Best Thingiverse Alternatives (+ Comparison Table)

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Martin has a M.Sc. in physics and has gained many years of experience in industry as a lab manager and quality assurance manager. He has now tested dozens of 3D printers and is happy to share the collected experience with each new article.

Comparison Table

Platform	Library Size	Type of Models	Free/Paid Models	Unique Features
Thingiverse	Very Large	Both FDM & SLA (Focus on FDM)	Free	Vast community, wide variety of models
Cults	Large	Both FDM & SLA	Both	High-quality designs, designer monetization
MyMiniFactory	Large	Both FDM & SLA (Focus on SLA)	Both	Quality-checked models, designer community
Printables	Large	Both FDM & SLA	Free	Prusa integration, model quality focus
Thangs	Moderate	Both FDM & SLA	Both	3D model search engine, geometric search
MakerWorld	Growing	FDM	Both	DIY projects, community-driven content
CrealityCloud	Moderate	Both FDM & SLA	Both	Printer integration, brand-specific models
Make it Real	Emerging	Educational, FDM	Free	Educational focus, real-world problem solving
CGTrader	Very Large	Both FDM & SLA	Both	Professional 3D models, broad marketplace

Comparison table with different categories between alternative websites to Thingiverse.

Platform Spotlights

Cults

Cults stands out as a premier destination for designers and enthusiasts in the 3D printing community, seamlessly bridging creativity with commerce through its user-friendly platform. This is our top Thingiverse alternative.

Focus on Quality and Creativity: Cults is renowned for its curated selection of high-quality 3D models, catering to both FDM and SLA printers.
Free and Premium Models: Offers a diverse mix of free stl files and paid files, enabling designers to monetize their work while providing users with a wide range of options.
Designer-Centric Platform: Encourages direct support and interaction between users and designers, including donations and follow features.
Community Engagement: Hosts design challenges and contests to foster community involvement and showcase creativity.
Multilingual Support: Accessible in several languages, making it a global platform for 3D printing enthusiasts and designers alike.
Secure Payment System: Ensures safe transactions for buying models, supporting various payment methods for user convenience.

Cults not only serves as a repository of 3D printable files but also as a vibrant community for those passionate about bringing digital creations to life, emphasizing the artistry behind 3D printing.

MyMiniFactory

MyMiniFactory is my first stop for highly detailed 3D files for Resin 3D pritners and is one of the best Thingiverse alternatives in that regard. It prioritizes creativity, inclusivity, and sustainability, offering a vast collection of STL files suitable for a wide array of applications, from gaming and cosplay to professional projects.

Focus on Consumers: Primarily caters to consumers with interests in gaming, cosplay, and general hobbies, featuring a majority of free content along with premium options.
Ease of Use: Offers an intuitive platform for downloading 3D printable files, fostering a strong community spirit through collaboration and sharing of designs.
Support for Designers: While there are a lot of free files, you mainly find paid models. This encourages designers by offering paid options for STL files, with 90% of purchases directly benefiting the designers.
MMF+ Program: Provides additional benefits and discounts through its subscription program, supporting the platform’s sustainability efforts and STL file contributors.
Guaranteed 3D Printable Models: Each file is vetted for printability through software and community testing, boasting over 1 million downloadable files.
Competitions and Crowdfunding: Hosts design competitions and crowdfunding campaigns, including notable projects like Scan The World, further enriching its community and offerings.

Printables

Printables is a vibrant hub for 3D printing enthusiasts, offering a wide array of free, community-contributed 3D printable files, with a strong focus on quality and usability.

Community-Driven: A platform built around user contributions, fostering a supportive and engaging community.
Quality Control: Emphasizes high-quality models with reviews and ratings from users to ensure reliability.
Diverse Library: Features a broad spectrum of models, from educational tools to intricate hobbyist projects.
User-Friendly Interface: Designed for easy navigation, making finding and sharing 3D models straightforward.
Integration with Prusa Printers: Offers seamless compatibility and special features for Prusa 3D printer owners, though all models are universally accessible.

Thangs

Thangs provides a unique space for 3D enthusiasts and professionals to explore, share, and collaborate on 3D models, leveraging powerful search functionalities and community features.

Advanced Search Options: Users can search for 3D models by text, category, or by uploading a geometric shape, making it easier to find specific designs or similar models.
Customizable Search Results: Thangs allows personalization of search results by model types, file types (with 42 3D print file options), and whether to show images, renders, or both.
Collaboration and Feedback: The platform encourages communication and collaboration among users, who can offer and receive feedback on 3D models, and facilitates a dynamic environment to share files and insights.
Popular and Trending Models: Users can explore popular models by timeframe (week, month, year, all-time) or check out the latest uploads and most downloaded models.
Pre-Organized Categories: For those looking for inspiration or specific categories, Thangs offers an “EXPLORE” tab with pre-organized categories such as Animals, Arts & Entertainment, and more.

MakerWorld

MakerWorld, launched by Bambu Lab, represents an innovative leap in simplifying the 3D printing process, aiming to create a seamless, user-friendly experience from model selection to final print.

One-Step Printing: Combines models, print profiles, and filament parameters automatically, generating optimal G-code via cloud slicing software for BambuLab 3D printers.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Supports a wide range of third-party printers, including brands like Creality, Anycubic, and Prusa, with plans to expand user-shared printer settings.
Designer and User Rights: Ensures protection of designers’ rights with mandatory correct attribution for Creative Commons licensed models, while also enabling experts to share optimized print profiles.
Community Engagement and Rewards: Features a reward system to encourage community contributions, redeemable for exclusive models or filaments.
Lowered Technical Hurdles: Designed to make 3D printing accessible to casual audiences by simplifying the printing process to a single click, without compromising on the quality and customization options.

CrealityCloud

CrealityCloud is an innovative platform that transforms the way users engage with 3D printing, offering a comprehensive suite of tools and features designed for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Here’s a concise spotlight on what makes CrealityCloud stand out:

3D Model Marketplace: A hub for high-quality, easy-to-print 3D models from global designers, facilitating both buying and selling.
Free & Premium Access: Basic features are free, including remote printer management and access to the 3D model marketplace, with a premium option for enhanced benefits.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Available as both a web platform and mobile app (iOS and Android), enabling seamless 3D model management and slicing without desktop software. Compatible primarily with Creality 3D printers, with support for others via Open Source Plugins.
3D Slicing & Remote Printing: Offers cloud-based slicing for an optimized printing process and enables remote control of 3D printers for convenient management and monitoring, significantly enhancing user experience and efficiency.

Make it Real

Make it Real by AnkerMake serves as an all-encompassing 3D model creation platform that simplifies the process of bringing your creative ideas to tangible reality.

Broad Accessibility: Ensures a wide audience can search, create, share, and print quality 3D models effortlessly.
Innovative Tools: Offers tools like CityPrint and 3D Paint, enhancing user experience and model customization.
Community and Marketplace: Incorporates a community-driven approach with a store for users to share or monetize their creations.

CGTrader

CGTrader stands out as a leading digital marketplace for 3D models, catering to both professionals and hobbyists in the realm of 3D design and printing.

Broad Spectrum of 3D Models: Offers an extensive collection including 3D print-ready, PBR, low-poly models, and more across various categories like architecture, vehicles, and characters.
Custom 3D Modeling Services: Connects clients with skilled freelancers for custom projects, ensuring a wide selection of 3D designers, secure payments, and quality assurance.
Community and Resources: Provides a platform for designers to sell their work, participate in challenges, access tutorials, and engage in forums.
Convenience and Security: Features a streamlined project management space and an escrow service to safeguard funds until project completion.

Search Engines for STL-Files

Searching on every one of the mentioned platforms and other repository sites for the fitting STL file can take ages. That is why you can also use a search engine for that.

Here’s a list of the top search engines for STL files:

Yeggi: Aggregates 2.5 million STL files from various platforms, offering features to find popular and random models efficiently.
STLFinder: Indexes 3D models from repositories like Thingiverse, simplifying the search process with specific terms and recent searches.
3DfindIT: Connects to 3D CAD models from company catalogs, with advanced search options based on shape, color, and functionality.
3DMDB: Offers a comprehensive search across different platforms for a wide range of 3D designs and free CAD files.

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