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3D & CAD · head to head

Modo vs Inventor

Modo logo

Modo

3D & CAD

Creative 3D modeling and rendering

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Inventor logo

Inventor

3D & CAD

Professional-grade 3D mechanical design

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Modo foundry announced on November 7, 2024 that it is winding down development of Modo after the Modo 17.1 release, with no further feature or maintenance releases anticipated; Inventor autodesk publishes no licence price through UK G-Cloud: every listing found there is reseller delivered training at 750 to 1,500 pounds per day rather than software licensing, and neither AWS Marketplace nor GSA carries the product
  • They diverge on capability: Modo covers Polygon modeling, Inventor covers Parametric modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Modo and Inventor actually diverge.

Attributes where Modo and Inventor differ
AttributeModoInventor
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows
Founded19961982

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (3D & 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 Modo

  • Polygon modeling
  • Subdivision surfaces
  • Sculpting
  • UV tools
  • Procedural modeling
  • Animation
  • MeshFusion
  • Unity

Only in Inventor

  • Parametric modeling
  • Assembly design
  • Sheet metal
  • Simulation
  • Technical documentation
  • Frame generator
  • AutoCAD
  • Vault

Both cover

  • Rendering
  • License management
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Modo

  • Polygon and subdivision surface modelling for media and entertainment assetsnot Inventor
  • Look development and rendering of product and character modelsnot Inventor

Inventor

  • Mechanical designnot Modo
  • Product developmentnot Modo
  • Manufacturing documentationnot Modo

Where each one falls short

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

Modo

  • Foundry announced on November 7, 2024 that it is winding down development of Modo after the Modo 17.1 release, with no further feature or maintenance releases anticipated
  • Support continues only until each customer's current contract term expires
  • Foundry does not guarantee that Modo will keep working on future operating system updates because no patches will be issued, and recommends customers migrate to alternative 3D workflows
  • Perpetual licences keep working but receive no further updates, bug fixes or support
  • The Modo forums closed in December 2024 and downloads, docs and the support knowledgebase were committed only until November 2025

Inventor

  • Autodesk publishes no licence price through UK G-Cloud: every listing found there is reseller delivered training at 750 to 1,500 pounds per day rather than software licensing, and neither AWS Marketplace nor GSA carries the product

Pricing, plan by plan

Modo

$29/month
  • Indie$599/month
    • Full Modo
    • Revenue limit $100K
  • Modo$1898/month
    • Full commercial license

Inventor

$29/month
  • Inventor$2085/month
    • Full mechanical design
    • Simulation
    • Documentation
  • Product Design & Manufacturing Collection$2475/month
    • Inventor + AutoCAD + more

Which should you pick?

Choose Modo if

  • You need polygon modeling.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want subdivision surfaces.
Modo review

Choose Inventor if

  • You need parametric modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want assembly design.
Inventor review

Questions people ask

Is Modo or Inventor better?
Neither clearly leads. Modo starts at $29/month and Inventor at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Modo or Inventor?
Modo starts at $29/month and Inventor at $29/month.
Does Modo or Inventor run on more platforms?
Modo runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Inventor runs on Windows.
What is Modo best used for?
Modo is most often used for polygon and subdivision surface modelling for media and entertainment assets, look development and rendering of product and character models. Of those, polygon and subdivision surface modelling for media and entertainment assets and look development and rendering of product and character models are not what Inventor is typically brought in for.
What can Modo do that Inventor cannot?
Modo covers Polygon modeling, Subdivision surfaces, Sculpting, UV tools. Inventor covers Parametric modeling, Assembly design, Sheet metal, Simulation. Both handle Rendering, License management, Windows support.
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