FAQ

Plasticity is a direct modeling tool created for artists and designers who want powerful CAD capabilities without the complexity of traditional engineering software. Unlike parametric CAD tools — which rely on constraints, feature trees and design history — Plasticity is designed for clarity and speed, letting you make changes directly to the model at any time.

This approach offers a more flexible, intuitive workflow, making it ideal for quickly exploring ideas, iterating on designs, or making simple adjustments between print or production runs. Even without parametric tools, editing geometry in Plasticity is fast and straightforward, so you can focus more on creativity and less on managing the software.

Plasticity is available for:

Please note that not all features are available on every platform.

Your license can be used across multiple devices and operating systems — you’re free to install Plasticity on Windows, macOS, and Linux simultaneously.

Plasticity benefits from modern, high-performance hardware. While you can use the free trial to check how well it runs on your system, we recommend the following for a smooth experience:

Plasticity can run on both laptops and desktops, but a powerful CPU, GPU, and sufficient RAM will greatly improve performance — especially when working with complex 3D models.

For the moment, Plasticity’s interface is only available in English. However, we plan to expand our international presence and add more language options in the future.

In simple terms, xNURBS helps create smooth, precise surfaces that meet complex design requirements.

Technically, xNURBS is a software library that uses variational surfacing technology to produce high-quality surfaces from a set of boundary and interior constraints. It is widely used in professional surfacing workflows and is normally sold as a $400 add-on for Rhino and SolidWorks.

With Plasticity, xNURBS is exclusively available with the Studio license. It is currently offered only on Windows and Mac. As it is a third-party tool that we license, we do not control its compatibility or availability on Linux. While we remain hopeful for future developments, its inclusion on Linux is unlikely in the near term.

Parasolid is a geometry kernel — a software library that performs complex mathematical operations such as booleans, fillets, and other modeling functions. Every CAD program uses a geometry kernel, and Parasolid is considered one of the best, powering leading software like SolidWorks, Siemens NX, and Shapr3D. It enables Plasticity to deliver precise, high-quality modeling for everything from small manufactured parts to large aerospace components.

HOOPS Exchange is a CAD format translation library that allows Plasticity to import and export a wide range of CAD file formats. Since different CAD programs use different geometry kernels, transferring data can be challenging. HOOPS Exchange solves this by providing industry-leading translation accuracy, ensuring your models move seamlessly between programs.

By integrating Parasolid and HOOPS Exchange, Plasticity gives you access to some of the most advanced CAD technology — at an exceptionally competitive price.

Your license is linked to the email address you used at the time of purchase — there is no password-based account. After your purchase, you will receive your license token via a purchase confirmation email sent from Paddle. This token remains the same for the lifetime of your license, including after renewals or upgrades.

Currently, our licenses are node-locked and tailored individually. This setup ensures that each license is assigned to a specific user and their devices, offering flexibility and control over usage.

A node-locked license is tied to specific computers:

We provide:

An activation is used when you install the license on a new computer (even if it’s the same machine after reinstallation). While we currently provide the above activations to accommodate different scenarios, frequent transitions between machines are restricted to prevent misuse of the license. You can transfer your license if you get a new device, and if you reach your activation limit within the year, simply email us to request additional activations.

Licenses are strictly for individual use and cannot be shared between multiple people. Even if installed on multiple machines, each license may only be used by a single individual. Concurrent use by different people is not permitted.

Both our Indie and Studio licenses are perpetual, meaning you pay only once for a 12-month maintenance window, but you own and can use the software forever. With your purchase, you receive 12 months of free upgrades, encompassing releases within that period. The versions of the software released and installed within the 12-month period will not become invalid or inaccessible after one year.

We aim to have two or three major releases each year.

Please note that updates are not automatic — you’ll need to download and install each new version manually once it’s released.

To stay informed about the latest stable releases, we recommend joining our official Discord channel, where all updates are posted in the #releases-stable channel.

The Indie license offers robust functionality suited for hobbyists, with essential modeling tools like extrude, booleans, loft, patch, sweep, and fillet/chamfer. However, it does not include xNURBS or other advanced surfacing tools. The Indie license can be installed on up to two devices.

Users who purchased the $99 Indie 1.0 license before October 2023 only have access to 1.x updates of Plasticity. This means their license does not include access to later releases such as v.2024 or v.2025.

More generally, older licenses whose 12-month maintenance period has expired are limited to the last version released within their maintenance window. Since our licenses are perpetual, you can continue to use that version without restrictions, but you will not be able to access newer releases unless you renew within the renewal window or purchase a new license.

We aim to have two or three major releases each year.

Please note that updates are not automatic — you’ll need to download and install each new version manually once it’s released.

To stay informed about the latest stable releases, we recommend joining our official Discord channel, where all updates are posted in the #releases-stable channel.

You can renew your maintenance contract from two months before its expiration date up to four months after it expires. Please note that renewals are not automatic — they must be completed manually. If you need to renew an Indie license, please choose the Renew Indie option, and if you need to renew a Studio license, please choose the Renew Studio option and enter your email address or license token.

Renewal adds twelve months to your current expiration date. For example, if your contract expires on September 1, 2025, and you renew it on October 1, 2025, the new expiration date will be September 1, 2026.

If you want to continue receiving upgrades after your initial 12 months, you must renew within four months after your maintenance period ends. If you miss this window, you will need to purchase a new license at full price.

That said, if you choose not to renew, you can continue using the version of the application you already have without any restrictions.

You can upgrade your license during your 12-month maintenance period and up to four months after it ends. To upgrade your Indie license to the Studio version, select the Upgrade option and enter your email address or license token.

The rules are:

Cost to upgrade from Indie to Studio:

Plasticity evolves quickly, with new features and improvements released regularly. With a Studio license, you get access to our beta program, allowing you to try new features months before their official release. Please note that beta access is only available during your active maintenance period. You can also share feedback on beta features, helping shape the future of Plasticity.

Beta versions are available exclusively in the #releases-unstable channel on our Discord server. Since betas are for testing purposes, older versions become invalid once a new one is released.

We process payments through our payment provider, Paddle, which supports most major credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfers, and various local payment methods depending on your country.

For the fastest processing, we recommend paying by credit or debit card. Bank transfers may delay delivery, as your license key will only be issued once the funds have been received.

Unfortunately, we do not offer payment plans or monthly subscriptions. Our licenses are perpetual with a 12-month maintenance window, which is why we typically provide an annual payment option.

However, if you have a PayPal account, you may be able to use PayPal’s "Pay in 4" option to split your payment into four interest-free installments at no additional cost. Availability depends on your country, so please check with PayPal to see if this option is offered in your region.

Yes. Our payment provider, Paddle, automatically sends a receipt to your email after the purchase is complete:

However, if you have a PayPal account, you may be able to use PayPal’s "Pay in 4" option to split your payment into four interest-free installments at no additional cost. Availability depends on your country, so please check with PayPal to see if this option is offered in your region.

If you don’t see your receipt in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folder. If it’s still missing, contact us and we’ll be happy to resend it.

Yes. We offer a no-questions-asked 14-day refund policy on all purchases. If you’re not satisfied for any reason, you can request a full refund within 14 days from the date of purchase.

To request a refund, simply contact us with your order details, and we’ll process it promptly. Refunds are issued to the original payment method and may take a few business days to appear, depending on your bank or card provider.

If you’re purchasing on behalf of a company with a valid VAT number, you can enter this information during checkout (second step, after confirming your email address). Our payment processor, Paddle, will automatically generate an official invoice after the transaction.

Once your VAT number is entered and the purchase is complete, Paddle will issue a partial VAT refund.

Eligibility requirements:

We offer a 30-day free trial available for download from our website. Please note that the trial has certain feature limitations, including reduced export resolution, watermarks on exported files, and no access to DXF/DWG import (Studio license, Windows only) or xNURBS (Studio license). It is for non-commercial use only. There is no need to cancel — the trial will automatically expire after 30 days, and you will not be billed.

Please note that we do not provide tokens for a free trial.

If you’d like to experience the full feature set, we recommend purchasing a license. All purchases are covered by our 14-day refund policy if the software doesn’t meet your expectations.

For technical issues or troubleshooting, we recommend joining our Discord community, where you can get faster, real-time assistance from both our development team and other users. It’s also the best place to stay updated on new features, follow the latest developments, and gain valuable insights by connecting directly with the community.

Note: Our Discord is moderated and follows a code of conduct to ensure discussions remain polite, respectful, and constructive.

You can also check our public roadmap on Canny to see which updates and features are already planned or in progress.