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CAD · head to head

Mari vs HitFilm

Mari logo

Mari

CAD

3D painting for film and games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
H

HitFilm

Video Production

Video editor and 3D compositor in one application, now owned by Artlist

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; HitFilm editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.
  • They diverge on capability: Mari covers High-resolution painting, HitFilm covers Composite shots.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mari and HitFilm actually diverge.

Attributes where Mari and HitFilm differ
AttributeMariHitFilm
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, macOS
CategoryCADVideo Production
Founded1996Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Mari

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

Only in HitFilm

  • Composite shots
  • Particle simulator
  • Camera tracking
  • Keying
  • Text and titling
  • Export presets

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 HitFilm
  • Handling very large multi-UDIM texture sets in a look development pipelinenot HitFilm

HitFilm

  • Cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositornot Mari
  • Producing a YouTube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscriptionnot Mari
  • Learning compositing concepts on the free tier before committing to a paid effects toolnot Mari
  • Adding tracked 3D elements to live footage in a one-person productionnot 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

HitFilm

  • Editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.
  • The perpetual HitFilm Pro licence was retired after the Artlist acquisition, so long-standing owners who bought outright must subscribe to receive current versions.
  • Effects and add-on packs were historically sold separately, and archived projects can open with missing effects if the current plan does not cover them.
  • Performance falls off sharply on integrated graphics, so a machine that edits comfortably can still be unusable for the particle and 3D work that is the reason to choose HitFilm.
  • Colour management and delivery options are thinner than DaVinci Resolve, so any project with a broadcast or cinema deliverable ends up round-tripping to another application anyway.

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

HitFilm

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Editing and basic compositing
    • Limited export resolution
    • Limited effects set
  • Creator$undefined/month
    • Expanded effects
    • Higher export resolution
    • Additional export formats
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Full effects set
    • Highest export resolution
    • Advanced compositing and tracking

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 HitFilm if

  • You need composite shots.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want particle simulator.
HitFilm review

Questions people ask

Is Mari or HitFilm better?
Neither clearly leads. Mari starts at Free and HitFilm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mari or HitFilm?
Mari starts at Free and HitFilm at Free.
Does Mari or HitFilm run on more platforms?
Mari runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. HitFilm runs on Windows, macOS.
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 HitFilm is typically brought in for.
What can Mari do that HitFilm cannot?
Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Baking. HitFilm covers Composite shots, Particle simulator, Camera tracking, Keying.

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
HitFilm: Is HitFilm still free?

There is still a free tier with limited effects and export resolution. The perpetual Pro licence is gone; the paid tiers are subscriptions.

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
HitFilm: What hardware does it actually need?

A discrete GPU with adequate video memory. Integrated graphics will run the editor but stall on composite shots, particles and 3D layers.

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
HitFilm: Does the Artlist acquisition affect the software?

It puts HitFilm inside a stock media subscription business. The licence model changed after the acquisition, and the roadmap now serves that business.

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