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FreeCAD vs Mari

FreeCAD logo

FreeCAD

Software

Open-source parametric 3D CAD modeler

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mari logo

Mari

Software

3D painting for film and games

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FreeCAD has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: FreeCAD no vendor support or professional services available; community-driven support only; Mari the full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter
  • They diverge on capability: FreeCAD covers Parametric modeling, Mari covers High-resolution painting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreeCAD and Mari actually diverge.

Attributes where FreeCAD and Mari differ
AttributeFreeCADMari
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20021996

Identical on both: 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 FreeCAD

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

Only in Mari

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

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

FreeCAD

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

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

Where each one falls short

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

FreeCAD

  • No vendor support or professional services available; community-driven support only
  • Requires users to self-host and maintain the software; no cloud version available

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

Pricing, plan by plan

FreeCAD

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreeCAD review.

Mari

$29/month
  • Mari$1906/month
    • Full features

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Mari if

  • You need high-resolution painting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want udim support.
Mari review

Questions people ask

Is FreeCAD or Mari better?
Neither clearly leads. FreeCAD starts at Free and Mari at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreeCAD or Mari?
FreeCAD has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FreeCAD and $29/month for Mari.
Does FreeCAD or Mari run on more platforms?
FreeCAD runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Mari runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use FreeCAD for free?
Yes. FreeCAD has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mari starts at $29/month.
What is FreeCAD best used for?
FreeCAD is most often used for mechanical engineering design, architectural modelling, product design and prototyping, cam/cnc path generation. Of those, mechanical engineering design and architectural modelling are not what Mari is typically brought in for.
What can FreeCAD do that Mari cannot?
FreeCAD covers Parametric modeling, Part design, Assembly, Drafting. Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Baking. Both handle Windows support, MacOS support, Linux support.
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