Thankfully, SideFX offers Houdini Apprentice, a free version of Houdini FX, which can be used by students, artists and hobbyists on personal non-commercial projects. Like Maya, Houdini's power and non-standard workflow can be tricky to get the hang of. You can see more reasons we rate this software so highly in our Houdini review.

When testing, we found that its problem-solving capabilities were leagues ahead of other 3D software, with the ability to rewire feeling incredibly natural, a big plus point for the software. This nodal workflow isn’t for everyone, but Houdini also has some more traditional tools which allow you to directly interact with the polygons on screen. Its node-based procedural approach offers artists unprecedented power, flexibility and control.

SideFX's Houdini is responsible for creating a range of 3D imagery across the CG industry.