# iRhino 3D vs Design Materials

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iRhino 3D at none against Design Materials's 3. iRhino 3D also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (55% vs 33%). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Design Materials sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. iRhino 3D asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for iRhino 3D against 4.5 for Design Materials. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iRhino 3D has 80 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of iRhino 3D's written reviews are positive against 33% of Design Materials's.

iRhino 3D ships an update fortnightly, Design Materials every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iRhino 3D | Design Materials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irhino-3d/id373666504/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-materials/id975764691/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **80** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **55.0% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 296 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Robert McNeel & Associates](https://appshunter.io/developer/373666507) | [Chrystian Enriquez](https://appshunter.io/developer/428286625) |

## What reviewers say

### iRhino 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irhino-3d/id373666504)

View and present 3D models from Rhino 3D on your iPhone or iPad. Navigate models with intuitive touch gestures, load files from various sources, and visualize them in augmented reality. Includes a markup tool for annotations.

**Highlights:** 3D model viewing, Touch navigation (pan, zoom, orbit), Cloud storage integration, Augmented Reality (AR) mode, Integrated markup tool

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth and intuitive 3D model manipulation
- 🚀 Fast performance with complex models
- 📱 Great for client presentations and demos
- 💼 Useful for on-the-go model viewing
- 🔄 Good Dropbox integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes on large files
- ❌ Limited to viewer functionality only
- 🚫 No native editing capabilities
- 📉 Poor LiDAR measurement accuracy
- 🔌 No iCloud Drive support

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes with large or complex files
- LiDAR measurements significantly inaccurate (off by ~2x)
- Cannot open local files without cloud storage
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- App crashes during room scanning

**Requested features**

- Full native Rhino with Grasshopper support
- Real editing and modeling tools
- Wireframe and shaded view options
- Orthographic views (top, front, right)
- Texture and material support


### Design Materials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-materials/id975764691)

This app serves as an offline reference guide for various design materials, including polymers and metals. It allows users to manage their own material data, view 3D models, and capture objects with their device's camera. Ideal for professionals and hobbyists involved in product design and 3D printing.

**Highlights:** Offline material reference guide, Custom material and resin management, 3D model viewer and import/export, Object capture via device camera, Favorites and notes section, Cross-device compatibility (iOS, macOS)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze member | $7.99 | per month |
| Silver member | $17.99 | per 3 months |
| Gold member | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iRhino 3D free?

iRhino 3D is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Design Materials free?

Design Materials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, iRhino 3D or Design Materials?

iRhino 3D is rated higher. iRhino 3D averages 4.6 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while Design Materials averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do iRhino 3D or Design Materials have ads?

Neither iRhino 3D nor Design Materials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iRhino 3D or Design Materials?

iRhino 3D ships an update fortnightly, and Design Materials every 3 months. Most recently, iRhino 3D was updated on September 20, 2026 and Design Materials on July 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*