Blender vs Autodesk Maya
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and integrations.
Quick Verdict
Blender offers fewer features (41 vs 54). Starting price: Blender at Contact Sales vs Autodesk Maya at Free. Blender has 40 unique features while Autodesk Maya has 53 unique features, with 1 features in common.
| Blender | Autodesk Maya | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Design & Prototyping | Design & Prototyping |
| Total Features | 41 | 54 |
| AI-Powered Features | 0 | 2 |
| Starting Price | Contact Sales | Free |
| Pricing Tiers | 0 | 5 |
| Integrations | 11 | 11 |
| Shared Features | 1 | |
| Shared Integrations | 0 | |
| Data Quality | 65% | 95% |
Feature Comparison by Category
API (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Render API Access |
Animation (0 vs 11)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Cached Playback | ||
| Deformers | ||
| Dope Sheet | ||
| Graph Editor | ||
| Keyframe Animation | ||
| Machine Learning Deformer | ||
| Motion Capture Animation | ||
| Motion Trails | ||
| MotionMaker | ||
| Nonlinear Animation | ||
| Time Editor |
Animation & Rigging (5 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| B-spline Interpolated Bones | ||
| Curve Editor and Dope Sheets | ||
| Custom Bone Shapes | ||
| Envelope, Skeleton and Automatic Skinning | ||
| Sound Synchronization |
Extensibility (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Community Add-ons |
Integration (0 vs 3)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Live Link | ||
| Flow Production Tracking Integration | ||
| Unreal Live Link |
Interface (4 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Customizable Colors and Fonts | ||
| Customizable Interface Layout | ||
| Hi-res/Retina Screen Support | ||
| OpenGL Viewport Drawing |
Look Development (0 vs 6)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Arnold Integration | ||
| Color Management | ||
| LookdevX | ||
| LookdevX Graph Editor | ||
| MaterialX Data Structures | ||
| Native USD and MaterialX Material Authoring |
Modeling (8 vs 5)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Painting with Textured Brushes and Masking | ||
| Curves Modeling | ||
| Edge Slide, Inset, Grid and Bridge Fill | ||
| Full N-Gon Support | ||
| Geometry Nodes | ||
| Modeling Tools | ||
| NURBS Modeling | ||
| Polygonal Modeling | ||
| Retopology | ||
| Sculpting Toolset | ||
| Smart Extrude | ||
| UV Editing and Toolkit | ||
| UV Mapping |
Pipeline (1 vs 3)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Flow Animating in Context | ||
| Pipeline Integration | ||
| Plug-In Manager | ||
| Python 3 Scripting |
Rendering (5 vs 8)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Arnold Shaders | ||
| Arnold USD | ||
| CPU & GPU Rendering | ||
| Cameras | ||
| Cycles Render Engine | ||
| Denoising | ||
| GPU and CPU Rendering | ||
| Integrated Arnold Renderer | ||
| Lights | ||
| OpenColorIO v2 | ||
| PBR Shaders & HDR Lighting Support | ||
| Real-time Viewport Preview | ||
| VR Rendering Support |
Rigging (0 vs 4)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Modular and Procedural Rigging | ||
| Retargeting | ||
| Skeletons | ||
| Skinning |
Scripting (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Python Scripting |
Sculpting (2 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Sculpting Tools and Brushes | ||
| Multi-resolution and Dynamic Subdivision |
Simulation (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Simulation Tools |
Simulation & Effects (0 vs 6)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Bifrost Graph | ||
| Bifrost Simulation and Effects | ||
| Geometry Nodes | ||
| Procedural USD | ||
| Ready-to-use Templates | ||
| Scattering and Instancing |
Story Art (5 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| 2D Drawing in 3D Viewport | ||
| Combine 2D with 3D in Viewport | ||
| Full Animation Support with Onion Skinning | ||
| Layers & Colors for Stroke and Fill | ||
| Sculpt Brush Strokes & Parent to 3D Objects |
VFX (6 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Auto and Manual Tracking | ||
| Camera and Object Motion Tracking | ||
| Masking and Compositing | ||
| Planar Tracking and Tripod Solvers | ||
| Powerful Camera Reconstruction | ||
| Real-time Preview of Tracked Footage and 3D Scene |
Video Editing (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Video Editing |
Workflow (0 vs 8)
| Feature | Blender | Autodesk Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Customization | ||
| Lightweight Previews | ||
| Maya USD Plug-in | ||
| Native OpenUSD Support | ||
| OpenUSD Support | ||
| OpenUSD in the Viewport | ||
| Scene Assembly | ||
| Seamless USD Import and Export |
Unique Features
Only in Blender (40)
B-spline Interpolated Bones
Curve Editor and Dope Sheets
Custom Bone Shapes
Envelope, Skeleton and Automatic Skinning
Sound Synchronization
Render API Access
Community Add-ons
Customizable Colors and Fonts
Customizable Interface Layout
Hi-res/Retina Screen Support
OpenGL Viewport Drawing
3D Painting with Textured Brushes and Masking
Curves Modeling
Edge Slide, Inset, Grid and Bridge Fill
Full N-Gon Support
Modeling Tools
Retopology
UV Mapping
Pipeline Integration
CPU & GPU Rendering
+ 20 more unique features
Only in Autodesk Maya (53)
Cached Playback
Deformers
Dope Sheet
Graph Editor
Keyframe Animation
Machine Learning Deformer
Motion Capture Animation
Motion Trails
MotionMaker
Nonlinear Animation
Time Editor
Adobe Live Link
Flow Production Tracking Integration
Unreal Live Link
Arnold Integration
Color Management
LookdevX
LookdevX Graph Editor
MaterialX Data Structures
Native USD and MaterialX Material Authoring
+ 33 more unique features
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