Sure, you can create models from scratch with 3ds Max by Autodesk. But you can also get a head start on a project with models designed by other creators. The good news is it doesn’t have to cost you. In this article, we’ll list seven (mostly) free 3ds Max models to help you practice your animation skills or easily fill out a scene.
Short on time? Here’s the list.
1. Mission to Minerva Communication Arrays
2. Kitchen 42
3. GameReady Cottage
4. Townhouse brick house
5. Ceres
6. Large modern empty storehouse
6 (Mostly) Free 3d max models
1. Mission to Minerva Communication Arrays
If no one can hear your scream in space, they better hear your signal. From KitBash3D (that’s us), Mission to Minerva includes sleek, free 3ds Max models for a space adventure. With the communication arrays, your spaceport, colony, or off-world mission will have the satellite power to communicate to your home base with updates or emergencies. Download this model to add a dimension to your next 3ds Max project that will break through the static noise. It's #1 on our list of the best free 3ds Max models you can download right now.
Cost: Free
License: Non-commercial only
Tech Specs:
- Poly Count: 19.7m
- Model Count: 60 Models
- Material Count: 63 PBR Materials
2. Kitchen 42
Your next home’s kitchen has gorgeous finishes with state-of-the-art appliances. Sorry to push this free model like an overly caffeinated real estate agent, but with Kitchen 42, you can easily drag and drop this kitchen into your 3D Max project. Plus, it’s much cheaper than a real-life kitchen.
Cost: Free
License: Standard, editorial use only
Tech Specs
- Polygons: 66,235
- Vertices: 65,825
- UV Mapped
3. GameReady Cottage
If you’re building a game on 3ds Max, you don’t want to wait to get the animation action started. With the GameReady Cottage model, you can immediately have a building in your game scene that characters can interact with. Plus, you can easily duplicate the model to make a uniform housing design that looks like a 1950s neighborhood, military base, or research facility.
Cost: Free
License: Personal Use License
Tech Specs:
- Polygons: 4,281
- Vertices: 3,351
- UV Mapped
- 73.31 MB
4. Townhouse brick house
Give your project a timeless urban feel with Townhouse brick house. Whether it's set in 1950s Chicago or modern-day London, this free 3ds Max Model is a simple two-story brick townhouse that gives your project real-world scale. This model is a seamless backdrop to a city scene or interactive neighborhood block.
Cost: Free
License: Royalty free
Tech Specs:
- Polygons: 1,694
- Vertices: 937
- UV Mapped
- 236 MB
5. Ceres
Space is mysterious, which is why so many intriguing sci-fi animations, games, and projects start by exploring a new planet. Ceres is an unknown planet ready to investigate and can serve as a planetary backdrop for your next sci-fi adventure. This 3ds Max model is fully textured with all materials applied and suitable for use in high-res film close-ups, game development, design visualization, and more. While Ceres isn’t free, it’s still less than a drink at Starbucks.
Cost: $3.00
License: Royalty free
Tech Specs:
- Polygons: 9,800
- Vertices: 4,902
- 596 KB
6. Large modern empty storehouse
An empty storehouse may appear basic, but this 3ds Max model is a natural setting where you can experiment, design, and improve your animation skills. With Large modern empty storehouse, you can stage cars, characters, ships, and almost anything that can fit the space. The model also serves as a setting for a superhero showdown, drug bust, or getaway scene. There’s a reason so many action scenes start in a warehouse–it's a playground for scale.
Cost: $8
License: Standard
Tech Specs:
- Polygons: 885,092
- Vertices: 464,959
Start experimenting with 3ds Max models.
You’ve got a substantial selection of (mostly) free 3ds Max models to start using. Still, if you want to level up your worldbuilding in 3ds Max, we recommend checking out Cargo. Cargo is an asset browser plugin that gives you access to over 15,000 premium 3D models and materials from KitBash3D (that’s us). With 1-click import to Blender, powerful search and filtering, and a vast library of 3D assets from a wide variety of genres, Cargo houses one of the largest asset libraries for Blender.
