Software · head to head
Alibre Design vs Modo
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Alibre Design perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates; Modo foundry announced on November 7, 2024 that it is winding down development of Modo after the Modo 17.1 release, with no further feature or maintenance releases anticipated
- They diverge on capability: Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Modo covers Polygon modeling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and Modo actually diverge.
| Attribute | Alibre Design | Modo |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, MacOS, Linux |
| Founded | 1997 | 1996 |
Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Alibre Design
- Parametric modeling
- Assemblies
- Sheet metal
- 2D drawings
- BOM
- CAM software
- PDM
- License key
Only in Modo
- Polygon modeling
- Subdivision surfaces
- Sculpting
- UV tools
- Procedural modeling
- Animation
- MeshFusion
- Unity
Both cover
- Rendering
- Windows support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Alibre Design
- Parametric 3D solid modelling for mechanical partsnot Modo
- Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot Modo
- Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot Modo
Modo
- Polygon and subdivision surface modelling for media and entertainment assetsnot Alibre Design
- Look development and rendering of product and character modelsnot Alibre Design
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Alibre Design
- Perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates
- Sheet metal, PDM data management and rendering are Design Expert only at $1,999
- Scripting is excluded from the $199 Atom3D edition
- CAM capability is sold as separate EZ-Mill, EZ-Turn and EZ-EDM products costing up to $2,999
- A dedicated account manager is excluded from Atom3D
Modo
- Foundry announced on November 7, 2024 that it is winding down development of Modo after the Modo 17.1 release, with no further feature or maintenance releases anticipated
- Support continues only until each customer's current contract term expires
- Foundry does not guarantee that Modo will keep working on future operating system updates because no patches will be issued, and recommends customers migrate to alternative 3D workflows
- Perpetual licences keep working but receive no further updates, bug fixes or support
- The Modo forums closed in December 2024 and downloads, docs and the support knowledgebase were committed only until November 2025
Pricing, plan by plan
Alibre Design
$29/month- Atom3D$199/month
- Basic modeling
- Design$999/month
- Professional CAD
- Expert$1999/month
- Full features
Modo
$29/month- Indie$599/month
- Full Modo
- Revenue limit $100K
- Modo$1898/month
- Full commercial license
Which should you pick?
Choose Alibre Design if
- You need parametric modeling.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want assemblies.
Choose Modo if
- You need polygon modeling.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- You also want subdivision surfaces.
Questions people ask
- Is Alibre Design or Modo better?
- Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design starts at $29/month and Modo at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Alibre Design or Modo?
- Alibre Design starts at $29/month and Modo at $29/month.
- Does Alibre Design or Modo run on more platforms?
- Alibre Design runs on Windows. Modo runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- What is Alibre Design best used for?
- Alibre Design is most often used for parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts, producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models, designing parts for 3d printing and small shop machining. Of those, parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts and producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models are not what Modo is typically brought in for.
- What can Alibre Design do that Modo cannot?
- Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings. Modo covers Polygon modeling, Subdivision surfaces, Sculpting, UV tools. Both handle Rendering, Windows support.
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