Maxon’s Cinema 4D has been around for a long time and is highly regarded in the worlds of motion graphics, visualisation and illustration. Download a free trial of Cinema 4D (opens in new tab).The free version gives you access to virtually all of the features from the award-winning Houdini FX, meaning you can really develop your skills. There's the full-featured Houdini Indie too, which provides an affordable commercial option for smaller studios.

Thankfully, SideFX offers Houdini Apprentice, a free version of Houdini FX, which can be used by students, artists and hobbyists on personal non-commercial projects.

Like Maya, Houdini's power and non-standard workflow can be tricky to get the hang of. You can see more reasons we rate this software so highly in our Houdini review. When testing, we found that its problem-solving capabilities were leagues ahead of other 3D software, with the ability to rewire feeling incredibly natural, a big plus point for the software. This nodal workflow isn’t for everyone, but Houdini also has some more traditional tools which allow you to directly interact with the polygons on screen. Its node-based procedural approach offers artists unprecedented power, flexibility and control. SideFX's Houdini is responsible for creating a range of 3D imagery across the CG industry.

Download Houdini Apprentice (free version) (opens in new tab).

Maya 3d software