3d Printing Repositories

I've posted my designs to a number of 3d model warehouses. Here is a summary of my experience with each as a designer.

Thingiverse

Owned by Makerbot then Stratasys and now Ultimaker.
OG 3d printing model warehouse
- was the first to exist at large scale
Has makes as the primary means to verify that a model is printable.

pros

All models are free.
You do not need to log in to download models.
Largest respository of models.
Allows you to post external links.
Large user base?

cons

Interacting with the site always makes me a little sad.
- I just want it to work.
- The site is so fiddly to use they have to be shedding users like crazy
Has models that are not printable without cleanup
Has weird pop up ads.
Has questionable terms of service.
Some days you can't reliably log in.
The site is the most jank
- I have had numerous models fail upload.
- My least favorite site to work with.
- Because of the number of models involved thingiverse uses database sharding / replication.
  - Sometime when you make changes it takes time for the update to propogate. i.e. Where you save something and and where you view is not always in sync.
Thingiverse has had databreaches leaking user data and passwords.

Gamification	Account To Download	Print Profiles	Makes	External Links	Paid Models
🔴	🔴	🔴	🟢	🟢	🔴

Printables

Owned by Prusa
Has Gamification
All models are free but has paid communities.
Have do not have be logged in to download.
Users seem to be the most critical, but also the most earnest
- They tend to be overly reliant on build supports
- Users will post makes, reviews and comments
Allows you to post external links.
Allows setting prices for models minimum of 5 dollars USD
Has club membership program which is sort of like patreon lite
Creators can upload m3f file with print profile like settings doesn't allow just anyone to upload print profiles.

pros

It works
Heavier focus of functional prints
Most models are printable
Has a dark mode theme

cons

Smallest community for wargaming terrain
Overall the gamification features are weak.
More favorable to europeon users less so for international users due to shipping.
Small user base

🎮 Gamification

Points are earned for your model downloads on a monthly basis.
- If you down get a enough downloads over specified time period they do not matter.
Rewards are weak
Roughly 10 points equals $1 dollar in store credit.

Gamification	Account To Download	Print Profiles	Makes	External Links	Paid Models
🟢	🔴	🟡	🟢	🟢	🟢

Cults3d

Independently owned
Models are paid and free
Allows you to post external links.
Have to log in with an account to download.
Has makes but no one uses them.

pros

It works
Favorable audience for wargaming terrain
Has a decent email notification system for when something happens with your models.
Allows setting prices for models as well as variable open pricing
Allows creating discount codes
Has a dark mode theme

cons

has a mixed history of paying creators.
Some creators have outright been slighted money owed to them.
Known as the "purple site" or "he whose name shall not be spoken".
- Mention of cults3d is banned on r/3dprinting
Also under the watchful eye of Games Workshop paid models can't use any games workshop related tags.
no mentions of 40k, necromunda, warhammer, or any related keyords
Image previews can be jank

Gamification	Account To Download	Print Profiles	Makes	External Links	Paid Models
🔴	🟢	🔴	🟢	🟢	🟢

Maker World

Owned by Bambu lab
Has Gamification
Models are free
Favorable audience for wargaming terrain
Have to be logged in to download unlimited models.
- Can download individual files; download all only works if you are logged in.
Heavy emphasis on print profiles
Has Makes via comments and reviews the feature is kind of used.
Allows you to post external links.

pros

It works
Has a decent email notification system for when something happens with your models.
Decent user base
Has support for dark mode theme

cons

Under the watchful eye of bambu lab. All of the prints are monitored via the cloud platform.
- A lot of the gamification is tied to monitored prints. For example a user can earn boost points to reward to creators if they use bambu printers. A monitored print that lasts at least 30 minutes is worth two downloads for earning points.
Licensing for exclusive models is oppressive, does not allow you to post to patreon.
- Makerworld Exclusive Model Policy
- Oppressive is my opinion. Nothing I do works with their exclusive model program because of their terms. I make open source parametric models that are made available as early access on patreon. Their terms would not allow for any of that.
- On a good note you do not have to make your uploaded models exclusive.

🎮 Gamification

Points are earned for your model downloads
Allows bambu printer owners to boost models
Rewards are ok
12.15 points equals $1 dollar in store credit

New features have been added since but this All3dp article will give a general idea of their points system.

Gamification	Account To Download	Print Profiles	Makes	External Links	Paid Models
🟢	🟡	🟢	🟢	🟢	🔴

Maker Online

owned by Anycubic
Has gamification
Have to log in with an account to download.
Heavy emphasis on print profiles
I think they are honestly trying, I don't think the site has found it's identity yet.
Allows you to post external links.
Maker Online is very conscientius of uploading duplicate files. Any modul upload that contains a file from another upload triggers a manual review.
- For example anytime I edit my pipe terrain triggers a manual review because of shared files with power station

pros

It works

cons

A lot of the feature set of the site is a clone of Maker World
Makerworld bans any mention of makeronline because they spam their users
Small user base
When editing an existing model on save the model is moved to the top of your uploaded model list.
- This is a quirk counter to how all of the other upload sites work. I have to be a bit mindful when updating existing models.

🎮 Gamification

Points are earned for your model downloads
Rewards seem watered down
Wants you to do a daily check-in
20 points equals $1 dollar in store credit

Gamification	Account To Download	Print Profiles	Makes	External Links	Paid Models
🟢	🟢	🟢	🔴	🟢	🔴

Creality Cloud

Owned by Creality
I have the least experience with this service
Has gamification
Primarily seems to focus on paids models via the gamification of points
All models are reviewd to verify that they meet terms of service before they are mode available to the public.
Have to log in with an account to download.
Heavy emphasis on print profiles the creation of them is dumb.

pros

It works

cons

the verfification process is hit or miss and inconsistent.
Depending on the reviewer will get you different verification results.
Their terms of service is cryptic and you aren't always given reason for why a model is rejected.
Does not allows you to post external links for paid models and sometimes for free models.
- The policy does not seem to be consistent.
Small user base

🎮 Gamification

You do not get points when your models are downloaded
Most obtuse reward menchanism
Wants to do a daily check-in, as well as a number of other dailies
Doing dailies is obtuse and doesn't always reward points.
Rewards aren't very good

Gamification	Account To Download	Print Profiles	Makes	External Links	Paid Models
🟢	🟢	🟢	🔴	🔴	🔴

Summary

Service	Gamification	Account To Download	Print Profiles	Makes	External Links	Paid Models	Good Reputation
Thingiverse	🔴	🔴	🔴	🟢	🟢	🔴	🔴
Printables	🟢	🔴	🟡	🟢	🟢	🟢	🟢
Cults3d	🔴	🟢	🔴	🟢	🟢	🟢	🔴
Maker World	🟢	🟡	🟢	🟢	🟢	🔴	🟢
Maker Online	🟢	🟢	🟢	🔴	🟢	🔴	🟡
Creality Cloud	🟢	🟢	🟢	🔴	🔴	🔴	🟡