iClone vs Autodesk MotionBuilder

iClone8.8Visit Autodesk MotionBuilder8.6Visit

Higher score iClone #6 in 3D Animation Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Reallusion

vs

Autodesk MotionBuilder #8 in 3D Animation Software 8.6/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Autodesk

• iClone fits best

  Real-time character animation on Windows

• Autodesk MotionBuilder fits best

  Motion-capture and retargeting pipelines

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Side by side

Feature	iClone 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Autodesk MotionBuilder 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.6
Ranking	#6 in 3D Animation Software	#8 in 3D Animation Software
Best for	Real-time character animation on Windows	Motion-capture and retargeting pipelines
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Windows, Linux
Support	Tickets, Community, Docs	Community, Docs · 24/7
Integrations	8 integrations	3 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features iClone 0/3 · Autodesk MotionBuilder 0/3
Character animation	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Physics simulation	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Motion capture tools	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Timeline workflow	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Animation export	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Real-time body, face, and hand motion capture Live Link for Unreal Engine characters, cameras, lights, and animation AI-assisted video-to-motion and pose editing tools	Purpose-built tools for motion capture and character retargeting Control rigs, plotting, keyframes, and facial animation in one workspace FBX exchange with Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max
Cons	Windows-only platform support No built-in 3D modeling, 2D tools, or motion graphics Cloud collaboration is not included	Paid software with no free plan Focused on character animation rather than broad 3D production Supports Windows and Linux, with no other platforms listed
Our verdict	iClone is Reallusion’s real-time 3D character animation software for filmmakers, game developers, previs artists, virtual production teams, and independent creators. It brings character animation, facial performance, motion capture, scene… Read the review →	Autodesk MotionBuilder is desktop 3D character animation software for professional animation and game studios. Its focus is capturing, editing, previewing, and exporting character animation in an interactive real-time environment. The… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• iClone — where it wins

  • Real-time body, face, and hand motion capture
  • Live Link for Unreal Engine characters, cameras, lights, and animation
  • AI-assisted video-to-motion and pose editing tools

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only platform support
  • No built-in 3D modeling, 2D tools, or motion graphics
  • Cloud collaboration is not included

• Autodesk MotionBuilder — where it wins

  • Purpose-built tools for motion capture and character retargeting
  • Control rigs, plotting, keyframes, and facial animation in one workspace
  • FBX exchange with Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max

  Where it doesn't

  • Paid software with no free plan
  • Focused on character animation rather than broad 3D production
  • Supports Windows and Linux, with no other platforms listed

• iClone8.8/10 · Free plan

  A Windows-focused character animation suite with capture, editing, AI motion, and production exports.

  Visit ReallusionFull verdict →
• Autodesk MotionBuilder8.6/10 · 30-day trial

  A focused choice for mocap, retargeting, and real-time human movement workflows.

  Visit AutodeskFull verdict →