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Arnold vs Gravity Sketch

Arnold logo

Arnold

3D & CAD

Advanced Monte Carlo ray tracing renderer

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gravity Sketch logo

Gravity Sketch

AR/VR & Metaverse

VR 3D design tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gravity Sketch 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.; Gravity Sketch free plan limited to 150MB cloud storage and 3 simultaneous users per room
  • They diverge on capability: Arnold covers Ray tracing, Gravity Sketch covers VR design.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arnold and Gravity Sketch actually diverge.

Attributes where Arnold and Gravity Sketch differ
AttributeArnoldGravity Sketch
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxVR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web)
Category3D & CADAR/VR & Metaverse
Founded19982014

Identical on both: 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 Arnold

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

Only in Gravity Sketch

  • VR design
  • Desktop app
  • Surface modeling
  • Collaboration
  • Import/export
  • Presentation mode
  • Rhino
  • Alias

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • MacOS support

What people use each for

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

Arnold

  • Film productionnot Gravity Sketch
  • Animationnot Gravity Sketch
  • VFXnot Gravity Sketch

Gravity Sketch

  • Spatial 3D design and conceptualisation in VRnot Arnold
  • Collaborative product design sessionsnot Arnold
  • Conceptual model generationnot Arnold
  • Engineering and design team collaboration in immersive environmentnot 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.

Gravity Sketch

  • Free plan limited to 150MB cloud storage and 3 simultaneous users per room
  • File format support limited to OBJ and STL on free plan; other formats require paid plan
  • Evaluation tools (surface contours, viewpoints, section tool) not available on free tier
  • VR access requires Meta Quest, Steam, or web app; limited to specific platforms
  • Data localisation only available on Enterprise plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Arnold

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

Gravity Sketch

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Gravity Sketch 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 Gravity Sketch if

  • You need vr design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on VR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web).
  • You also want desktop app.
Gravity Sketch review

Questions people ask

Is Arnold or Gravity Sketch better?
Neither clearly leads. Arnold starts at $29/month and Gravity Sketch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arnold or Gravity Sketch?
Gravity Sketch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Arnold and Free for Gravity Sketch.
Does Arnold or Gravity Sketch run on more platforms?
Arnold runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Gravity Sketch runs on VR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web).
Can I use Gravity Sketch for free?
Yes. Gravity Sketch 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 Gravity Sketch is typically brought in for.
What can Arnold do that Gravity Sketch cannot?
Arnold covers Ray tracing, GPU rendering, Production shading, OSL. Gravity Sketch covers VR design, Desktop app, Surface modeling, Collaboration. Both handle Windows support, MacOS support.
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