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Alibre Design vs Tilt Brush

Alibre Design logo

Alibre Design

Software

Affordable professional CAD

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tilt Brush logo

Tilt Brush

Software

Paint in 3D space with VR

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tilt Brush has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Tilt Brush no longer actively developed by Google since January 2021; future updates and support are not guaranteed
  • They diverge on capability: Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Tilt Brush covers 3D painting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and Tilt Brush actually diverge.

Attributes where Alibre Design and Tilt Brush differ
AttributeAlibre DesignTilt Brush
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsHTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, PlayStation VR
Founded19972016

Identical on both: 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
  • Rendering
  • CAM software
  • PDM

Only in Tilt Brush

  • 3D painting
  • Dynamic brushes
  • Environment selection
  • Animation
  • Google Poly
  • Sketchfab
  • YouTube VR
  • Vr 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 Tilt Brush
  • Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot Tilt Brush
  • Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot Tilt Brush

Tilt Brush

  • VR Gamingnot Alibre Design
  • AR Marketingnot Alibre Design
  • Virtual Trainingnot Alibre Design
  • 3D Visualizationnot Alibre Design
  • Immersive Experiencesnot 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

Tilt Brush

  • No longer actively developed by Google since January 2021; future updates and support are not guaranteed
  • Limited editing capabilities with no layers system and no 3D brushes for precise refinement
  • Not designed for professional branding or marketing work; better suited for creative expression than practical design
  • Tool limitations make it difficult to move, cut, or rearrange grouped elements after creation
  • VR hardware costs are high relative to software cost, and can cause motion sickness in some users

Pricing, plan by plan

Alibre Design

$29/month
  • Atom3D$199/month
    • Basic modeling
  • Design$999/month
    • Professional CAD
  • Expert$1999/month
    • Full features

Tilt Brush

Free
  • Google Tilt Brush$19.99/one-time
    • VR painting and creative tools
    • Available on VR app stores
  • Open Brush (open-source)Free
    • Free open-source version
    • Available on Steam and Meta Quest

Which should you pick?

Choose Alibre Design if

  • You need parametric modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want assemblies.
Alibre Design review

Choose Tilt Brush if

  • You need 3d painting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, PlayStation VR.
  • You also want dynamic brushes.
Tilt Brush review

Questions people ask

Is Alibre Design or Tilt Brush better?
Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design starts at $29/month and Tilt Brush at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alibre Design or Tilt Brush?
Tilt Brush has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Alibre Design and Free for Tilt Brush.
Does Alibre Design or Tilt Brush run on more platforms?
Alibre Design runs on Windows. Tilt Brush runs on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, PlayStation VR.
Can I use Tilt Brush for free?
Yes. Tilt Brush has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alibre Design starts at $29/month.
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 Tilt Brush is typically brought in for.
What can Alibre Design do that Tilt Brush cannot?
Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings. Tilt Brush covers 3D painting, Dynamic brushes, Environment selection, Animation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tilt Brush: Is Tilt Brush still available to use?

Yes. Although Google ended active development in January 2021, Tilt Brush remains available on VR app stores and continues to function. Google also open-sourced the code, enabling community-maintained alternatives like Open Brush to provide free versions for PC VR and Meta Quest.

Source
Tilt Brush: Is there a free version of Tilt Brush?

The official Google Tilt Brush costs $19.99. However, Open Brush (the open-source community version) is completely free and available for PC VR via Steam and on Oculus Quest.

Source
Tilt Brush: What VR headsets does Tilt Brush support?

Tilt Brush works on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, and PlayStation VR. The open-source Open Brush version also supports PC VR.

Source
Tilt Brush: Can I export my Tilt Brush creations?

Yes. Tilt Brush creations can be exported as room-scale VR pieces or animated GIFs to share with others. The app does not support direct export to 3D model formats like OBJ or FBX.

Source
Tilt Brush: Is Tilt Brush good for professional 3D design work?

Tilt Brush is primarily a creative expression and painting tool rather than a professional 3D design tool. It lacks features like layers, editable 3D brushes, and precise refinement controls needed for professional workflows. For professional VR sculpting, Adobe Medium or Quill are better choices.

Source
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