Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Thingiverse VS Hackster

Compare Thingiverse VS Hackster and see what are their differences

Thingiverse logo Thingiverse

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

Hackster logo Hackster

Hackster is a community dedicated to learning hardware.
  • Thingiverse Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-09
  • Hackster Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-04

Thingiverse features and specs

  • Large User Community
    Thingiverse boasts a large and active user community, which ensures a steady influx of new designs and models. This can be beneficial for users looking for a variety of 3D printable objects.
  • Free to Use
    Thingiverse is free to use, which makes it accessible for hobbyists, educators, and professionals alike, without any subscription fees or costs tied to downloads.
  • Extensive Library
    The platform offers a vast library of 3D models across various categories, making it easy to find designs that meet your specific needs or interests.
  • Search and Filter Options
    Thingiverse provides comprehensive search and filtering options, enabling users to quickly find designs based on popularity, date added, category, and other criteria.
  • Community Engagement
    Users can engage with the community through features such as comments, likes, and collections, fostering a collaborative environment where feedback and improvements are common.

Possible disadvantages of Thingiverse

  • Quality Variability
    Due to the open nature of the platform, the quality of designs can vary dramatically. Some models may require significant modifications or may not be printable at all.
  • Slow Website Performance
    Some users report that the website can be slow or experience downtime, which can be frustrating when looking for files or uploading new designs.
  • Intellectual Property Concerns
    There have been instances of intellectual property violations, where users upload designs without proper attribution or permission from the original creators.
  • Limited File Formats
    Thingiverse primarily supports STL files, and while it does support other formats to some extent, the emphasis on STL can be limiting for users who prefer other formats.
  • User Interface
    The user interface can be somewhat outdated and clunky, making it less intuitive for new users to navigate and find the resources they need.

Hackster features and specs

  • Community Engagement
    Hackster provides a platform for community interaction, facilitating shared learning and collaboration between project creators and users.
  • Diverse Project Range
    The platform hosts a wide variety of projects across different domains, catering to users with varying interests and skill levels.
  • Learning Resources
    Hackster offers numerous tutorials and guides that can help beginners learn new skills and improve their technical knowledge.
  • Access to Open Source Projects
    Users can access and contribute to open-source projects, enhancing collaboration and innovation within the tech community.
  • Networking Opportunities
    The platform allows users to connect with industry professionals and hobbyists, potentially leading to collaboration and career opportunities.

Possible disadvantages of Hackster

  • Quality Variability
    The quality of projects and tutorials can vary widely, with some offerings lacking depth or clear instruction.
  • Overwhelming for Beginners
    The sheer volume of content and advanced projects can be overwhelming for newcomers who may not know where to start.
  • Reliance on User Contributions
    The platform largely relies on user contributions, which might lead to inconsistency and gaps in the topics covered.
  • Limited Vetting Processes
    Projects and tutorials aren't always thoroughly vetted, meaning users may encounter outdated or incorrect information.
  • Commercial Bias
    Some projects and resources may be influenced by commercial sponsorships, which can affect the objectivity of the content.

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]

Hackster videos

HACKSTER (LV 100) - EL GRAN IMIGBOSS!! 😁 - Monster Legends Review

More videos:

  • Review - EL RATON HACKSTER LV 100 - Monster Legends
  • Review - Monster Legends - Hackster Review, Level 1 to 100

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Thingiverse and Hackster)
3D Modeling
100 100%
0% 0
Digital Fabrication
64 64%
36% 36
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
Additive Manufacturing
0 0%
100% 100

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 Hackster

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.

Hackster Reviews

We have no reviews of Hackster yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Thingiverse should be more popular than Hackster. It has been mentiond 227 times since March 2021. 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: over 1 year 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: over 1 year 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: over 1 year 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: almost 2 years 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: almost 2 years ago
View more

Hackster mentions (26)

  • A powerful AR Cyberdeck that fits into your pocket!
    You'll find on our website a lot of info regarding this laptop + we are working on a Hackster.io page to share our journey through devlogs :). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Broken Samsung charger
    Note that I could not find much documentation on references written on these components and that I am pretty new to electronics but it's something I'm interested in and I love to experiment (I have already went through hackster.io and instructables.com tutorials). Source: about 2 years ago
  • Single NeoPixel Micro Device w/ Rechargeable Battery Possible?
    Something like the Gemma M0 or one of the Feather boards would work pretty well depending on what kind of connectivity you want. They both have JST connectors to connect a rechargable battery and the Gemma already has a single NeoPixel onboard. The Learn section on Adafruit or hackster.io both have excellent guides on running projects with either board. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What to do during down time
    I say this because learning Python and R are cool, but learning them in a traditional academic framework might not be as fulfilling or as productive as looking up some of the wild projects on hackaday.com, hackster.io, and instructables.com. If you start looking at these, they can really broaden your lens of what is possible, while at the same time offering projects that are more fun than rote coding exercises. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Starting my Journey
    The website https://randomnerdtutorials.com has a lot of good stuff to get you going. A lot of the more advanced projects are on https://hackster.io. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Thingiverse and Hackster, 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.

Teach by Mozilla - The Mozilla Learning Network

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

Instructables - DIY How To Make Instructions

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

HackADay - Hackaday.io is a platform for people who like to build things.