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CAD · head to head

Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler vs Rhino 3D

Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler logo

Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler

CAD

Photogrammetry engine formerly sold as ContextCapture, now inside Bentley's iTwin line

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rhino 3D logo

Rhino 3D

CAD

3D computer graphics and CAD application

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rhino 3D has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler the rename from ContextCapture is more than cosmetic: licensing moved into Bentley's subscription and consumption model, and existing perpetual users should confirm what a renewal converts to before assuming continuity of cost.; Rhino 3D windows-only for certain features including 3D digitizing hardware support
  • They diverge on capability: Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler covers Aerial triangulation, Rhino 3D covers NURBS modeling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler and Rhino 3D actually diverge.

Attributes where Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler and Rhino 3D differ
AttributeBentley iTwin Capture ModelerRhino 3D
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteone-time
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, CloudWindows, Mac, iOS
FoundedUnknown1980

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (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 Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler

  • Aerial triangulation
  • Dense mesh reconstruction
  • Point cloud fusion
  • Orthophoto and DSM output
  • 3D Tiles and 3MX export
  • Distributed processing
  • Retouching and editing
  • Georeferencing and control

Only in Rhino 3D

  • NURBS modeling
  • Surface modeling
  • 3D visualization
  • Grasshopper
  • Rendering
  • Grasshopper
  • KeyShot
  • V-Ray

What people use each for

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

Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler

  • A highway authority reconstructing a corridor from drone imagery for design work in OpenRoadsnot Rhino 3D
  • A survey firm delivering city-scale textured meshes to a municipal client for planning and visualisationnot Rhino 3D
  • An engineering consultancy fusing terrestrial laser scans with drone photography of a bridge for condition assessmentnot Rhino 3D
  • A team publishing streamable 3D Tiles of a construction site so stakeholders can view it in a browsernot Rhino 3D

Rhino 3D

  • NURBS-based 3D modelling for product design and engineeringnot Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler
  • Precision engineering and prototyping (aerospace, automotive, jewellery)not Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler
  • Generative design with Grasshopper visual programmingnot Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler
  • Mesh editing and point cloud processingnot Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler

Where each one falls short

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

Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler

  • The rename from ContextCapture is more than cosmetic: licensing moved into Bentley's subscription and consumption model, and existing perpetual users should confirm what a renewal converts to before assuming continuity of cost.
  • Consumption-based entitlements make the cost of a large reconstruction hard to predict in advance, which is awkward when you are quoting a fixed-price deliverable to a client.
  • The desktop engine is Windows only and reconstruction is compute-hungry, so meaningful throughput needs either serious workstation hardware or paid cloud processing.
  • Bentley does not publish a plain rate card and pricing varies by region, reseller and existing agreement, so two firms buying the same thing can pay very different amounts.
  • Value compounds inside the Bentley ecosystem, and a firm whose design work happens in Autodesk or Esri tools pays for a positioning it will not use while getting the same mesh a cheaper standalone photogrammetry package would produce.

Rhino 3D

  • Windows-only for certain features including 3D digitizing hardware support
  • Performance depends on hardware capabilities; complex projects require better equipment
  • Pre-release/Work-in-Progress builds may contain bugs and are not production ready

Pricing, plan by plan

Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler

On request
  • iTwin Capture Modeler$undefined/year
    • Subscription entitlement through Bentley licensing
    • Consumption charged against Bentley Keys on some agreements
    • Reality Modeling WorkSuite bundles Modeler with reality data management

Rhino 3D

Free
  • EvaluationFree
    • 90-day trial
    • All features included
    • No credit card required
  • Student License$195/mo
    • Perpetual license
    • Support included
    • Service releases
  • Commercial License$995/mo
    • Perpetual license
    • Support included
    • Service releases
  • Student Upgrade$95/mo
    • Perpetual license
    • Requires prior license key
    • Support included

Which should you pick?

Choose Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler if

  • You need aerial triangulation.
  • You work on Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want dense mesh reconstruction.
Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler review

Choose Rhino 3D if

  • You need nurbs modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, iOS.
  • You also want surface modeling.
Rhino 3D review

Questions people ask

Is Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler or Rhino 3D better?
Neither clearly leads. Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler starts at On request and Rhino 3D at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler or Rhino 3D?
Rhino 3D has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler and Free for Rhino 3D.
Does Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler or Rhino 3D run on more platforms?
Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler runs on Windows, Cloud. Rhino 3D runs on Windows, Mac, iOS.
Can I use Rhino 3D for free?
Yes. Rhino 3D has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler starts at On request.
What is Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler best used for?
Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler is most often used for a highway authority reconstructing a corridor from drone imagery for design work in openroads, a survey firm delivering city-scale textured meshes to a municipal client for planning and visualisation, an engineering consultancy fusing terrestrial laser scans with drone photography of a bridge for condition assessment, a team publishing streamable 3d tiles of a construction site so stakeholders can view it in a browser. Of those, a highway authority reconstructing a corridor from drone imagery for design work in openroads and a survey firm delivering city-scale textured meshes to a municipal client for planning and visualisation are not what Rhino 3D is typically brought in for.
What can Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler do that Rhino 3D cannot?
Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler covers Aerial triangulation, Dense mesh reconstruction, Point cloud fusion, Orthophoto and DSM output. Rhino 3D covers NURBS modeling, Surface modeling, 3D visualization, Grasshopper.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler: Is ContextCapture discontinued?

The name is. The product continues as iTwin Capture Modeler within Bentley's iTwin family.

Rhino 3D: How much does Rhino 3D cost?

Student licenses cost EUR 195, commercial licenses cost EUR 995. Both are perpetual one-time purchases. Upgrades from prior versions cost EUR 95 for students and EUR 595 for commercial users.

Source
Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler: Does it still support a perpetual licence?

New buyers should expect subscription or consumption-based entitlements. Confirm the exact conversion path if you hold an older perpetual licence.

Rhino 3D: Is there a free trial?

Yes, a 90-day evaluation license is available free with no credit card required. Full features are included and commercial use is allowed.

Source
Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler: Can it process laser scan data as well as photographs?

Yes. It fuses point clouds with imagery in a single reconstruction.

Rhino 3D: Can Rhino 3D licenses be shared across multiple users?

Commercial versions support floating licenses that can be shared. Student licenses are limited to single-user perpetual licenses. All licenses include support and service releases.

Source
Bentley iTwin Capture Modeler: Do I need other Bentley software to use it?

No, output formats are usable elsewhere, but the commercial and workflow case is strongest if you already run MicroStation or OpenRoads.

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