CLO 3D vs Valentina

CLO 3D is fashion design software for designing garments and visualizing how they drape. In Simulation mode, users edit patterns in a 2D window while arranging garments or poses in 3D. Print Layout mode places patterns on prints, calculates fabric consumption, and creates layouts for printing. The software includes a V-Ray renderer; GPU-accelerated V-Ray rendering through Metal is supported on Apple Silicon Macs starting with CLO v2025.0. In the 2026.0 Pattern Information window, users can inspect pattern details and switch between revisions. CLO supports importing and exporting FBX and OBJ files, and DXF-AAMA pattern files. Its API allows customized features through plugins registered from DLL or DYLIB files. CLO runs on Windows and macOS, with listed minimum requirements of Windows 11 64-bit or macOS Sonoma 14, 16 GB memory, and 10 GB SSD space. The Individual plan costs $50 a month or $450 a year; student pricing is $25 a month or $225 a year. A 14-day trial is listed, but there is no free plan.

Valentina is clothing-pattern software for building and modeling patterns, with an emphasis on parametric sizing. Measurements, increments, formulas, and construction rules can be used to rearrange patterns. It supports 2D pattern making and size grading, and exports SVG, PDF, PNG, OBJ, PS, EPS, and DXF. The software runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Stable downloads list an AppImage for Linux, Windows 7+ 32-bit and Windows 10+ 64-bit packages, and macOS packages for Intel, Apple Silicon, and Universal systems. Valentina is GPLv3+ licensed, and its FAQ says there are no restrictions on the kind of work made with it. It supports.val files from Seamly2D, though the reverse compatibility is not supported; DXF import is unavailable. The Free plan is free and includes source code access, historical versions, and community support, but no current binaries, manual, or developer support. Basic is €8.26 a month and Premium is €16.51 a month.