Autodesk 3ds Max vs. Storyboard That

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Autodesk 3ds Max
Score 8.2 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk offers 3ds Max, 3D modeling and rendering software for design visualization, games, and animation. The vendor states that users can produce professional-quality 3D animations, renders, and models with an efficient and flexible toolset to help create better 3D content in less time.
$235
per month per user
Storyboard That
Score 4.6 out of 10
N/A
Storyboard That helps users to create storyboards and graphic organizers with a browser-based Storyboard Creator. It includes a customizable art library that features drag and drop characters, scenes, and props and users can select from 6 different layouts.
$9.99
per month
Pricing
Autodesk 3ds MaxStoryboard That
Editions & Modules
Monthly Subscription
$235
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$1875
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$5625
3 years per user
For Teachers
$9.99
per month
For Work
$24.99
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Autodesk 3ds MaxStoryboard That
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsFlex pricing available for limited usage. Minimum plan $300 for 100 tokens. 3ds Max costs 6 tokens per day.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Autodesk 3ds MaxStoryboard That
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Autodesk 3ds MaxStoryboard That
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User Ratings
Autodesk 3ds MaxStoryboard That
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(0 ratings)
4.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Autodesk 3ds MaxStoryboard That
Likelihood to Recommend
Scenarios where Autodesk 3ds Max is well suited: 1. Modeling less complex geometries. 2. For beginners it is good, meshes, poly's, vertexes etc can be easily understood. 3. Easy UI and interoperability. Scenarios where it is less appropriate: 1. Inbuild Rendering (Scanline) can be made better. 2. Performance over low end/Old Pc's need refinement. 3. Bulky Size on disk. 4. Animation is the area which can be made better also.
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If you're trying to quickly create a high volume of simple scenes to communicate an action or scenario, Storyboard That will meet the basic need without requiring a lot of learning time. This software would also likely be a simple solution for anyone who needs scene templates, icons, or other elements. Though I've primarily used Storyboard That for personal use in film projects, I could also see how the stock images might be helpful in my professional role as a Product Manager for creating visuals to illustrate user personas and user stories.
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Pros
  • V-Ray 3ds Max is an awesome third-party plugin for architecture renders in 3ds Max.
  • Complicated models can be made in a simple way in 3ds Max also P-particles, M flow works better then before.
  • Interface is very easy to use. Very open, attractive, and very much ease of use for new users.
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  • Drag & drop interface is quick to learn and simple to use.
  • A wide range of prefabricated elements such as scenes, characters, shapes, etc.
  • The pricing plans are straightforward for different user segments.
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Cons
  • working in 2d is very frustrating and unreliable. It just lacks the precision
  • How scaling affects units (or doesn't) There needs to be a way for modifiers to address a change of scale in the object.
  • Booleans are not intuitive. Especially for architecture, creating an opening and putting a door or a window is an incredibly cumbersome process.
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  • Some of the items have built-in editing capabilities (i.e., changing the sky color in a background), but others can barely be edited, and the distinction isn't apparent.
  • The visual style of the site seems dated and "clunky".
  • Doesn't integrate with any other programs.
  • Poorly optimized for mobile: the options are hard to access, button sizes are inconsistent, etc.
  • Some aspects of the site navigation aren't intuitive, like how to exit out of search results.
  • No ability to change angles or perspective; everything is completely flat.
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Likelihood to Renew
It satisfies 95% of my 3d visualization need. The left over 5% is handled by a few other programs. If Max just can't perform a specific task I can do that elsewhere and then bring it back to Max to finish up. But, it's rare that this occurs in my work
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No answers on this topic
Usability
It is a very difficult program to learn to use and even harder to use well. But once you get to using it it is a great software package to know how to use. Getting to be good at using it takes lots of use.
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No answers on this topic
Support Rating
I have contacted support many times and have had a good experience. They have always been helpful
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No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
I use Blender, Maya is expensive learned it once but about the same as 3ds Max, just more expensive. Blender is great, open source and hard to learn, but work it. But since I have so much experience in 3ds Max it is my go to software.
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No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
  • Having to take comments on and re-render a set of single multi-camera shots wastes a lot of time, as there is also an error "batch render." Slows down my completion of a job, even for the most minor image updates.
  • Not being able to offer my freelance/contractor services period in-house on studios that are exclusively Mac. They don't even offer Autodesk 3ds Max as an option because they have never been able to see it in action. Huge loss of potential hires, with my 33year 3DStudio/Autodesk 3ds Max experience
  • When most current version is needed I jump onto the subscription temporarily and this eats severely into my profits. As clients want lower and lower prices with international and AI competition. Especially when I know many International houses for a fact use pirated 3D software.
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  • Quick visual communication tool saves time on cross-team planning.
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ScreenShots