alongside regular versions.\n\nThe learning curve is steep, because the interface has many modes and shortcuts. Blender is aimed at artists and animators, and it is less suited to engineering dimensions than CAD programs such as FreeCAD. For product engineering or architecture, a dedicated CAD tool usually fits better."
        },
        {
            "slug": "houdini",
            "name": "Houdini",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://www.sidefx.com/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/houdini",
            "tagline": "Procedural 3D software for VFX, animation and game pipelines",
            "summary": "Houdini is procedural 3D software from SideFX for modeling, rigging, animation, VFX, lighting and rendering in film, TV, advertising and game pipelines. It runs on 64-bit Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs and several Linux distributions, and is licensed as Commercial, Indie or Education, with a free trial.",
            "developer": "SideFX",
            "platforms": [
                "windows",
                "macos",
                "linux"
            ],
            "pricing": "paid",
            "price_note": "Commercial, Indie and Education licences; free trial",
            "free_to_use": false,
            "open_source": false,
            "strengths": [
                "Procedural workflow across modeling, animation and VFX",
                "Indie licence for artists below set revenue or funding limits",
                "Runs on Windows, Apple Silicon Macs and Linux"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Intel Macs are not supported in Houdini 22",
                "Commercial licences are paid, and Indie has revenue and funding limits"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Houdini is procedural 3D software from SideFX, which describes it for modeling, rigging, animation, VFX, look development, lighting and rendering in film, TV, advertising and video game pipelines. The site lists Houdini Engine and the Karma renderer as separate products that work alongside it.\n\nHoudini 22 runs on 64-bit Windows 11, on Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 11 or later, and on several Linux distributions, including Ubuntu 22.04 and later. Intel Macs are not supported. Licences are Commercial for studios and artists doing commercial work, Indie for artists making less than $100K USD or working with less than $1 million USD in funding, and Education for non-commercial use. A free trial is offered. Houdini suits artists who need procedural control across a production pipeline, and it is less suited to hand sculpting, where ZBrush in this list is the closer tool."
        }
    ],
    "differences": [
        "Blender is open source; Houdini is not.",
        "Blender has a free plan or free version; Houdini does not.",
        "Blender: free and open source. Houdini: paid."
    ],
    "shared_rankings": [
        {
            "list": "3d-modeling-software",
            "name": "3D modeling software",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/3d-modeling-software",
            "of": 10,
            "results": [
                {
                    "product": "blender",
                    "rank": 1,
                    "score": 94.5,
                    "verdict": "The most complete free 3D suite here, covering modeling, sculpting, animation and rendering under the GPL. Its learning curve is steep, and it is less suited to engineering dimensions than FreeCAD.",
                    "best_for": "Free 3D modeling, animation and rendering",
                    "spec": {
                        "platforms": "Windows, macOS, Linux",
                        "open_source": true,
                        "cost": "Free, GPL"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "product": "houdini",
                    "rank": 3,
                    "score": 86.5,
                    "verdict": "Procedural 3D software for film, TV and game pipelines on 64-bit Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs and Linux. The Indie licence applies only under revenue or funding limits, and it suits pipeline work more than hand modeling like ZBrush.",
                    "best_for": "Procedural VFX and game pipelines",
                    "spec": {
                        "platforms": "Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon), Linux",
                        "open_source": false,
                        "cost": "Paid licences; Indie tier; free trial"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "ranks_higher_in_closest_shared_list": "blender",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/blender-vs-houdini",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/blender-vs-houdini.json",
    "notes": [
        "Scores are editorial and only comparable inside one list. Products with connected_to_publisher true receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology"
    ],
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}