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3D & CAD · head to head

Arnold vs Modo

Arnold logo

Arnold

3D & CAD

Advanced Monte Carlo ray tracing renderer

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Modo logo

Modo

3D & CAD

Creative 3D modeling and rendering

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; 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: Arnold covers Ray tracing, Modo covers Polygon modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arnold and Modo actually diverge.

Attributes where Arnold and Modo differ
AttributeArnoldModo
Founded19981996

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (3D & CAD).

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 Modo

  • Polygon modeling
  • Subdivision surfaces
  • Sculpting
  • UV tools
  • Procedural modeling
  • Rendering
  • Animation
  • MeshFusion

Both cover

  • License management
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Arnold

  • Film productionnot Modo
  • Animationnot Modo
  • VFXnot Modo

Modo

  • Polygon and subdivision surface modelling for media and entertainment assetsnot Arnold
  • Look development and rendering of product and character modelsnot 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.

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

Arnold

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

Modo

$29/month
  • Indie$599/month
    • Full Modo
    • Revenue limit $100K
  • Modo$1898/month
    • Full commercial license

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 Modo if

  • You need polygon modeling.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want subdivision surfaces.
Modo review

Questions people ask

Is Arnold or Modo better?
Neither clearly leads. Arnold 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, Arnold or Modo?
Arnold starts at $29/month and Modo at $29/month.
Does Arnold or Modo run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Modo is typically brought in for.
What can Arnold do that Modo cannot?
Arnold covers Ray tracing, GPU rendering, Production shading, OSL. Modo covers Polygon modeling, Subdivision surfaces, Sculpting, UV tools. Both handle License management, Windows support, MacOS support, Linux support.
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