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CAD · head to head

3D-Coat vs Microsoft Project

3D-Coat logo

3D-Coat

CAD

Digital sculpting for game artists

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Construction

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 3D-Coat specific pricing not disclosed on website; Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
  • They diverge on capability: 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3D-Coat and Microsoft Project actually diverge.

Attributes where 3D-Coat and Microsoft Project differ
Attribute3D-CoatMicrosoft Project
Starting price$29/month$10/month
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWeb, Windows, macOS
CategoryCADConstruction
Founded20071975

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting
  • Surface sculpting
  • Retopology
  • UV mapping
  • Texture painting
  • PBR materials
  • Smart materials
  • Baking

Only in Microsoft Project

  • Gantt charts
  • Resource management
  • Budget tracking
  • Timeline views
  • Task dependencies
  • Critical path
  • Earned value analysis
  • Portfolio management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting from a digital clay blocknot Microsoft Project
  • Retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshesnot Microsoft Project
  • UV mapping and PBR texturingnot Microsoft Project
  • Preparing print-ready models for 3D printingnot Microsoft Project
  • Node-based material authoring on the GPUnot Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project

  • Project schedulingnot 3D-Coat
  • Resource allocationnot 3D-Coat
  • Portfolio managementnot 3D-Coat
  • Budget trackingnot 3D-Coat
  • Enterprise project managementnot 3D-Coat

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3D-Coat

  • Specific pricing not disclosed on website
  • 3DCoatPrint free version limited to 40K triangles on export
  • Requires contacting sales or visiting store for pricing details

Microsoft Project

  • Performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
  • Limited Agile methodology support, primarily designed for waterfall project management
  • Proprietary .mpp file format creates compatibility issues on non-Windows systems
  • No offline mode, limiting users without reliable internet connectivity

Pricing, plan by plan

3D-Coat

$29/month
  • Amateur$99/month
    • Non-commercial use
  • Professional$379/month
    • Full commercial license
  • Floating$568/month
    • Network licensing

Microsoft Project

$10/month
  • Plan 1$10/month
    • Task and project management
    • Grid views
    • Timeline features
  • Plan 3$30/month
    • Desktop client
    • Resource management
    • Advanced scheduling
  • Plan 5$55/month
    • Portfolio management
    • Demand management
    • Enterprise capabilities

Which should you pick?

Choose 3D-Coat if

  • You need voxel sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want surface sculpting.

Choose Microsoft Project if

  • You need gantt charts.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want resource management.

Questions people ask

Is 3D-Coat or Microsoft Project better?
Neither clearly leads. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and Microsoft Project at $10/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3D-Coat or Microsoft Project?
3D-Coat starts at $29/month and Microsoft Project at $10/month.
Does 3D-Coat or Microsoft Project run on more platforms?
3D-Coat runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS.
What is 3D-Coat best used for?
3D-Coat is most often used for voxel sculpting from a digital clay block, retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes, uv mapping and pbr texturing, preparing print-ready models for 3d printing. Of those, voxel sculpting from a digital clay block and retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes are not what Microsoft Project is typically brought in for.
What can 3D-Coat do that Microsoft Project cannot?
3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Surface sculpting, Retopology, UV mapping. Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

3D-Coat: Is there a free version of 3D Coat?

Yes, 3D Coat offers multiple free options. 3DCoatPrint is a special free version designed for 3D print-ready models, limited to 40K triangles on export. Additionally, a 30-day unlimited trial is available for the full version.

Source
Microsoft Project: What are the different Microsoft Project plans and pricing?

Microsoft Project offers Plan 1 at $10/user/month for basic project management, Plan 3 at $30/user/month with desktop client and resource management, and Plan 5 at $55/user/month for enterprise portfolio management. Desktop licenses (2024) start at $679.99 for Standard and $1,129.99 for Professional.

Source
3D-Coat: What is the 30-day trial period for 3D Coat?

3D Coat provides a 30-day trial with unlimited learning resources. The trial grants full access to all tools needed to create production-ready, fully textured 3D models.

Source
Microsoft Project: Does Microsoft Project support Agile methodology?

Microsoft Project was primarily designed for traditional waterfall project management. While it has some Agile features, it is not optimized for Agile workflows compared to dedicated Agile tools like Jira or Monday.com.

Source
3D-Coat: Does 3D Coat offer specialized versions?

Yes, 3D Coat offers 3DCoatTextura as a specialized version focused on texturing and rendering at a more affordable price than the full 3DCoat version.

Source
Microsoft Project: Can multiple teams collaborate in real-time on Microsoft Project?

Yes, Microsoft Project for the Web provides real-time collaboration through cloud-based access. However, collaboration is noted as harder compared to modern cloud-native tools due to its file-based architecture.

Source
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