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Animation · head to head

Blender vs Lumion

Blender logo

Blender

Animation

Free and Open Source 3D Creation Suite

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lumion logo

Lumion

3D & CAD

Architectural visualization made easy

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Blender has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blender rendering performance lags behind dedicated render engines; Lumion enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures
  • They diverge on capability: Blender covers 3D modeling, Lumion covers Real-time rendering.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blender and Lumion actually diverge.

Attributes where Blender and Lumion differ
AttributeBlenderLumion
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, LinuxWindows
CategoryAnimation3D & CAD
Founded20021998

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 Blender

  • 3D modeling
  • Sculpting
  • Animation
  • Rigging
  • Rendering
  • Compositing
  • Video editing
  • 2D animation

Only in Lumion

  • Real-time rendering
  • Content library
  • Effects
  • Video animation
  • VR export
  • LiveSync
  • Revit
  • SketchUp

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Blender

  • 3D modeling and animationnot Lumion
  • Visual effectsnot Lumion
  • Game developmentnot Lumion
  • Architectural visualization
  • Video editingnot Lumion

Lumion

  • Architectural visualization
  • Client presentationsnot Blender

Both are used for architectural visualization, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Blender

  • Rendering performance lags behind dedicated render engines
  • Limited real-time viewport performance for very large scenes

Lumion

  • Enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures

Pricing, plan by plan

Blender

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Blender review.

Lumion

$29/month
  • Standard$1499/month
    • Core features
  • Pro$2999/month
    • Full features
    • More content

Which should you pick?

Choose Blender if

  • You need 3d modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want sculpting.
Blender review

Choose Lumion if

  • You need real-time rendering.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want content library.
Lumion review

Questions people ask

Is Blender or Lumion better?
Neither clearly leads. Blender starts at Free and Lumion at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blender or Lumion?
Blender has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Blender and $29/month for Lumion.
Does Blender or Lumion run on more platforms?
Blender runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Lumion runs on Windows.
Can I use Blender for free?
Yes. Blender has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lumion starts at $29/month.
What is Blender best used for?
Blender is most often used for 3d modeling and animation, visual effects, game development, architectural visualization. Of those, 3d modeling and animation and visual effects are not what Lumion is typically brought in for.
What can Blender do that Lumion cannot?
Blender covers 3D modeling, Sculpting, Animation, Rigging. Lumion covers Real-time rendering, Content library, Effects, Video animation. Both handle Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blender: Can I use Blender commercially for free?

Yes. Blender is distributed under the GNU GPL license, meaning it is completely free to use for any purpose, including commercially or for education, with no licensing fees or restrictions.

Source
Blender: What operating systems does Blender support?

Blender is cross-platform and runs equally well on Linux, Windows, and Macintosh computers.

Source
Blender: Can I extend Blender's functionality?

Yes. Blender has a flexible Python-controlled interface and you can use hundreds of add-ons by the community or create your own using Blender's accessible Python API.

Source
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