Maya
Unreal Engine
Maya
Unreal Engine
Maya
Unreal Engine
Maya
Unreal Engine
Maya
Unreal Engine
Maya
Unreal Engine
Maya
Unreal Engine
Maya
No signals
Unreal Engine
Users: 1 user
Storage: N/A
Limits: No ownership, access ends when subscription lapses. High ongoing cost for casual or intermittent use.
Users: 1 user
Storage: N/A
Limits: Still very expensive for individuals. No perpetual option, must renew annually.
Users: 1 user
Storage: N/A
Limits: Requires large upfront payment. Still subscription-based with no ownership.
Users: 1 user
Storage: N/A
Limits: Annual gross revenue must be under $100,000 USD. Cannot use on projects valued over $100,000 USD. Strict eligibility requirements.
Users: Unlimited
Limits: Royalty applies to all revenue regardless of collection method; cannot use for non-game commercial without enterprise license
Users: 1 seat
Limits: Must contact Epic for enterprise support; separate from gaming use
Users: Unlimited
Limits: Must accept Epic Games Store exclusivity terms to avoid UE5 royalty
Users: Unlimited
Limits: Only for non-interactive content; games or simulations require standard or enterprise license
| Feature | Maya | Unreal Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Animation | ||
| Character Rigging Industry-leading with HumanIK | ||
| Keyframe Animation Comprehensive toolset | ||
| Motion Capture Full pipeline support | ||
| Graphics | ||
| Nanite virtualized geometry Automatic LOD for film-quality assets | ||
| Lumen global illumination Real-time lighting without baking | ||
| Rendering | ||
| Arnold Renderer Hollywood-proven included | ||
| Development | ||
| Blueprint visual scripting Full games without C++ | ||
| C++ programming Required for performance-critical code | ||
| 2D game support Paper2D underdeveloped | ||
| Source code access Full engine source on GitHub | ||
| Modeling | ||
| Polygon Modeling Full toolset | ||
| NURBS Modeling Full support | ||
| Content | ||
| Marketplace assets Thousands of free assets from Epic | ||
| Simulation | ||
| Dynamics Simulation Cloth, rigid body, particles | ||
| Fluid Simulation Bifrost system | ||
| Platform | ||
| Mobile optimization Poor - large builds, battery drain | ||
| VR/AR support Excellent for high-end VR | ||
| Cross-platform export PC, console, mobile, web | ||
| Extensibility | ||
| MEL/Python Scripting Deep customization | ||
| Networking | ||
| Multiplayer built-in Has architectural issues for competitive games | ||
| Pipeline | ||
| USD Support Industry standard format | ||
| Grooming | ||
| XGen Hair/Fur Production-quality grooming | ||
| Production | ||
| Camera Sequencer Layout and previz tools | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier Completely free until $1M revenue | ||
