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CAD · head to head

Mari vs Nuke

Mari logo

Mari

CAD

3D painting for film and games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nuke logo

Nuke

Video Production

Node-based compositing used as the standard in feature film and episodic visual effects

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mari has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Nuke nuke Indie caps output resolution, blocks command-line and farm rendering, limits plugins to Indie-enabled versions and writes scripts that commercial Nuke will not open, so nothing built on it transfers into a studio pipeline.
  • They diverge on capability: Mari covers High-resolution painting, Nuke covers Deep compositing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mari and Nuke actually diverge.

Attributes where Mari and Nuke differ
AttributeMariNuke
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCADVideo Production
Founded1996Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), 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
  • Color management
  • Maya
  • Nuke
  • Katana

Only in Nuke

  • Deep compositing
  • 3D system
  • Camera tracker
  • Python API
  • Nuke Studio

Both cover

  • Node graph

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

Nuke

  • Compositing effects shots to a facility specification where deep data and OpenEXR handling are assumednot Mari
  • Integrating rendered 3D elements into live plates with a solved cameranot Mari
  • Building automated shot setups through Python for a pipeline handling hundreds of shotsnot Mari
  • Conforming and reviewing an episodic sequence in a single application with Nuke Studionot 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

Nuke

  • Nuke Indie caps output resolution, blocks command-line and farm rendering, limits plugins to Indie-enabled versions and writes scripts that commercial Nuke will not open, so nothing built on it transfers into a studio pipeline.
  • The tools most artists consider essential, including the camera tracker and particle system, sit in NukeX rather than base Nuke, so the practical seat cost is well above the entry tier.
  • The node graph rewards convention and punishes improvisation; without enforced naming and structure standards, scripts become impossible for anyone but their author to pick up mid-project.
  • Facility-standard third-party plugin sets are licensed per seat on top of the application and can approach the cost of the host application again.
  • Interactive work at 4K and above depends on large RAM and fast local storage; a workstation that cannot hold the cache turns every parameter change into a wait.

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

Nuke

On request
  • Nuke$undefined/year
    • Node-based compositing
    • Deep compositing
    • Python API
  • NukeX$undefined/year
    • Everything in Nuke
    • Camera tracker
    • Particle system and additional toolsets
  • Nuke Studio$undefined/year
    • Everything in NukeX
    • Timeline, conform and shot management
  • Nuke Indie$undefined/year
    • Restricted output resolution
    • No command-line rendering
    • Indie-enabled plugins only

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 Nuke if

  • You need deep compositing.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want 3d system.
Nuke review

Questions people ask

Is Mari or Nuke better?
Neither clearly leads. Mari starts at Free and Nuke at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mari or Nuke?
Mari has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mari and On request for Nuke.
Does Mari or Nuke run on more platforms?
Mari runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Nuke runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Mari for free?
Yes. Mari has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nuke starts at On request.
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 Nuke is typically brought in for.
What can Mari do that Nuke cannot?
Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Baking. Nuke covers Deep compositing, 3D system, Camera tracker, Python API. Both handle Node graph.

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
Nuke: Is Nuke Indie a cheap way to learn before joining a studio?

It is fine for learning the interface and concepts, but its scripts do not open in commercial Nuke and it blocks farm rendering, so treat it as a separate product rather than a smaller licence.

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
Nuke: Do I need NukeX?

If your work involves camera tracking, particles or the advanced toolsets, yes. Base Nuke covers compositing itself but not those.

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
Nuke: Can it replace After Effects?

For film and episodic effects work, it is the other way round. For motion graphics and design-led animation, After Effects remains the better fit.

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