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Houdini Apprentice vs LightWave 3D: catalog facts
Houdini Apprentice	LightWave 3D
Best for: Free non-commercial version of Houdini for procedural VFX and simulation	Best for: Independent 3D artists and small studios on Windows or Mac
Free Free for non-commercial, personal use only.	Paid Paid software.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS
Nearly the full Houdini FX feature set at no cost Good on-ramp into procedural VFX and simulation work	Modelling, animation, simulation and rendering in one application Long history in broadcast and visual effects work All 3 strengths for LightWave 3D Modelling, animation, simulation and rendering in one application Long history in broadcast and visual effects work Versioned documentation for each release
Non-commercial license only Files typically watermarked and not directly compatible with commercial Houdini versions	Paid licence required No Linux version
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Not open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Houdini Apprentice sidefx.com/products/houdini-apprentice Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for LightWave 3D lightwave3d.com Catalog checked September 24, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.