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CAD · head to head

Nomad Sculpt vs SolveSpace

Nomad Sculpt logo

Nomad Sculpt

CAD

Digital sculpting on tablets, bought once, with no account and no subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SolveSpace

CAD

Open source parametric CAD with a constraint solver in a few megabytes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SolveSpace has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Nomad Sculpt polygon budgets are bounded by tablet memory, so a base-model device stalls at a fraction of the detail a desktop sculpting application handles, and the ceiling only becomes apparent once a sculpt is well underway.; SolveSpace the in-house geometry kernel fails on complex boolean operations and fillets, and the failure is sometimes silent bad geometry rather than an error message, so models must be checked before export or manufacture.
  • They diverge on capability: Nomad Sculpt covers Voxel remesh, SolveSpace covers Constraint solver.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nomad Sculpt and SolveSpace actually diverge.

Attributes where Nomad Sculpt and SolveSpace differ
AttributeNomad SculptSolveSpace
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (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 Nomad Sculpt

  • Voxel remesh
  • Multiresolution
  • Dynamic topology
  • Layers
  • PBR painting
  • Internal renderer

Only in SolveSpace

  • Constraint solver
  • Solid modelling
  • Assemblies
  • Export formats
  • Cross-platform
  • Small footprint

What people use each for

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

Nomad Sculpt

  • Producing concept sculpts away from a workstation without carrying a laptopnot SolveSpace
  • Creating 3D printing masters on a tablet and exporting STL directlynot SolveSpace
  • Teaching sculpting fundamentals where per-seat desktop licences are not affordablenot SolveSpace
  • Sketching character and creature forms that are finished later in a desktop packagenot SolveSpace

SolveSpace

  • Designing 3D printed parts on a machine that cannot run mainstream CADnot Nomad Sculpt
  • Teaching constraint-based parametric modelling without buying licences for a classroomnot Nomad Sculpt
  • Checking that a mechanical linkage moves as intended before cutting metalnot Nomad Sculpt
  • Producing dimensionally accurate STEP or STL output from a small open source toolchainnot Nomad Sculpt

Where each one falls short

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

Nomad Sculpt

  • Polygon budgets are bounded by tablet memory, so a base-model device stalls at a fraction of the detail a desktop sculpting application handles, and the ceiling only becomes apparent once a sculpt is well underway.
  • One developer maintains it, so a bug that blocks your workflow waits on one person with no support channel to escalate through.
  • There is no serious retopology or UV unwrapping toolset, so anything destined for a game or animation pipeline has to leave for a desktop package regardless.
  • Rendering is presentation grade rather than production grade, so client-facing images generally need an export to a desktop renderer.
  • Sculpt layers and brushes are application-specific and the route out is OBJ, glTF or STL, so layered non-destructive data does not survive the transfer to another tool.

SolveSpace

  • The in-house geometry kernel fails on complex boolean operations and fillets, and the failure is sometimes silent bad geometry rather than an error message, so models must be checked before export or manufacture.
  • There is no proper drawing and dimensioning workflow, so manufacturing documentation has to be produced in another application.
  • Development is volunteer-led and intermittent; long gaps between releases are normal and there is no support contract available at any price.
  • Assembly-level import of external CAD is very limited, so it does not fit a supply chain that exchanges native or assembly-level models with suppliers.
  • The interface follows its own conventions rather than mainstream CAD ones, so existing SolidWorks or Fusion users spend time unlearning habits for a tool with a lower ceiling.

Pricing, plan by plan

Nomad Sculpt

On request
  • Nomad Sculpt$undefined/year
    • Perpetual licence through the app store
    • No account or subscription
    • Updates included to date

SolveSpace

Free
  • SolveSpaceFree
    • Full application under the GPL
    • No seat limit
    • Windows, macOS and Linux builds

Which should you pick?

Choose Nomad Sculpt if

  • You need voxel remesh.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want multiresolution.
Nomad Sculpt review

Choose SolveSpace if

  • You need constraint solver.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want solid modelling.
SolveSpace review

Questions people ask

Is Nomad Sculpt or SolveSpace better?
Neither clearly leads. Nomad Sculpt starts at On request and SolveSpace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nomad Sculpt or SolveSpace?
SolveSpace has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Nomad Sculpt and Free for SolveSpace.
Does Nomad Sculpt or SolveSpace run on more platforms?
Nomad Sculpt runs on iOS, Android. SolveSpace runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use SolveSpace for free?
Yes. SolveSpace has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nomad Sculpt starts at On request.
What is Nomad Sculpt best used for?
Nomad Sculpt is most often used for producing concept sculpts away from a workstation without carrying a laptop, creating 3d printing masters on a tablet and exporting stl directly, teaching sculpting fundamentals where per-seat desktop licences are not affordable, sketching character and creature forms that are finished later in a desktop package. Of those, producing concept sculpts away from a workstation without carrying a laptop and creating 3d printing masters on a tablet and exporting stl directly are not what SolveSpace is typically brought in for.
What can Nomad Sculpt do that SolveSpace cannot?
Nomad Sculpt covers Voxel remesh, Multiresolution, Dynamic topology, Layers. SolveSpace covers Constraint solver, Solid modelling, Assemblies, Export formats.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Nomad Sculpt: Is it a subscription?

No. It is a one-time app store purchase with no account and no cloud service behind it.

SolveSpace: Is it really free for commercial work?

Yes. It is released under the GPL with no licence fee and no seat limit. Support is community only.

Nomad Sculpt: Which tablet should I buy for it?

Buy for memory rather than for processor. Sculpt detail is limited by RAM, so a higher-memory model raises the ceiling more than a faster chip does.

SolveSpace: Can it replace Fusion 360 or SolidWorks?

No. It handles parts and simple assemblies well. Complex geometry, drawings and supply chain interoperability are outside its range.

Nomad Sculpt: Can it replace ZBrush?

For sculpting itself it goes a long way. For high-density production sculpts, retopology, UVs and pipeline integration it does not.

SolveSpace: What hardware does it need?

Very little. It runs on old laptops and small Linux machines where mainstream CAD will not start.

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