Systems2 of 8
Licence8 of 33
Modelling tools24 of 38
Formats6 of 6
Price8 of 15
3D modeling program · Robert McNeel & Associates
Rhino 3D
NURBS modeler sold as a one-off licence for Windows and Mac, with Grasshopper and a 90-day evaluation.
In short
- A commercial single-user Rhino 8 licence costs €9951.
- The vendor says all purchased licences are permanent and do not expire, with no maintenance fees1.
- Spread over 36 months, the one-off price comes to about €27.64 a month1.
- A full version can be tried once for 90 days2.
- Students and faculty pay €195, not free1.
Rhino suits people who want NURBS and SubD modeling, Grasshopper and a licence they keep, on Windows or Mac1,3. The 90-day evaluation is long, and exports cover FBX, OBJ, glTF, STL, USD and STEP2,4. The catch: no free version, no Linux, web or iPad edition, and prices are shown in euros1,3.
Best for: Designers who want precise curve and surface modeling and prefer to buy once.
Where the points come from
Systems 2 of 8 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Other systems | macOSThe features page says Rhino is available on Windows and macOS only3. | 2 / 8 |
Licence 8 of 33 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free version without a time limit | NoThe buy page lists paid licences; the download page offers only a 90-day evaluation1,2. | 0 / 10 |
| Free version allowed for paid work | NoThere is no free version to use for paid work1. | 0 / 6 |
| One-off licence you keep | YesBuy page: "All purchased licenses are permanent and do not expire"1. | 8 / 8 |
| Open source | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's buy or features pages1,3. | 0 / 5 |
| Free licence for students | NoStudents and faculty pay €195 for a licence; that is a discount, not free1. | 0 / 4 |
Modelling tools 24 of 38 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Precise curve and solid modeling | YesFeatures page: Rhino can create and edit NURBS curves, surfaces and solids3. | 5 / 5 |
| Digital sculpting | Not publishedNot published on the features page, which lists SubD and mesh editing but no sculpting brushes3. | 0 / 5 |
| Node-based procedural modeling | YesFeatures page: Grasshopper, a graphical algorithm editor, is included with Rhino3. | 5 / 5 |
| Rigging and animation | Not publishedNot published on the features page. Bongo, a separate paid add-on, covers animation1,3. | 0 / 5 |
| Physics simulation | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page3. | 0 / 4 |
| UV unwrapping | YesFeatures page lists UV mapping with a floating UV Editor and unwrapping algorithms3. | 4 / 4 |
| Built-in ray-traced renderer | YesRhino comes with the Rhino Render raytracing engine built in5. | 5 / 5 |
| Scripting and add-ons | YesDeveloper site documents RhinoCommon, Rhino.Python and a plug-in SDK6. | 5 / 5 |
Formats 6 of 6 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in export formats | FBX, OBJ, glTF, STL, USD, STEPFile-format table shows save and export for all six on Windows and Mac; USD export only4. | 6 / 6 |
Price 8 of 15 points
The rule behind each line: how we score 3D modeling programs.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial1 user | €9951 | – | Permanent licence; support and service releases included |
| Students or faculty1 student or faculty member | €1951 | – | Same as commercial, not transferable |
Prices are in euros before tax; the vendor says international prices may vary. Upgrades from a previous version cost €5951.
Strengths
- One-off licence: purchased licences are permanent and do not expire1.
- A full version can be evaluated for 90 days2.
- Lists NURBS curves, surfaces and solids, SubD, a UV editor and Rhino Render3.
- Grasshopper graphical algorithm editor is included with Rhino3.
- Exports FBX, OBJ, glTF, STL, USD and STEP on Windows and Mac4.
Limits
- No free version; the buy page lists only paid licences1.
- Windows and macOS only; no Linux, web or iPad edition is named3.
- The buy page shows prices in euros only1.
- Upgrading to a new major version costs extra, from €5951.
- The features page names no mesh sculpting, physics simulation or bones-and-timeline rigging3.
Other 3D modeling programs
- 1
BlenderAnyone who wants full 3D tools for paid work at no cost80/100$0cheapest way to use it for paid work - 2
HoudiniArtists who want procedural, node-driven modeling and simulation72/100$24.92/mocheapest way to use it for paid work - 3
FreeCADPeople who want free, scriptable solid modeling for designed parts50/100$0cheapest way to use it for paid work - 5
Cinema 4DMotion designers who want modeling, animation and rendering in one subscription48/100Not publishedcheapest way to use it for paid work
Sources
- Buy Rhino 8, McNeel. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Download Rhino, McNeel. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Rhino features, McNeel. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Rhino file formats, McNeel. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Rhino rendering, McNeel. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Rhino developer tools, McNeel. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar, European Central Bank. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Website: www.rhino3d.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Robert McNeel & Associates.