Softwr

CAD · head to head

Mari vs FreeCAD

Mari logo

Mari

CAD

3D painting for film and games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FreeCAD logo

FreeCAD

CAD

Open-source parametric 3D CAD modeler

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mari the full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter; FreeCAD no pricing published; product is completely free and open-source
  • They diverge on capability: Mari covers High-resolution painting, FreeCAD covers Parametric modeling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mari and FreeCAD actually diverge.

Attributes where Mari and FreeCAD differ
AttributeMariFreeCAD
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Founded19962002

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), 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 Mari

  • High-resolution painting
  • UDIM support
  • Procedural layers
  • Baking
  • Node graph
  • Color management
  • Maya
  • Nuke

Only in FreeCAD

  • Parametric modeling
  • Part design
  • Assembly
  • Drafting
  • FEM simulation
  • Path/CAM
  • Architecture
  • BIM

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Mari

  • Painting textures directly onto high complexity 3D assets for film and gamesnot FreeCAD
  • Handling very large multi-UDIM texture sets in a look development pipelinenot FreeCAD

FreeCAD

  • Mechanical engineering designnot Mari
  • Architectural modellingnot Mari
  • Product design and prototypingnot Mari
  • CAM/CNC path generationnot Mari

Where each one falls short

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

Mari

  • The full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter
  • The cheap $299 per year or $35 per month subscription is restricted to a single licence for people working alone or in small companies
  • Node-locked and floating are separate licence types you must choose between
  • All listed prices are before applicable taxes
  • A separate non-commercial licence exists, so commercial use requires a paid tier

FreeCAD

  • No pricing published; product is completely free and open-source
  • Donations are optional and voluntary for project support

Pricing, plan by plan

Mari

Free
  • Individual Subscription$86/month
    • Solo artists or small companies
    • $689 per year alternative billing
  • Team Subscription$null/year
    • Node-locked or floating licenses
    • Annual payment
  • Team Rental$949/quarter
    • Short-term access
    • Node-locked or floating licenses

FreeCAD

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreeCAD review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Mari if

  • You need high-resolution painting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want udim support.
Mari review

Choose FreeCAD if

  • You need parametric modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want part design.
FreeCAD review

Questions people ask

Is Mari or FreeCAD better?
Neither clearly leads. Mari starts at Free and FreeCAD at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mari or FreeCAD?
Mari starts at Free and FreeCAD at Free.
Does Mari or FreeCAD run on more platforms?
Mari runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. FreeCAD runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Mari for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mari best used for?
Mari is most often used for painting textures directly onto high complexity 3d assets for film and games, handling very large multi-udim texture sets in a look development pipeline. Of those, painting textures directly onto high complexity 3d assets for film and games and handling very large multi-udim texture sets in a look development pipeline are not what FreeCAD is typically brought in for.
What can Mari do that FreeCAD cannot?
Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Baking. FreeCAD covers Parametric modeling, Part design, Assembly, Drafting. Both handle Windows support, MacOS support, Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mari: What is Mari's pricing?

Individual Subscription costs $689 per year or $86 per month. Team Subscription costs $1,289 per year. Team Rental costs $949 per quarter for short-term access. Both subscriptions support node-locked or floating licenses.

Source
FreeCAD: How much does FreeCAD cost?

FreeCAD is completely free with no licensing fees, vendor lock-in, sign-up requirements, paywalls, or restrictions. The software is open-source and available for anyone to use and adapt.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer a free trial?

Mari offers a free 30-day trial with unrestricted access to help users evaluate the software before purchasing.

Source
FreeCAD: Does FreeCAD offer optional support or sponsorship?

FreeCAD accepts voluntary donations to support the project. Sponsorship tiers range from $1 per month (Normal Sponsor) to $200 per month (Gold Sponsor), with different visibility levels. One-time donations of any amount are also accepted.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer student pricing?

Yes, Mari offers free or discounted access to all Foundry products for students, as well as free non-commercial licenses for learning and exploration.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Mari

More on FreeCAD

Keep looking

Other head to heads