shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use CGTrader?

Explore 2M+ 3D models online for print, game, VR/AR & design projects. Download, customize, or hire 3D experts - all on CGTrader. - cgtrader.com

Depends. Buy the $9.99/mo subscription or individual models if you need stock 3D assets — the catalog is huge and cheap. Avoid it as a primary sales channel or for hiring: payout terms changed recently and freelancer reviews are mixed.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~20 public sources; several review snippets were truncated, so sentiment partly inferred from titles.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

From $9.99/month

Subscription (Essentials)

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Pay per modelVaries by seller
Selling on the marketplace10% platform fee

Best for

  • Game and VR/AR studios needing stock assets
  • 3D printing hobbyists
  • Brands outsourcing product modeling
  • Designers wanting a cheap subscription library

Not for

  • Sellers wanting predictable payouts — terms recently changed
  • Buyers who need guaranteed print-ready quality
  • Anyone hiring 3D modelers — mixed freelancer reviews
  • Creators expecting meaningful income — most sellers earn little

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Payout rates changed; sellers raised prices ~15% to compensate

medium

Fee confusion: official 10% fee vs seller-reported 20% royalties

medium

Account scams reported; verify sellers before large purchases

medium

Cheap and free models flood the catalog, undercutting sellers

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 2M+ model catalog for print, games, VR/AR
  • Subscription starts at $9.99/month
  • G2 users praise ease of use
  • Free models sit alongside paid downloads
  • Official seller fee is 10%

Cons

  • New pricing structure cut seller payouts
  • Sellers report 99.99% earn almost nothing
  • Reddit buyers warn against trusting models
  • Hired 3D modelers draw harsh reviews

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/21/2026 - 14 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x3review x8security x1news x2

Key stats

  • Value for money: 3/5

    Rating

  • From $9.99/month

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 3/5. Cheap subscription; seller payout cuts anger creators
  • Ease of use: 4/5. G2 users cite ease of use
  • Feature depth: 4/5. 2M+ models, hiring, enterprise asset services
  • Support quality: 3/5. Trustpilot 4/5; complaint threads persist
  • Security posture: 4/5. No public CVEs; maintains security page
  • 4/5 Trustpilot rating 562 reviews
  • 4.5/5 G2 seller rating 31 reviews
  • $9.99/mo Subscription from Essentials, 61K+ models
  • 2M+ models Catalog size print, game, VR/AR

Pricing

Subscription (Essentials)

From $9.99/month

  • Hand-picked 61K+ model library
  • Broader access to 600K+ models

Pay per model

Varies by seller

  • Free and premium downloads
  • Custom hires with $70 minimum budget

Selling on the marketplace

10% platform fee

  • Earn from model sales
  • Payout terms updated recently

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Review sites average around 4–4.5 stars, while Reddit threads warn sellers about payout changes and buyers about model reliability.

“Do not trust CGTrader for 3D models”
Reddit, r/3Dprinting
“If you're selling on CGTrader, be careful.”
Reddit, r/3Dmodeling
“I've increased my prices by 15% following the new payout rate change”
CGTrader forum

Companies that use it

  • Hello100
  • Celsys (Clip Studio)
Full analysis

Based on ~20 public sources; several review snippets were truncated, so sentiment partly inferred from titles.

Huge cheap 3D asset library — great for buyers, risky for sellers after payout changes.

Methodology

Based on ~20 public sources; several review snippets were truncated, so sentiment partly inferred from titles.

Sources

  1. CGTrader Reviews - Trustpilottrustpilot.com
    review
  2. CGTrader Reviews 2026 - G2g2.com
    review
  3. CGTrader Products - G2 Seller Reviewsg2.com
    review
  4. Do not trust CGTrader for 3D models - Redditreddit.com
    review
  5. If you're selling on CGTrader, be careful - Redditreddit.com
    review
  6. DO NOT employ 3D modelers from CG Trader - Redditreddit.com
    review
  7. CGTrader changed their pricing structure - Redditreddit.com
    review
  8. Sellers make little - Redditreddit.com
    review
  9. CGTrader Subscriptioncgtrader.com
    official
  10. Earnings and payout schedulecgtrader.com
    official
  11. CGTrader Essentials launch postfacebook.com
    official
  12. CGTrader funding - StartupIntrosstartupintros.com
    news
  13. CGTrader - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    news
  14. CGTrader product security pagecgtrader.com
    security

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