What is Blender?
Blender is a free desktop app for making 3D art, animation and visual effects. You can model and sculpt objects, unwrap and paint textures, rig and animate characters, track camera footage for visual effects, and render finished images and films. It also includes compositing and video editing tools.
Blender is licensed under the GNU GPL and owned by its contributors, so it stays free for any use, including commercial work. It is developed by the Blender Foundation and its community, and is funded by donations. A large ecosystem of tutorials, add-ons and asset marketplaces has grown around it.
Main Features
- Modeling, sculpting and UV tools
- The Cycles path tracing render engine with CPU and GPU support
- Rigging and animation tools
- Camera and object tracking for VFX
- 2D drawing in the 3D viewport for story art
- Compositing and a built-in video editor
- Python scripting and add-ons
- Free and open source on Windows, Mac and Linux
How to Get Started with Blender
- Open blender.org and click Download.
- Install Blender for your system.
- Open it and start with the default cube scene.
- Follow a beginner tutorial to learn the interface.
- Render your first image.
Blender Pricing
Blender is completely free and open source, for personal and commercial work. The Blender Foundation asks for optional donations to fund development.
Who Should Use It?
- 3D artists and animators
- Indie game developers making 3D assets
- Students learning 3D and visual effects
- Product designers and architects making renders
- Video creators who need effects and editing
Blender Alternatives
- Spline is a 3D design tool that runs in the browser.
- Meshy AI makes 3D models from text or images.
- Tripo3D AI turns text and pictures into 3D models.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blender free?
Yes. Blender is free and open source, forever, and you can use it for commercial work.
What can I make with Blender?
3D models, sculptures, animations, visual effects, renders, and even edited videos.
Which systems does Blender run on?
Blender runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Is Blender an AI tool?
No. Blender is a traditional 3D creation app that you control yourself.