Thingiverse has long been the dominant player when it comes to sharing and finding 3D printable designs. However, there are now many excellent Thingiverse alternatives for sourcing free and paid 3D models.
In this guide, we’ll explore the top sites to use instead of Thingiverse, including both broad marketplaces and specialized platforms for architecture, miniatures, cosplay, and other niches.
Why Consider Thingiverse Alternatives?
Thingiverse established itself early as the go-to place for 3D printing models. But users have grown frustrated with:
- Buggy site performance and lack of updates
- Overly restrictive licensing terms
- Poor moderation allowing stolen designs
- Tedious non-commercial limits
The good news is new platforms have emerged offering improved features, bigger model libraries, and more flexibility for makers. Here are the best Thingiverse alternatives to try.
Top Thingiverse Replacements
Here are 10 sites that rival or improve upon Thingiverse for sourcing 3D printable designs:
1. MyMiniFactory
With over 100,000 models, MyMiniFactory focuses on tabletop gaming, cosplay, and pop culture. Paid premium designs are allowed. The site is polished and easy to use.
2. CGTrader
CGTrader offers close to a million free and paid 3D model assets spanning gaming, architecture, technology, and more. Quality is hit or miss but content volume is unmatched.
3. Cults3D
Cults3D features gorgeous curated 3D models at reasonable prices. There are also plenty of free designs. The site is beautifully designed and a pleasure to browse.
4. Pinshape
Pinshape provides both free and premium 3D models. It has a smaller collection than some competitors but very high quality designs from leading community members.
5. Yeggi
Yeggi is a search engine compiling models from many sites. It’s a great starting point to see if a model already exists before designing your own. Results quality varies.
6. Thangs
Thangs offers over 400,000 3D printable objects. The site is well organized by category making it easy to quickly find models. Both free and paid options available.
7. GrabCAD
With over 4 million CAD models, GrabCAD is geared more toward engineers but does have a growing library of 3D printable community designs to peruse.
8. 3D ContentCentral
Run by Stratasys, this site provides free professional grade 3D models for manufacturing, architecture, medical, and other industries. Registration required to access files.
9. Clara.io
Clara.io is cloud-based 3D modeling software that includes a public library of designs. It also allows uploading your own models to share.
10. MakerBot Thingiverse
Yes, even Thingiverse itself offers strengths like a huge user base and compatibility with many printers that alternatives can’t match yet. Still worth browsing alongside newer sites.
With this diverse range of Thingiverse alternatives, you’re sure to find inspiring free and paid 3D models for your next print.
Criteria for the Best Thingiverse Replacements
When evaluating alternatives to Thingiverse for sourcing print files, here are the key criteria to consider:
- Model quality – Are designs well-modeled for 3D printing with Manifold geometry?
- File formats – Does the site support common model files like .STL, .OBJ, .STEP?
- Model library – Are there enough free and/or paid models to suit your needs? Does the collection keep growing?
- Search and filters – Can you easily find models by keyword, category, or other filters?
- Usage terms – Are licensing terms clearly specified? What usage is allowed?
- Community features – Can users interact, provide feedback, showcase prints? Is there moderation?
- Site functionality – Is the platform well-designed, easy to navigate, and stable? Are there apps?
- Downloads and prints – Are models easy to download? Do they reliably slice and print as expected?
Evaluating Thingiverse alternatives against these criteria helps identify the best fit for your particular 3D modeling and printing needs.
Specialized Thingiverse Competitors
Beyond general 3D model platforms, specialized Thingiverse alternatives exist for specific interests:
- 3D Printed Tabletop – STL files for tabletop gaming miniatures and terrain.
- Printables – Focused on functional prints and STEM education models. Now owned by Prusa.
- Nasa 3D Resources – Over 1,000 3D models released by NASA into the public domain.
- Sketchfab – Massive repository of 3D models, many printable or convertible to STL with paid subscription.
- TurboSquid – High-quality commercial 3D models, many requiring payment to access STL files.
- CGArchives – Curated architecture models including houses, bridges, and other structures.
- My Mini Factory – Hub for tabletop gaming files, cosplay, and figurines.
- Hero Forge – Customizable RPG miniatures which can be purchased and downloaded.
Don’t limit your search to general sites. Check out niche model platforms for your particular printing interests as well.
Which Thingiverse Alternative is Best Overall?
With so many sites to choose from, which Thingiverse alternative offers the best overall option?
For those seeking a polished easy-to-use platform combined with a large model selection spanning free, paid, and premium formats, MyMiniFactory and Cults3D emerge as two of the top contenders.
MyMiniFactory boasts a superb interface, focus on gaming/pop culture prints, and loyal community. Cults3D features a stunning design, curated models, and fair pricing. Both sites are well-moderated and frequently add fresh content.
However, there’s merit to nearly all major Thingiverse competitors mentioned. Evaluate each based on the criteria listed andbookmark your top sites. With the multitude of options now available in 2023, makers have no shortage of places to source 3D printable designs outside of Thingiverse.
Tips for Finding Great 3D Models
Here are some final tips for leveraging Thingiverse alternatives to find great 3D printable models:
- Browse by category then filter by model type, price, file format, etc. to narrow down options.
- Search across multiple sites to compare model selection and quality.
- Read user feedback and examine photos of printed models before downloading.
- Favor sites with active user communities, commenting, and remixing features.
- Be prepared to pay for premium designs with maximum printability and legal usage rights.
- Download a few models from any new site and test print before fully committing.
- Don’t limit yourself just to Thingiverse. Mix up your sources for the greatest model variety.
With an open mind and a bit of exploration, you’re sure to find Thingiverse alternative sites that meet your 3D printing needs. Happier printing ahead!
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