Software Alternatives & Reviews

Thingiverse VS GrabCAD

Compare Thingiverse VS GrabCAD and see what are their differences

Thingiverse logo Thingiverse

Thingiverse.com is the place to share digital designs for fabricating real, physical objects.

GrabCAD logo GrabCAD

Helping mechanical engineers build great products faster
  • Thingiverse Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-09
  • GrabCAD Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-14

Thingiverse videos

3D Printing A Coin Sorter! [Thingiverse Print Review]

More videos:

  • Review - 3D Printing A Crossbow! [Thingiverse Print Review]
  • Review - 3D Printed Working Wrench! [Thingiverse Print Review]

GrabCAD videos

Grabcad Workbench Beta Review

More videos:

  • Review - GrabCAD Review : Best Website for Engineers | Biggest Community of Designers
  • Review - GrabCAD Platform

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Thingiverse and GrabCAD)
3D Modeling
77 77%
23% 23
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
Digital Fabrication
73 73%
27% 27
Online Services
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Thingiverse and GrabCAD

Thingiverse Reviews

Top 10 3D Model Databases: The Best Sites to Download 3D Models for 3D Printing
Thingiverse is probably one of the biggest and most popular databases. It has a very active maker community behind it and offers free-to-use STL files only. You don’t even need to open an account in order to download a 3D model from their site. Sometimes the database can seem slightly less organized than the cleaner and simpler design of sites like Pinshape and Cults.

GrabCAD Reviews

Top 10 3D Model Databases: The Best Sites to Download 3D Models for 3D Printing
GrabCAD is different than the databases we have looked at so far. Firstly, GrabCad provides you with technical, engineering, and scale models only. Secondly, it lets you filter its database based on the 3D modeling software that the designs were created in. It’s the place to be for anyone looking for more than 27,000 technical 3D files. However, take into account that this...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Thingiverse seems to be a lot more popular than GrabCAD. While we know about 227 links to Thingiverse, we've tracked only 22 mentions of GrabCAD. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Thingiverse mentions (227)

  • How can I improve the sound?
    Since I don't live in the forest, the instrument's high volume was always a big problem, it came with a bundle of standard wooden reeds (2.5). I did some research and found that with a softer and thinner reed you need less air to create the vibration and therefore can play at a lower volume. I found “full range alto saxophone reed” on thingiverse.com and printed a (1.5) reed with PETG. It really worked, the volume... Source: 5 months ago
  • Ender 3 printer for my 13 yr old?
    There are millions of free designs on printables.com and thingiverse.com and other sites. There is certainly no need to buy models. Commercial models do exist but they are usually highly elaborate decorative pieces. Source: 5 months ago
  • How I made a cool T-Rex Carving - workflow
    I found a 3D model of a T-Rex on thingiverse.com that I liked. I used The T-Rex Skull by MakerBot - Thingiverse. This method lets you use any 3D model. Source: 8 months ago
  • How i keep my kaico from committing workn't
    This is the solution that worked for me. I found a bracket on thingiverse.com and printed it at work. Source: 10 months ago
  • Suddenly tech support for dad
    Then, head over to a site that hosts 3D print files like thingiverse.com or printables.com to download .STL files.You'll want something super simple at first, like a low poly model. Nothing complicated. Source: 10 months ago
View more

GrabCAD mentions (22)

  • Found a beat up Cosmos 1000 in a charity shop, and turned it into my first home server build.
    I used grabcad to get the models for those - I'm definitely not that good at modelling myself yet. Source: 11 months ago
  • Best ways to learn Fusion?
    You can also go to grabcad.com and download some sample files and try to recreate them. Source: about 1 year ago
  • DIY Musgrave 9Para with Glock 17 magazine
    So I would like to share and discuss the idea with you - and further improve and simplify the model with your suggestions. The 3d model can be found in grabcad.com with "musgrave resurrection". Source: over 1 year ago
  • Does anyone knows where to get iPhone14 Pro max STL?
    You can try grabcad.com they tend to carry similar files for people to use. Phones, cameras, 3d printers, general machinery and the like. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Grandpa’s reaction to grandsons 3D printer
    Bro I got a 3d printer last week, literally never touched one before. I'm using Fusion 360 to model stuff, which is free for personal use, and there's a bunch of tutorials on Youtube. There's a huge library of 3d-printable stuff on https://grabcad.com. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Thingiverse and GrabCAD, you can also consider the following products

Cults 3D - Cults is a marketplace that connects designers and people who want to 3D print some objects.

MyMiniFactory - MyMiniFactory is the world’s leading curated platform for 3D printable objects.

Wikifactory - Engineer the future with Wikifactory. Wikifactory unifies teams in real-time, enabling efficient communication, streamlined workflows, and accelerated time-to-market.

Thangs3D - Thangs3D is an online community for engineers and visual designers that provides unlimited downloads of 3D models and CAD designs.

PhotoStudy - Stuck on a Math or Science Problem? Get Help From an Expert Tutor in Seconds!

Hero Mini Maker - Build fantasy miniatures using over 800 stylized parts.