CGTrader
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy the $9.99/mo subscription or individual models if you need stock 3D assets . the catalog is huge and cheap.
Comparison
CGTrader vs Cults 3D
CGTrader and Cults 3D both land on Depends.
Cults 3D
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you're a hobbyist or indie designer . it's the leading independent marketplace for STL files.
| Compare | CGTrader | Cults 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | Game and VR/AR studios needing stock assets | Hobbyist makers wanting curated paid and free STLs |
| Who it's not for | Sellers wanting predictable payouts . terms recently changed | Sellers of game/franchise fan models . active IP enforcement |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.14 | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. |
| Support quality | Trustpilot 4/5; complaint threads persist | Creators report ignored payout disputes |
| Public sentiment | Review sites average around 4-4.5 stars, while Reddit threads warn sellers about payout changes and buyers about model reliability.¹ | Buyers repeatedly ask whether the site is safe to purchase from, several creators publicly allege unpaid profits, yet many still rank it above Thingiverse. |
| Biggest gotcha | Payout rates changed; sellers raised prices ~15% to compensate | Some creators report earnings withheld with support unanswered |
Pick CGTrader when
- Game and VR/AR studios needing stock assets
- 3D printing hobbyists
- Brands outsourcing product modeling
- Designers wanting a cheap subscription library
When CGTrader is not a fit
- 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
Pick Cults 3D when
- Hobbyist makers wanting curated paid and free STLs
- Indie designers selling 3D-printable files
- Thingiverse refugees wanting tighter curation
- Cosplay, prop and mini printers
When Cults 3D is not a fit
- Sellers of game/franchise fan models . active IP enforcement
- Creators who need reliable, dispute-free payouts
- Buyers wanting one subscription for unlimited downloads
- Enterprise procurement . it's a consumer marketplace, no contracts
Sources
- CGTrader Reviews - Trustpilottrustpilot.comreview
review
review
- Sellers make little - Redditreddit.comreview
- CGTrader Subscriptioncgtrader.comofficial
- Earnings and payout schedulecgtrader.comofficial
- CGTrader Essentials launch postfacebook.comofficial
- CGTrader funding - StartupIntrosstartupintros.comnews
- CGTrader - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.orgnews
- CGTrader product security pagecgtrader.comsecurity
official
- Cults 3D Frequently Asked Questionscults3d.comofficial