3DVue vs Threekit: which 3D configurator should you choose?

Threekit was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in London, Ottawa, Paris and San Francisco. The platform targets the enterprise market, serving manufacturers with complex catalogs: Kohler, Steelcase, Milwaukee, Sloan, Bobcat, Cintas, A-dec and Andersen Windows & Doors are among its public customers.

3DVue offers two ways to work. The 3DVue software: you import your 3D files and build your own configurator yourself, self-service. 3DVue custom: our studio takes on the entire project, from modeling to go-live, for catalogs that have no 3D files yet or that demand a very polished look.

These three solutions do not target the same profiles. This comparison helps you identify which one fits your real situation.

Quick comparison

Threekit: who is it for?

Threekit is an enterprise visual configuration platform that brings together 3D configuration, virtual photography and augmented reality. It serves manufacturers with complex catalogs, existing IT integrations and a six-figure platform budget.

What Threekit does well

• Enterprise scalability. Built for large catalogs, with complex configuration rules and multi-market deployments.
• Rendering and AR built in. 3D configuration, imagery and AR are unified on one platform, with no third-party tool to connect.
• Solid references. Kohler, Steelcase, Milwaukee, Sloan, Bobcat, Cintas, A-dec and Andersen Windows & Doors are among its public customers.
• International presence. Offices in Chicago, London, Ottawa, Paris and San Francisco.

Threekit's limitations for an SMB

• Pricing is not public, and high. No price shown on the site. Several independent sources put the SMB entry point around $18,000/year, with enterprise contracts from $30,000 to several hundred thousand dollars a year, on top of render credits and per-SKU asset fees.
• Modeling remains a separate service. Creating the 3D assets is billed separately from the platform license.
• Guided rollout. Configuring and integrating Threekit requires a technical team or a partner agency: it is not a tool you pick up alone in a few hours.
• Support mostly in English. Headquarters are in Chicago; despite a Paris office, there is no public guarantee of French-speaking support.
• File ownership depends on the contract. Ownership of 3D assets produced via Threekit depends on the contract you negotiate.

The 3DVue software: who is it for?

Unlike an enterprise platform such as Threekit, the 3DVue software is built to be picked up alone: you create an account, import your 3D files (glTF, GLB, FBX, OBJ, STL and 4 other formats), pick the materials and options offered for each part, then embed the configurator on your site. No technical team required.

What the 3DVue software does well

• Public pricing, no commission. 14-day free trial, no credit card, then a flat plan starting at €49 excl. VAT/month: no quote to request, no percentage taken from your sales.
• Augmented reality included. A button to switch on, with no extra tier to unlock.
• Catalog of 319 materials ready to use, scenes and lighting already set, a thumbnail generated for every combination.
• AI Photo Studio included in paid plans: product photos generated from the 3D model, with its real materials, to fill your product pages without a photoshoot.
• Universal integration. Direct link, iframe or widget: Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, WordPress, Wix or any site that accepts HTML.

The 3DVue software's limitations

• 3D files required. The software does not include modeling: if you don't have 3D files, custom is the option to look at.
• Not built for very large catalogs. For thousands of references and complex IT integrations, an enterprise platform like Threekit is better equipped.
• No end-customer personalization. No text, logo or number entered by the buyer: the software manages combinations of materials and options prepared ahead of time.

3DVue custom: who is it for?

3DVue custom is a studio that takes care of your project end to end: we model your products in 3D, fine-tune the scene and rendering by hand, integrate the configurator on your site, go live, and remain your point of contact for any change. Unlike Threekit, modeling is part of the quoted price, not a service billed separately.

What 3DVue custom does well

• Zero technical prerequisites. No existing 3D files needed, no developer required. We start from your photos or technical drawings.
• Modeling included in the quoted price. Unlike Threekit, it is not a per-SKU service billed on top of a license: it is the starting point of the project.
• Interface built to your brand, settings tuned by hand. Rendering, lighting and compatibility rules between parts are worked out for your catalog, not pulled from generic presets.
• Proof and production files as an option. Useful for made-to-order products.
• Human after-sales support. A new material to add, a theme update that breaks the layout, a new seasonal color: one contact, who knows your project inside out.
• You own your 3D files. All models created are delivered to you at project completion.

3DVue custom's limitations

• Higher entry budget than a subscription. From €5,000 excl. VAT, on quote: an investment to weigh against the real cost of a Threekit contract once modeling is added.
• Production lead time. Modeling quality products takes time: expect 2 weeks to 2 months depending on catalog complexity.
• Not suited to catalogs of thousands of references. For a very large industrial catalog, an enterprise platform like Threekit is dimensioned for that volume.

To see what it looks like in practice, we built a complete demo store with 22 configurable products (mugs, t-shirts, jerseys, roll-ups, jewelry…). Product pages, prices, embedded 3D configurator: exactly what a customer would see on your site. See the demo store →

Conclusion: which should you choose?

Choose Threekit if: you are a manufacturer with a complex catalog, an available technical team, IT integrations to manage (ERP, PIM), and a six-figure platform budget. Threekit is an excellent solution: in that specific context.

Choose the 3DVue software if: you have your 3D files, you want to manage your configurator yourself, with a fixed public price, no commission on your sales, and a 14-day free trial to test it.

Choose 3DVue custom if: you are starting from scratch (no 3D files), you want carefully crafted rendering, you have no developer available, and you need a partner who stays involved after delivery.

The real cost of Threekit is not just the license: it is the license plus render credits, per-SKU fees and 3D modeling if you don't have files yet, all negotiated on quote. Against a public price like the 3DVue software's, or a price that includes modeling from the start like 3DVue custom's, the real gap only becomes clear once you have a Threekit quote in hand.

Frequently asked questions