Blender is a 3D animation software for 3D model design, video game creation, industrial design, architecture and other uses. It is free and open source.
Blender is a 3D animation software that can be used for modeling and imitating the motion of photorealistic rendering. According to various features and characteristics, there are many features in this software. So in addition to the photorealistic rendering of animation, it is also widely used in industries such as architecture, product design, and film production. With its easy-to-use interface and the interface of simple operation, beginners can learn how to use the software very quickly.
Blender is Free Software. It is free to use for everyone. Free to use for any purpose, also commercially. Blender is free to share with others, it is free to study Blender’s sources and free to make new versions.
Blender is free, forever.
This freedom is what makes the GNU GPL license so powerful and it is why it’s much more than “open source”. The license simply prevents anyone to put restrictions on Blender. That protects users as well as everyone who contribute to Blender.
If you decide to contribute to Blender, whether as Python script or as C++ code, you are required to agree on this freedom. You can keep all rights of your own work, but if you publish or sell or share Blender code, you do it under the same conditions, just as Free as Blender is.
The GPL has often be called infectious. I think that’s a negative and misleading frame. Proprietary code is infectious in ways too (try to use proprietary code in your work and face the consequences). Best is to keep the public and open domain entirely separated from your private proprietary domain. And really, both domains can live well together.
You can create bridges between the domains. This is how Blender can work with other proprietary tools or engines. The bridges (if using Blender code) have to be fully GPL compatible. The closed software such bridges lead to can not be bundled, it’s up to your own – or the user’s – concern to connect it.
In the past years, developing and selling Blender add-ons grew into quite a big market. We’ve all seen fantastic & powerful scripts doing amazing things. Great add-on coders indeed. But also: what an incredible API these C developers made for Blender!
Blender’s scripting API is an integral part of the software. Blender add-ons work, look and feel like Blender features. And as with any other Blender feature that means – it has to be free, free and free forever! Paying for an add-on can only mean access to the add-on download service… offering it to you as GNU GPL. Your freedom as a user and developer is guaranteed.
I’ve always interpreted Free Software and the GNU GPL as a means, not a goal. It just works fantastic for Blender. I’m not going to blame proprietary programs for not opening up. But I also won’t accept proprietary business to pollute our open domain. Live, and let live.
And if you think you ‘suffer from piracy’ or find it hard to do business with Free Software? Just distinguish yourselves with the proven successful free/open source business model: provide docs, training, content, frequent updates and support. Your customers will love you!
I expect that all add-on developers recognize and respect this concept. Since 2002 dozens – maybe even hundreds – of people have devoted years of their life to making Blender open and free to use for everyone. This massive effort has made it a strong and exciting program where add-ons can become massively successful. You’re standing on the shoulders of giants!
This can only work if we create a level playing field for everyone. Nobody’s code is more important than another’s. Nobody cuts a corner of the Blender play field to claim it as their territory. Nobody will plant trees here where you can’t climb in or enjoy its fruits.
Complete. Free. Forever.
If you’re looking for free 3D modelling software, it doesn’t get any better than Blender, the free modelling, texturing, animation and rendering app. The open-source program has been around for a long time now, and subsequently has an army of artists, teachers and enthusiasts behind its continued development. It boasts a highly impressive 3D modelling and sculpting toolset, and is considered a completely viable alternative to paid modelling programs. Blender was once notorious for its non-standard way of working, but a lot of these issues have now been solved, and so it will feel more familiar if you’re moving from an existing app.
Blender is a brilliant starting point to see if 3D graphics are for you, and we have a host of fantastic Blender tutorials to get started with elsewhere on the site. Despite the non-existent price tag, it’s capable of producing images and animation that are on a par with just about any other 3D modelling software.
How Does Blender Make Money?
Blender makes money via donations, subscriptions, merchandise sales, annual conferences, as well as from ads.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these revenue streams in the section below.
Donations
The vast majority of the income that Blender generates comes in the form of donations made by individuals as well as corporate partners.
These donations are made to the Blender Foundation, its non-profit arm that is supported by the Blender Institute (which manages operational activities such as HR, office rent, conference organization, and more).
Blender offers a tiered membership system that starts with as little as $6 per month. Additionally, donors can also make one-time contributions.
For instance, a Diamond membership, which comes in at $300 per month, will place your name on its donor’s list and link out to a preferred URL.
According to its annual report, Blender’s development fund has garnered €1,131,780 in donations for the fiscal year 2020, up 34 percent from 2019 (€841,797).
Subscriptions
In 2007, Blender set up a quasi-open-source studio (called Blender Studio) that would create various movies and games, including Big Buck Bunny, Sintel, or the Caminandes series.
The studio itself is a separate entity that is being funded by its members through the offering of subscriptions. Customers pay €9.90 per month to access all training, assets, and films
For example, customers will be granted access to tools like CloudRig and Blender Kitsu which aid them in their animation work.
Additionally, Blender Studio also has dozens of training videos on how to use its software and create certain types of animations.
On the corporate side, Blender Foundations counts some of the biggest names in tech, including Facebook, Microsoft, Intel, Google, Nvidia, and more as donors.
Merchandise Sales
Another revenue stream for Blender comes from selling merchandise as well as books via its own online store.
Users can purchase items like Blender-branded socks, t-shirts, baseball caps, magnets, stickers, and even a book about its software.
On top of generating revenue from those sales, Blender also creates a sense of belonging among its community of creators and software contributors.
For instance, influencers like Blender Guru are oftentimes wearing branded gear, which simply increases awareness about its brand – and likely leads to some additional sales along the way.
Events
Apart from its merchandise, Blender also hosts an annual conference called BCON (which was paused during the Covid pandemic).
This is yet another way to not only increase brand awareness but promote stronger engagement within its community.
And not only does it help with marketing but also leads to some additional cash. Its 2019 conference, for instance, would cost €299 per person to attend.
Ads
Lastly, Blender also generates revenue via ads from its YouTube channels. With close to one million subscribers and tens of millions of views, it has managed to garner significant attention.
Video ads on YouTube are displayed prior (pre-roll), within (mid-roll), and at the end (post-roll) of content.
Partner channels get to keep 55 percent of the revenue they generate. The remaining 45 percent go to YouTube itself.
Conclusion
Blender is an open-source 3D content creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation. Owing to its expansive feature set, Blender is often used for files on multiple platforms, including print, broadcast, and film.