Autodesk 3ds Max review

3ds Max is Autodesk's modeling-first package, and it still animates characters well enough for many game and visualization teams. Autodesk's overview highlights Biped and the Character Animation Toolkit for building human-like skeletons, adding extra bones for non-human rigs or accessories, skinning and assigning animations. The Modifier Stack lets artists revisit earlier steps with parametric control, Smart Extrude, Booleans and ReForm handle modeling and retopology, and Arnold integration covers rendering. A plugin architecture brings in tools such as tyFlow, thinkingParticles and ForestPack, and OpenUSD helps exchange scenes with other software. The catch for animators is value: 3ds Max starts at the same $168 per month billed annually as Maya, yet Autodesk describes Maya as the product known for animation. Choose 3ds Max if your studio already models and renders in it and needs character animation alongside that work.

Who it is for

game and visualization artists working on Windows

Price

From $168 per month billed annually; free trial available.

3ds Max Starting at $168 / month
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Biped and Character Animation Toolkit (CAT) for rigging characters
• Extra bones for non-human rigs or accessories, plus skinning
• Modifier Stack for revisiting and refining steps with parametric control
• Arnold rendering integration with Arnold RenderView
• OpenUSD integration and a plugin architecture for tools such as tyFlow

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Built-in CAT and Biped setups speed up humanoid rigs
• Strength: Large plugin ecosystem, including tyFlow, thinkingParticles and ForestPack
• Strength: Smart Extrude, Booleans and ReForm retopology for modeling characters and props
• Weakness: Same $168 per month starting price as Maya, with a smaller animation toolset
• Weakness: No free plan beyond the trial
• Weakness: Autodesk positions Maya, not 3ds Max, as its animation-first product

Key facts

• Starting price: $168 per month billed annually
• Character tools: Biped and CAT
• Renderer: Arnold integration

Where it ranks

Autodesk 3ds Max is No. 9 in our Best 3D Animation Software verdict and No. 9 in Best 3D Modeling Software.