Are you considering getting into CG animation, but unsure which (major) animation software is best for you?
We’ve taken a comprehensive look at the top three CG animation software and their best use-case scenarios. By the end of this post, you’ll be ready to pick the best software for you.
What’s the Main Difference Between 3ds Max, Blender, and Maya?
First, it’s important to note that all three programs—3ds Max, Blender, and Maya—are comprehensive animation tools. Each one can handle modeling, animation, special effects, and more. However, each has its strengths, weaknesses, and specialties regarding the different animation functions.
Here’s a brief overview of each software:
Packed with texturing and sculpting tools, 3ds Max is often used for 3D architectural designs, product models, and character modeling. It’s also relatively easy for beginners to learn, making it a popular choice for smaller studios and advertising agencies. However, many large studios have also used 3ds Max to develop visuals for projects such as Avatar, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Blender is primarily used for animating. It is open-sourced and free to use, which has resulted in a massive user base. Its functionality is relatively straightforward compared to the other two programs, and there are many online tutorials available, making it easy to pick up.
Because it’s free, Blender is widely used by students, hobbyists, startups, and smaller studios around the world. However, it is still not used in the pipeline of many larger studios. To see what Blender can do, check out their latest open movie—a film produced entirely with Blender—here.
While Maya is a very good all-round software, its biggest strengths are animation and rigging. It is also the current industry standard used by professionals and studios around the world like Disney and Electronic Arts. Although it can be challenging to find as much online support as Blender has, most animation and game studios require experience in Maya. So, if your goal is to work in the industry, starting with Maya is a wise choice.
Want to learn more? Check out our Maya Animation course
A complete course for animating with the industry-leader software Maya. It includes over 30 video lessons that will take you from scratch to animating your first scene. We cover setting up your shot, keyframing, motion paths, and much more.
3ds, Blender, and Maya in Summary
While all three programs—3ds Max, Blender, and Maya—can handle tasks like sculpting, animating, and creating special effects, their performance and ease of use can vary, whether you end up using one over the other may come down to personal preference or studio requirements.
However, if you’re looking for a program to start with, here is our basic recommendation:
- For sculpting: Choose 3ds Max
- For learning animation: Choose Blender to get up and running quickly with tons of online tools and support
- For industry readiness: Choose Maya, because it’s the industry standard
- For testing the waters with CG: Choose Blender, because it’s free
Want to learn more? Check out our Blender Animation course
This course is designed for aspiring animators and professionals alike who are interested in honing their craft using Blender. A true masterclass from one of YouTube's most popular Blender animators.
Other Popular Programs
While 3ds Max, Blender, and Maya have reigned long as the most popular, and capable CG animation software, dozens of others have climbed the ranks in recent years, particularly those that specialize in special effects like particle systems and motion graphics.
Today, CG artists need to learn various software to stay competitive and produce high-quality projects. For example, an artist working in Maya might also need to be familiar with Houdini for creating special effects.
Below are a few additional popular programs and what they are used for:
Owned by Maxon, Cinema 4D is a comprehensive cg animation software (modeling, texturing, est.) best known for creating motion graphics and special effects. Some examples of projects developed in Cinema 4D include ‘The Polar Express,’ ‘Pacific Rim,’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame.’
Houdini is most commonly used as a CG special effects software to simulate complex particle systems like rain, explosions, or fire. Developed by SideFX in Toronto, Houdini is used by all major animation studios like Disney, Pixar, and Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Unreal Engine is a real-time graphics game engine developed by Epic Games. While it’s most often used for game development, many television and film studios also utilize Unreal Engine’s capabilities to create highly rendered animatics and sophisticated special effects. The ‘Mandarlorian,’ and ‘Westworld’ are two series that did this.
Released in 1999, ZBrush is a digital sculpting software used widely across the industry for character design, creature modeling, and digital sculpting. It’s been used to develop games like ‘The Last of Us,’ and ‘Assassins Creed.’
