Software · head to head
Octane Render vs Modo
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Octane Render studio+ is limited to 10 render nodes by default; 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
- They diverge on capability: Octane Render covers GPU rendering, Modo covers Polygon modeling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Octane Render and Modo actually diverge.
| Attribute | Octane Render | Modo |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 | 1996 |
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 Octane Render
- GPU rendering
- Unbiased rendering
- Out-of-core geometry
- AI denoising
- Network rendering
- Blender
- Maya
- Cinema 4D
Only in Modo
- Polygon modeling
- Subdivision surfaces
- Sculpting
- UV tools
- Procedural modeling
- Rendering
- Animation
- MeshFusion
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.
Octane Render
- GPU accelerated unbiased rendering from Blender, Cinema 4D, Maya or Houdininot Modo
- Network rendering across multiple GPU nodesnot Modo
- Producing photoreal stills and animation for product and archviz worknot Modo
Modo
- Polygon and subdivision surface modelling for media and entertainment assetsnot Octane Render
- Look development and rendering of product and character modelsnot Octane Render
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Octane Render
- Studio+ is limited to 10 render nodes by default
- Monthly billing costs 23.95 euro per month against 19.99 euro per month on the yearly plan
- Offline USB dongle support is restricted to annual subscriptions and the dongle costs an extra 49 euro
- The offline dongle must be updated every 4 months and blocks access to cloud features
- There is no free tier, only a demo version
- OctaneRender is GPU only, so hardware compatibility must be tested before purchase
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Octane Render
$29/month- Prime$19.99/month
- 1 GPU
- Studio$39.99/month
- 2 GPUs
Modo
$29/month- Indie$599/month
- Full Modo
- Revenue limit $100K
- Modo$1898/month
- Full commercial license
Which should you pick?
Choose Octane Render if
- You need gpu rendering.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- You also want unbiased rendering.
Choose Modo if
- You need polygon modeling.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- You also want subdivision surfaces.
Questions people ask
- Is Octane Render or Modo better?
- Neither clearly leads. Octane Render starts at $29/month and Modo at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Octane Render or Modo?
- Octane Render starts at $29/month and Modo at $29/month.
- Does Octane Render or Modo run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Octane Render best used for?
- Octane Render is most often used for gpu accelerated unbiased rendering from blender, cinema 4d, maya or houdini, network rendering across multiple gpu nodes, producing photoreal stills and animation for product and archviz work. Of those, gpu accelerated unbiased rendering from blender, cinema 4d, maya or houdini and network rendering across multiple gpu nodes are not what Modo is typically brought in for.
- What can Octane Render do that Modo cannot?
- Octane Render covers GPU rendering, Unbiased rendering, Out-of-core geometry, AI denoising. Modo covers Polygon modeling, Subdivision surfaces, Sculpting, UV tools. Both handle Unity, Unreal, Windows support, MacOS support.