About Autodesk Maya Autodesk Maya, Maya, annual subscription per user $2,010 USD a year
≈$2,865.66 CAD (converted from USD)
Every pick below has a free version.
Key file formats .ma .mb .fbx .obj Filter alternatives 2 alternatives
Windows2 macOS2 Linux2
Open source1 Free tier1
No account needed1
Tool License Platforms Status
Top pick 1 tool The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
1 Bl
Best for a free all-purpose 3D suite
License: Open source
Status: Unknown
MOV MOV: opens and saves, full fidelity. Video through FFmpeg MP4 MP4: opens and saves, full fidelity. Video through FFmpeg FBX FBX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Meshes, rigs and animation carry over; materials are simplified OBJ OBJ: opens and saves, full fidelity PNG PNG: opens and saves, full fidelity +2 more , 0 people switched from Autodesk Maya to Blender Blender for changes Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Maya scene files (.ma, .mb) do not open in Blender, so move work through FBX, Alembic or USD.
Situational 1 tool Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
2 Ho
Best for procedural effects and simulation work
License: Free tier
Status: Verified Oct 7, 2026 FBX FBX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Geometry and animation exchange; SideFX does not document Apprentice export limits OBJ OBJ: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Geometry exchange; SideFX does not document Apprentice export limits ABC ABC: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Alembic caches are supported; SideFX does not document Apprentice export limits , 0 people switched from Autodesk Maya to Houdini Houdini for changes Houdini Apprentice is free for non-commercial work only. It is a different tool from Maya, so expect a steep learning curve. Free version: Apprentice is free for non-commercial work. Renders cap at 1920x1080 and are watermarked, with its own file format.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
Feature parity How each alternative covers what people use Autodesk Maya for. Numbers link to editor notes.
Feature parity with Autodesk Maya Feature Blender Houdini Modeling Polygon and subdivision modeling Note 1Procedural modeling is strong; direct polygon editing is less immediate Animation Rigging, skinning and constraints Note 2Armatures, weight painting and constraints; rig conventions and tools differ from Maya's Note 3KineFX rigging uses a different, node-based approach Keyframe animation and graph editor Note 4Dope Sheet, Graph Editor and NLA Note 5Animation is possible, but the app is built around procedural work Effects Cloth, fluid and particle simulation Note 6Cloth, fluid, smoke and particle systems are built in Note 7Pyro, FLIP fluids, Vellum cloth and rigid bodies are included Rendering Built-in production renderer Note 8Cycles and EEVEE; Arnold is not included Note 9Apprentice renders are capped at 1920x1080 and watermarked Pipeline Python scripting and plug-in API Note 10Full Python API, but Maya scripts and plug-ins do not carry over Note 11Python and VEX scripting USD, Alembic and FBX interchange Note 12Reads and writes USD, Alembic and FBX; studio pipeline tooling is thinner Note 13Native USD workflow; Alembic and FBX supported Parity score 86% 71%
Houdini, Polygon and subdivision modeling: Procedural modeling is strong; direct polygon editing is less immediate Blender, Rigging, skinning and constraints: Armatures, weight painting and constraints; rig conventions and tools differ from Maya's Houdini, Rigging, skinning and constraints: KineFX rigging uses a different, node-based approach Blender, Keyframe animation and graph editor: Dope Sheet, Graph Editor and NLA Houdini, Keyframe animation and graph editor: Animation is possible, but the app is built around procedural work Blender, Cloth, fluid and particle simulation: Cloth, fluid, smoke and particle systems are built in Houdini, Cloth, fluid and particle simulation: Pyro, FLIP fluids, Vellum cloth and rigid bodies are included Blender, Built-in production renderer: Cycles and EEVEE; Arnold is not included Houdini, Built-in production renderer: Apprentice renders are capped at 1920x1080 and watermarked Blender, Python scripting and plug-in API: Full Python API, but Maya scripts and plug-ins do not carry over Houdini, Python scripting and plug-in API: Python and VEX scripting Blender, USD, Alembic and FBX interchange: Reads and writes USD, Alembic and FBX; studio pipeline tooling is thinner Houdini, USD, Alembic and FBX interchange: Native USD workflow; Alembic and FBX supported File formats Can each alternative open and save Autodesk Maya files?
Opening and saving Autodesk Maya files Format Blender Houdini .ma Note 1Export FBX or OBJ from Maya first Note 2Maya scene files do not open in Houdini .mb Note 3Export FBX or OBJ from Maya first Note 4Maya scene files do not open in Houdini .fbx Note 5Meshes, rigs and animation carry over; materials are simplified Note 6Geometry and animation exchange; SideFX does not document Apprentice export limits .obj Note 7Geometry exchange; SideFX does not document Apprentice export limits
Blender, .ma: Export FBX or OBJ from Maya first Houdini, .ma: Maya scene files do not open in Houdini Blender, .mb: Export FBX or OBJ from Maya first Houdini, .mb: Maya scene files do not open in Houdini Blender, .fbx: Meshes, rigs and animation carry over; materials are simplified Houdini, .fbx: Geometry and animation exchange; SideFX does not document Apprentice export limits Houdini, .obj: Geometry exchange; SideFX does not document Apprentice export limits Switching saves about $2,010 USD / ≈$2,866 CAD (estimated from the USD price) a year. Prices checked Oct 7, 2026 ; ≈ means converted from USD.
Based on Maya, annual subscription per user. Price source . USD to CAD at 1.4257 as of Oct 7, 2026.
Autodesk Maya is a product of Autodesk, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Autodesk Maya: Windows, macOS, Linux.