The evolution of 3D printing rapidly became a vital tool for technology enthusiasts in multiple disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, civil, medical, aerospace, fashion, etc. However, today, it has also gained popularity among the users because of its ease of accessibility and inexpensiveness. Unlike the conventional approach, it uses less time, which makes it one of the most reliable choices for both consumers and companies. 3D printing generally deploys the concept of additive manufacturing to produce highly complex components with simplicity, precision, and perfection. Therefore, to create a 3D printable model, you only need a 3D printer and a blueprint consisting of the layout details of the desired object. But, before you carry out the process, let me aware you that there are a lot of websites that allow free downloading of STL files or 3d print files. However, some might not be free, and you have to pay for it.
Quick Overview
- Thingiverse
- CGTrader
- MyMiniFactory
- Cults
- Pinshape
- TurboSquid
- YouMagine
- Sketchfab
- 3DExport
- XYZprinting 3D Gallery
- NIH 3D Print Exchange
- Free3D
- Threeding
- GrabCAD Library
- Redpah
- Zortrax Library
- Repables
- PARTcommunity
- Fab365
- NASA
- 3D Warehouse
- 3dSystems
- Polar Cloud
- 3DKitBash
- Yeggi
- STLFinder
- 3D Orchard
- Tinkercad
- PrusaPrinters
- Gambody
- Africanfossils.org
- Zimple
- happy 3D
So, without further ado, let’s have a look at the comprehensive list of the best websites that allows you to download and print the designs free of charge.
Thingiverse
Launched in 2008, Thingiverse is owned by MakerBot Industries, dedicated to uploading, sharing, and downloading 3D print models for free. It is considered as one of the top digital printing communities that allows any user to access the model and modify its existing design for either re-uploading or personal use. The file repository has a huge community of 3D designers who have successfully helped the site in uploading nearly 2 million STL files.
CGTrader
CGTrader is one of the world’s largest marketplace offering more than 800,000 custom models that are licensed for the user’s buying, selling, and downloading of the 3D printable files. However, to access these models, you have to create a free account on the website. The site allows you to browse a wide category of designs, mainly including digital printing, computer graphics, and low-poly models. It will also enable you to go through the gallery to witness the work of other registered users or participate in forum discussions and design competitions.
MyMiniFactory
It is one of the most popular digital design sharing platform offering great quality models while assuring their printability and quality testing. It was launched in the year 2013 and is available in a variety of languages other than English, such as Italian, Chinese, Spanish, German, etc. It is managed by iMakr and has a community of more than 200, 000 users and 10,000 designers, allowing them to share either free or paid 3D printable designs. Apart from this, you can also have the advantage of contacting a professional to design a model of your choice.
Cults.
It is a marketplace that offers both free and paid STL files for the users. It enables you to follow your favorite designer and get notified whenever they post new designs. In addition to this, you can also interact with other users and download their designs for printing it later. It was founded in 2014 and is available in different languages such as English, Spanish, and French. The community has a collection of more than 40,000 models that are of high-quality and can be easily supported by a 3D printer.
Pinshape
Pinshape is a 3D printing community that has the best collection of print-ready models available for free download. It is a platform where users can find, share, and sell their designs. They can further use it to build their brand and generate revenue. Being founded in the year 2013, its community includes over 70,000 designers and manufacturers, which are headquartered in Canada. One advantage of this platform above others is that it provides you the opportunity to edit or print their design without downloading it with the help of its 3DPrinterOS.
TurboSquid
TurboSquid was founded in the year 2000 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The community has approximately 600,000 stock models, which can be available for either free or premium. It is easily navigable as you can filter the options by filetype aids while choosing a particular design. The website is best used by the 3D modelers to improve their creativity in developing models and building their career as a professional. Also, the designs can be available in a variety of formats other than STL.
YouMagine
YouMagine is an online community that offers 15,000+ free designs ready to print. It contains a variety of 3D models, starting from small figurines to large functional prototypes. The platform supports many 3D printing enthusiasts to share their work and create better 3D print models.
YouMagine platform was developed by the founders of Ultimaker. The community consists of several makers and designers who share their design ideas and invent new CAD and 3D files.
In addition to this, the platform offers templates that are open-source or free. It means users are given the opportunity to change the designs if required.
Sketchfab
This community enables you to share, discover, buy, or sell the 3D models. It is a rapidly increasing 3D, VR, and AR repository consisting of over 2,000,000 users and thousands of user-generated 3D print files. You can easily navigate its library with virtual reality. If you are a premium user, then you will have the benefit of choosing whether to share your designs or make it available for download.
3DExport
If you are looking for a marketplace that can offer you with quality models and CG textures free of cost, then choose 3DExport. You can also use the site for buying or selling of the 3D print models by creating a designer’s account. The website allows you to access more than 10,000 STL files for downloading. You can even browse through the different categories of 3D printable models or apply filters to find the desired file for 3D printing.
XYZprinting 3D Gallery
XYZprinting is another online repository that offers both free and paid 3D printable models that are handpicked by the best 3D designers or artists. It has a dedicated gallery of nearly 9,000 models that you can easily access once you are registered with the site.It was founded in 2013, and allow users to browse through different sections of their gallery for creating their collection of 3D print-ready models.
NIH 3D Print Exchange
The NIH 3D Print Exchange is a popular community that allows sharing, distributing, and downloading the printable models. It also provides a set of tools that will help you to create and share your models. The website is mainly dedicated to developing models related to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. It consists of around 7000 models that are available in various other formats other than STL. Apart from this, the files are also compatible with any 3D printers.
Free3D
Free3D provides a rich collection of 3D models that can be used in CAD, 3D printing, or game designing. The repository consists of over 70,000 models that can be either paid or free of cost. Users can access a wide variety of model categories such as food, electronics, anatomy, sports, furniture, architecture, characters, vehicle, etc. It is available in different languages like English, Deutsch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Korean, and more.
Threeding
Another online 3D printing marketplace where you can access around 4,000 models is Threeding. To find the right model suitable for your needs, you can use keywords to browse through various model categories like architecture, toys, fashion accessories, electronics, art, furniture, and more.The 3D file repository has recently gained popularity among the individuals, technical enthusiasts, and CAD designers as it allows the buying, selling, or exchanging of files ready for 3D printing. Apart from this, the community also provides a digital printing service where designers can create a model according to your request.
GrabCAD Library
It is one of the largest online communities offering millions of free STL files. However, not every model present on the site is a 3D printable, which is why users should carefully check before selecting a model. Besides providing 3D models for printing, the site is also a great place to access or download CAD designs or files. The community consists of around 6,420,000 members, including designers, manufacturers, students, or engineers, who share their ideas to cooperate in the development of new designs.
Redpah
In this platform, you can find the premium or free 3D models that are ready to be printed. Here, you will get multiple categories to choose from, such as automotive, art, ornaments, toys, and more. Another feature that makes it the most preferred choice for the makers or designers is that you can sort out the models based on the category, price, and work of the popular designers.
Zortrax Library
Zortrax Library is an open-source repository that allows you to download and browse the STL files for free. Later, you can use it to create the models using an FDM machine. It comprises of more than 850 models for a range of projects like architecture, education, engineering, games, art & design, fashion accessories, and many more.
Repables
It is a file repository consisting of 600+ 3D printed models that enable you to browse, download, or upload the files for sharing it with other users. It is a simple website containing basic files that can be available for digital printing. Unlike some websites, it doesn’t enable users to contact the makers or designers.
PARTcommunity
The PARTcloud.net is a platform dedicated to the developers and engineers having a free repository of nearly 12,000 printable 3D models. The community uses a new tool called the PARTcloud function, which helps users in the easy sharing of self-constructed models and makes them available for download.
Fab365
FAB365 is a marketplace that offers high-quality designs in various categories like architecture, home, gadgets, and art. Users can register on the site to get access to the 3D printer files for downloading, buying, or selling as per their choice. It provides both free and paid designs. However, only less number of files are available free of cost.
NASA
It is a website repository consisting of 3D printable models for the astronomical objects. It was created by NASA for educational purposes and showcase some of its great works. Here, the print files are available for free and are best suited for space or science projects.
3D Warehouse
This website is mainly dedicated to 3D printing professionals. It contains a huge collection of SketchUp 3D models that can be used for varied industry applications, such as architecture, construction, design, etc.
The SketchUp team is responsible for offering the services of this website. With its help, users can create and share different 3D models as per their needs. However, the models should be created only within the SketchUp software.
Besides creating and sharing, the 3D models can also be exchanged here. This may serve as a source of income for the creators. The platform even allows creators to set the downloading of models at different prices. Moreover, extensions can be added to SketchUp for improving the quality of models.
3dSystems
3dSystems is a platform offering complete solutions regarding the 3D designing of printable files, print materials, custom parts, and 3D printers. Apart from offering free models to download, the website can also supply the model parts and casting patterns upon your request.
Polar Cloud
The Polar Cloud is a desktop and mobile-friendly website that has approximately 351,521 members, including entrepreneurs, educators, and students. The community is great for downloading free 3D print models and STL files, which was created to showcase the design, creation, and project-based learning all over the world. It contains more than 300 models in the repository.
3DKitBash
3DKitBash is a website specializing in creating figures, dolls, quick prints, and more. The marketplace consists of both free and paid models, however, the majority are not available for free. An advantage of using this website is that they provide users with an option for trial before downloading. Besides, the design quality is also good.
Yeggi
It is a dedicated search engine that provides free models that are available for 3D printing. It was launched in 2013, and its homepage highlights the popular searches related to the 3D models. The user interface also consists of filters that can help in quick searching of the desired model. It crawls through various digital printing communities and marketplaces to provide users with the best-quality printable files.
STLFinder
STLFinder is a search engine repository that crawls through various 3D printing websites to provide users with quality STL models fitting their respective needs. It has nearly 2.5 million models with exceptional designs for various categories. The users can sign up and bookmark their favorite models for future use.
3D Orchard
It is another platform that allows makers and designers to share, create, and download the 3D printable files. First, you have to create an account to access other designs and share your own with the community members. Besides, you can also collaborate with other designers by liking or commenting on their designs. The website is easy to use and enables easy browsing options to edit and print the desired model.
Tinkercad
Tinkercad is a repository that is primarily used for downloading 3D models, coding, and electronics. The website allows many STL models and files to be downloaded for free. The target users can be both professionals and amateurs, including designers, hobbyists, teachers, and children.
PrusaPrinters
The PrusaPrinters is another repository consisting of nearly 2,200 model designs that can be downloaded for free. The community allows you to select the desired item from a wide range of classification, including household, toys & games, art & design, fashion, costume & accessories, healthcare, and more. It even provides tech support to answer all your queries related to 3D printing of their designs.
Gambody
This online marketplace contains a repository of comic book or video game models that are precise, flawless, and high-poly. It allows users to download and share the files in STL format. Apart from this, the website makes sure that the files are optimized to be compatible with every 3D printer. Users can also sell their creations and earn from it.
Africanfossils.org
Africanfossils.org is a 3D file database having a huge collection of 3D models for African fossils, ancient tools, animals, and artifacts. The target users mostly include scholars and enthusiasts. The website contains nearly 180 models that can be downloaded for digital printing. Apart from this, it also enables users to share their designs with their community.
Zimple
Zimple is a 3D file search engine that improves the browsing experience of the users by offering personalized and relevant designs depending on their search. It has a wide collection of approximately 1,000,000 3D printable models that are collected from the best resources. Here, users can get access to both paid and free designs as per their choice.
happy 3D
It is a repository that contains various 3D print-ready models of spare parts for domestic appliances, which can be either paid or free. It has different model groupings like kitchen, house, high-tech, etc. The site has hundreds of models that are developed by designers from around the world.
Summing up
Thus, the above websites have the potential to assist you with your 3D printing and designing needs. Besides, these can also help you to stay updated with the latest trends in the industry. Further, you can develop the best 3D designs that can be readily accepted in the market, or you can hire any reputed 3D design company to develop 3d models which is ready for printing based on your project needs.
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