Softwr

3D & CAD · head to head

Mudbox vs CATIA

Mudbox logo

Mudbox

3D & CAD

Digital painting and sculpting software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CATIA logo

CATIA

3D & CAD

World's leading solution for product design

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mudbox a Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023); CATIA pricing page discloses no figures and instead asks buyers to "Speak with a CATIA expert" or "Contact us" through a how-to-buy form, making pricing available only by quote
  • They diverge on capability: Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, CATIA covers Surface modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mudbox and CATIA actually diverge.

Attributes where Mudbox and CATIA differ
AttributeMudboxCATIA
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, Linux (some)
Founded19821981

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Mudbox

  • Digital sculpting
  • Texture painting
  • Retopology
  • PTEX support
  • Layer system
  • Stencils
  • Stamps
  • GPU tessellation

Only in CATIA

  • Surface modeling
  • Class A surfacing
  • Systems engineering
  • Simulation
  • Composites design
  • Electrical design
  • Knowledge-based engineering
  • ENOVIA PLM

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Mudbox

  • Character sculptingnot CATIA
  • Texture creationnot CATIA
  • Asset detailingnot CATIA

CATIA

  • Complex surface designnot Mudbox
  • Aerospace engineeringnot Mudbox
  • Systems designnot Mudbox

Where each one falls short

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

Mudbox

  • A Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)
  • Sold as monthly, annual or 3-year subscription terms with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)

CATIA

  • Pricing page discloses no figures and instead asks buyers to "Speak with a CATIA expert" or "Contact us" through a how-to-buy form, making pricing available only by quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Mudbox

$29/month
  • Mudbox$85/month
    • Full sculpting
    • Texture painting
  • M&E Collection$2390/month
    • Mudbox + Maya + 3ds Max + more

CATIA

$29/month
  • Design$6600/month
    • Core design capabilities
  • Engineering$11000/month
    • Design + simulation
  • Experience$16500/month
    • Full suite with collaboration

Which should you pick?

Choose Mudbox if

  • You need digital sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want texture painting.
Mudbox review

Choose CATIA if

  • You need surface modeling.
  • You work on Windows, Linux (some).
  • You also want class a surfacing.
CATIA review

Questions people ask

Is Mudbox or CATIA better?
Neither clearly leads. Mudbox starts at $29/month and CATIA at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mudbox or CATIA?
Mudbox starts at $29/month and CATIA at $29/month.
Does Mudbox or CATIA run on more platforms?
Mudbox runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. CATIA runs on Windows, Linux (some).
What is Mudbox best used for?
Mudbox is most often used for character sculpting, texture creation, asset detailing. Of those, character sculpting and texture creation are not what CATIA is typically brought in for.
What can Mudbox do that CATIA cannot?
Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, Texture painting, Retopology, PTEX support. CATIA covers Surface modeling, Class A surfacing, Systems engineering, Simulation. Both handle Windows support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Mudbox

More on CATIA

Keep looking

Other head to heads