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CAD · head to head

Rhino 3D vs Zoo

Rhino 3D logo

Rhino 3D

CAD

3D computer graphics and CAD application

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoo logo

Zoo

CAD

Cloud CAD with a scripting language and a geometry engine exposed as an API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Rhino 3D windows-only for certain features including 3D digitizing hardware support; Zoo the geometry engine runs entirely in Zoo's cloud and there is no offline mode, so an aircraft, a customer site with no guest wifi or an outage stops modelling work completely.
  • They diverge on capability: Rhino 3D covers NURBS modeling, Zoo covers KCL scripting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rhino 3D and Zoo actually diverge.

Attributes where Rhino 3D and Zoo differ
AttributeRhino 3DZoo
Pricing modelone-timePer user per month
PlatformsWindows, Mac, iOSWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, API
Founded1980Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Rhino 3D

  • NURBS modeling
  • Surface modeling
  • 3D visualization
  • Grasshopper
  • Rendering
  • Grasshopper
  • KeyShot
  • V-Ray

Only in Zoo

  • KCL scripting
  • Design Studio
  • Design API
  • Zookeeper agent
  • Format conversion
  • Open source client

What people use each for

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

Rhino 3D

  • NURBS-based 3D modelling for product design and engineeringnot Zoo
  • Precision engineering and prototyping (aerospace, automotive, jewellery)not Zoo
  • Generative design with Grasshopper visual programmingnot Zoo
  • Mesh editing and point cloud processingnot Zoo

Zoo

  • A hardware startup that wants part models reviewed in pull requests alongside firmwarenot Rhino 3D
  • A software team generating thousands of parametric part variants programmatically rather than by handnot Rhino 3D
  • A SaaS product that needs to render and convert customer CAD files without licensing a geometry kernelnot Rhino 3D
  • An engineer who models occasional brackets and enclosures and does not want a four figure annual seatnot Rhino 3D

Where each one falls short

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

Rhino 3D

  • Windows-only for certain features including 3D digitizing hardware support
  • Performance depends on hardware capabilities; complex projects require better equipment
  • Pre-release/Work-in-Progress builds may contain bugs and are not production ready

Zoo

  • The geometry engine runs entirely in Zoo's cloud and there is no offline mode, so an aircraft, a customer site with no guest wifi or an outage stops modelling work completely.
  • STEP and SLDPRT import are still labelled experimental, which means the most common way of receiving a supplier or customer model is the least reliable path into the tool.
  • Drawing production, GD&T and tolerance annotation are far behind SolidWorks, Creo and NX, so most users still need a second package to release a manufacturing drawing.
  • Zookeeper is billed in reasoning minutes rather than per seat, so a team cannot forecast next month's bill from headcount the way it can with conventional CAD subscriptions.
  • The open source label applies only to the Design Studio client; the kernel that does the modelling is closed and hosted, so forking the repository does not give you a product you can run yourself.

Pricing, plan by plan

Rhino 3D

Free
  • EvaluationFree
    • 90-day trial
    • All features included
    • No credit card required
  • Student License$195/mo
    • Perpetual license
    • Support included
    • Service releases
  • Commercial License$995/mo
    • Perpetual license
    • Support included
    • Service releases
  • Student Upgrade$95/mo
    • Perpetual license
    • Requires prior license key
    • Support included

Zoo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Design Studio access
    • About 20 minutes of Zookeeper reasoning per month
    • Around $10 of API calls included
  • Plus$20/month
    • Roughly 400 Zookeeper minutes per month
    • Pay as you go beyond the allowance
    • Design Studio and API access
  • Pro$99/month
    • Unlimited Zookeeper reasoning
    • Higher API allowance
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Rhino 3D if

  • You need nurbs modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, iOS.
  • You also want surface modeling.
Rhino 3D review

Choose Zoo if

  • You need kcl scripting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, API.
  • You also want design studio.
Zoo review

Questions people ask

Is Rhino 3D or Zoo better?
Neither clearly leads. Rhino 3D starts at Free and Zoo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rhino 3D or Zoo?
Rhino 3D starts at Free and Zoo at Free.
Does Rhino 3D or Zoo run on more platforms?
Rhino 3D runs on Windows, Mac, iOS. Zoo runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, API.
Can I use Rhino 3D for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Rhino 3D best used for?
Rhino 3D is most often used for nurbs-based 3d modelling for product design and engineering, precision engineering and prototyping (aerospace, automotive, jewellery), generative design with grasshopper visual programming, mesh editing and point cloud processing. Of those, nurbs-based 3d modelling for product design and engineering and precision engineering and prototyping (aerospace, automotive, jewellery) are not what Zoo is typically brought in for.
What can Rhino 3D do that Zoo cannot?
Rhino 3D covers NURBS modeling, Surface modeling, 3D visualization, Grasshopper. Zoo covers KCL scripting, Design Studio, Design API, Zookeeper agent.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rhino 3D: How much does Rhino 3D cost?

Student licenses cost EUR 195, commercial licenses cost EUR 995. Both are perpetual one-time purchases. Upgrades from prior versions cost EUR 95 for students and EUR 595 for commercial users.

Source
Zoo: Is Zoo the same company as KittyCAD?

Yes. KittyCAD renamed itself Zoo; the GitHub organisation is still KittyCAD and the scripting language KCL keeps the old initials.

Rhino 3D: Is there a free trial?

Yes, a 90-day evaluation license is available free with no credit card required. Full features are included and commercial use is allowed.

Source
Zoo: Can I use Zoo without an internet connection?

No. The geometry engine is a cloud service, so Design Studio needs a live connection to model anything.

Rhino 3D: Can Rhino 3D licenses be shared across multiple users?

Commercial versions support floating licenses that can be shared. Student licenses are limited to single-user perpetual licenses. All licenses include support and service releases.

Source
Zoo: Is Design Studio free?

There is a genuine free tier with a small monthly allowance of AI reasoning and API calls. Paid plans start at $20 per month.

Zoo: Can I replace SolidWorks with Zoo?

Not for drawing release, large assemblies or GD&T. Teams typically use Zoo for programmatic part generation and keep an established package for production documentation.

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