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Arnold vs DragonBones

Arnold logo

Arnold

Software

Advanced Monte Carlo ray tracing renderer

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
D

DragonBones

Software

Free 2D skeletal animation solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DragonBones has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arnold the Internet Archive's capture of Autodesk's Arnold overview page on 30 December 2022 stated a subscription can be installed on up to 3 computers or devices, though only the named user may run it on one machine at a time, and includes access to the 3 previous major versions.; DragonBones javaScript/TypeScript runtime limited to specific game engines (Egret, PixiJS, Phaser, Hilo, Cocos Creator)
  • They diverge on capability: Arnold covers Ray tracing, DragonBones covers Skeletal animation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arnold and DragonBones actually diverge.

Attributes where Arnold and DragonBones differ
AttributeArnoldDragonBones
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxEgret, PixiJS, Phaser, Hilo, Cocos Creator
Founded19982014

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 Arnold

  • Ray tracing
  • GPU rendering
  • Production shading
  • OSL
  • Denoising
  • Maya
  • 3ds Max
  • Cinema 4D

Only in DragonBones

  • Skeletal animation
  • Mesh deformation
  • IK system
  • Texture atlas
  • Animation blending
  • Bone constraints
  • FFD
  • Multi-resolution

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Arnold

  • Film productionnot DragonBones
  • Animationnot DragonBones
  • VFXnot DragonBones

DragonBones

  • 2D skeletal animation for JavaScript and TypeScript game enginesnot Arnold
  • Cross-engine animation library for indie game developmentnot Arnold
  • Animation creation with LoongBones editornot Arnold

Where each one falls short

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

Arnold

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Autodesk's Arnold overview page on 30 December 2022 stated a subscription can be installed on up to 3 computers or devices, though only the named user may run it on one machine at a time, and includes access to the 3 previous major versions.

DragonBones

  • JavaScript/TypeScript runtime limited to specific game engines (Egret, PixiJS, Phaser, Hilo, Cocos Creator)

Pricing, plan by plan

Arnold

$29/month
  • Arnold$360/month
    • Standalone renderer

DragonBones

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DragonBones review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Arnold if

  • You need ray tracing.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want gpu rendering.
Arnold review

Choose DragonBones if

  • You need skeletal animation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Egret, PixiJS, Phaser, Hilo, Cocos Creator.
  • You also want mesh deformation.
DragonBones review

Questions people ask

Is Arnold or DragonBones better?
Neither clearly leads. Arnold starts at $29/month and DragonBones at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arnold or DragonBones?
DragonBones has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Arnold and Free for DragonBones.
Does Arnold or DragonBones run on more platforms?
Arnold runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. DragonBones runs on Egret, PixiJS, Phaser, Hilo, Cocos Creator.
Can I use DragonBones for free?
Yes. DragonBones has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arnold starts at $29/month.
What is Arnold best used for?
Arnold is most often used for film production, animation, vfx. Of those, film production and animation are not what DragonBones is typically brought in for.
What can Arnold do that DragonBones cannot?
Arnold covers Ray tracing, GPU rendering, Production shading, OSL. DragonBones covers Skeletal animation, Mesh deformation, IK system, Texture atlas. Both handle Windows support.
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