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Modo vs Substance 3D Designer

Modo logo

Modo

Software

Creative 3D modeling and rendering

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substance 3D Designer logo

Substance 3D Designer

Software

Node-based material authoring

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; Substance 3D Designer as of a 1 January 2023 archived capture, Adobe Substance 3D Designer is not sold standalone; it requires the Substance 3D Collection subscription plan at US$49.99 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Modo covers Polygon modeling, Substance 3D Designer covers Node-based workflow.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Modo and Substance 3D Designer actually diverge.

Attributes where Modo and Substance 3D Designer differ
AttributeModoSubstance 3D Designer
Founded19961982

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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
  • Rendering
  • Animation
  • MeshFusion

Only in Substance 3D Designer

  • Node-based workflow
  • Procedural generation
  • PBR materials
  • Patterns
  • Filters
  • Custom nodes
  • MDL export
  • Painter

Both cover

  • Unity
  • Unreal
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux 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 Substance 3D Designer
  • Look development and rendering of product and character modelsnot Substance 3D Designer

Substance 3D Designer

  • Material creationnot Modo
  • Procedural texturesnot 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

Substance 3D Designer

  • As of a 1 January 2023 archived capture, Adobe Substance 3D Designer is not sold standalone; it requires the Substance 3D Collection subscription plan at US$49.99 per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Modo

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

Substance 3D Designer

$29/month
  • Substance 3D Collection$49.99/month
    • All Substance apps

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 Substance 3D Designer if

  • You need node-based workflow.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want procedural generation.
Substance 3D Designer review

Questions people ask

Is Modo or Substance 3D Designer better?
Neither clearly leads. Modo starts at $29/month and Substance 3D Designer at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Modo or Substance 3D Designer?
Modo starts at $29/month and Substance 3D Designer at $29/month.
Does Modo or Substance 3D Designer run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Substance 3D Designer is typically brought in for.
What can Modo do that Substance 3D Designer cannot?
Modo covers Polygon modeling, Subdivision surfaces, Sculpting, UV tools. Substance 3D Designer covers Node-based workflow, Procedural generation, PBR materials, Patterns. Both handle Unity, Unreal, Windows support, MacOS support.
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