The best ship design software depends on the job: hull modeling, stability analysis, and production drawings often need different tools, so many teams use two options in this guide together. Rhino 3D at $995 one-time and Orca3D at $500 per year form the lowest cost route into serious hull work, while Maxsurf starts at $11,375 per year and NAPA and ShipConstructor are quote only. DELFTship is the only option here with a free edition for hull modeling and basic hydrostatics, which makes it a useful starting point for students and solo designers.
We compared 8 options for best ship design software. Each profile below lists the price, free plan, pros and cons as published by the company.
On this page
Best ship design software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhino 3D | Precise hull surface modeling on a perpetual license | $995 one-time | Free trial (90 days) | Visit |
| 2 | Orca3D | Hull design and hydrostatics inside Rhino | $500 per year | No | Visit |
| 3 | Maxsurf | Small to mid-size offices needing hull, stability, and motions in one suite | $11,375 per year | No | Visit |
| 4 | NAPA | Large design offices and shipyards needing class-ready stability work | quote only | No | Visit |
| 5 | ShipConstructor | Shipyards moving from design to production drawings and parts | quote only | No | Visit |
| 6 | DELFTship | Low cost hull modeling for students and small teams | quote only | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | AutoCAD | 2D drawings and documentation alongside marine design tools | $2,095 per year | Free trial | Visit |
| 8 | Autohydro | Hydrostatics and stability reports for approval bodies | quote only | No | Visit |
The 8 best best ship design software tools, in detail
Rhino 3D
Best for: Precise hull surface modeling on a perpetual license
Rhino 3D is a NURBS modeler, which means it builds hull surfaces from mathematically exact curves and surfaces rather than from flat facets. That precision matters in ship design, because a fair hull surface drives hydrostatics, plate development, and CNC cutting, and small errors show up later as rework in the yard. Marine designers use Rhino for concept hulls, yachts, workboats, and superstructure shapes, and they often pair it with a marine plug-in for analysis.
- The license model is the main reason Rhino appears in so many small marine studios.
- McNeel sells Rhino 9 as a permanent license for $995 for one concurrent user, with support and service releases for that version included and no maint
- Rhino models shape well, but it does not calculate stability, resistance, or class compliance, so a design office still needs analysis software beside
Pros
- Perpetual license with no yearly renewal
- Grasshopper parametric tools included
Cons
- No built-in hydrostatics or stability checks
- Major version upgrades cost extra
Orca3D
Best for: Hull design and hydrostatics inside Rhino
Orca3D is a marine plug-in for Rhino, and it turns a general modeler into a naval architecture workstation. The Design module covers hull design and fairing, basic hydrostatics, and basic stability, so a designer can shape a hull in Rhino and check displacement, centers, and hydrostatic curves without exporting the model. The Analysis module adds parametric speed and power prediction, CFD pre- and post-processing, and weight and cost tracking.
- The Advanced Stability module adds compartmentation, tank modeling, load cases, and intact and damaged stability with criteria checks.
- Pricing is modular, which helps a small studio buy only what it needs.
- The Design module and the Analysis module each start at $500 per year for a standalone annual license, or $1,500 as a perpetual license.
- The Advanced Stability module starts at $3,500 per year, or $10,500 perpetual.
Pros
- Marine tools run inside a familiar Rhino model
- Modules can be bought in any combination
Cons
- Works only with Rhino for Windows
- A separate Rhino license is also required
Maxsurf
Best for: Small to mid-size offices needing hull, stability, and motions in one suite
Maxsurf from Bentley Systems is a naval architecture suite built around one parametric 3D model. From that model, a designer can work on hull modeling, stability, resistance, motions, and primary structure without moving geometry between separate programs. The Modeler builds trimmed NURBS surfaces and fits them to point data, while the Stability module covers hydrostatics, large angle stability, equilibrium, KN cross-curves, floodable length, tank calibration, and probabilistic damage stability.
- Resistance methods include Holtrop and Savitsky, and motions come from strip theory and panel methods.
- The Bentley product page lists a starting price of $11,375 USD for a 12-month Virtuoso subscription, which includes one license and the Modeler, Stabi
- That cost repeats each year, unlike a perpetual Rhino license, and it is high for a solo designer.
- For a small to mid-size office that submits stability work regularly, the value is in the linked model: a hull change updates hydrostatics, stability,
Pros
- Single parametric model links hull, stability, and structure
- Wide library of stability criteria included
Cons
- Windows only, with 16 GB memory recommended
- Starting price is high for a single seat
NAPA
Best for: Large design offices and shipyards needing class-ready stability work
NAPA is the design system used by many large shipyards and design offices, and it covers hull form design, hydrodynamics, stability, and structural design from one 3D product model. NAPA Designer offers interactive 3D tools for hull form design, with parameterization and global and local transformations that let a team create design variations quickly. Integrated stability and hydrodynamic analysis gives immediate feedback on a hull change, and the system supports resistance estimation, engine and propulsion selection, seakeeping, maneuvering, and decarbonization checks such as EEDI.
- The strength of NAPA is the single model.
- The same 3D data carries a project from initial mass estimates through hull form design, stability analysis, and structural design to approval, so eve
- That traceability matters on large commercial ships, ferries, and naval vessels.
- NAPA does not publish a price, so a team must contact sales for a quote, and the cost is set for enterprise use.
Pros
- One 3D model carries data from concept to approval
- Probabilistic damage stability and EEDI checks included
Cons
- No public price, so budgeting needs a sales conversation
- Formal training is usually needed to use it well
ShipConstructor
Best for: Shipyards moving from design to production drawings and parts
ShipConstructor from SSI is built for the production side of shipbuilding. It covers 3D design, engineering, and construction from basic design through detail and production design, with modules for hull structure, piping, HVAC, electrical, and equipment. The model is database driven, so parts, assemblies, spools, plates, and nests stay linked to the design data that created them.
- That link helps a yard generate production drawings, bills of material, and cutting data from the same model, rather than rebuilding the information f
- SSI says ShipConstructor is used by more than 600 shipyards and design offices around the world.
- The software connects with CAD, ERP, PLM, and MES systems through open architecture and APIs, and SSI offers ShipbuildingPLM for change control and li
- The May 2026 release, ShipConstructor 2027, added support for AutoCAD and Navisworks 2027.
Pros
- Shipbuilding-specific workflows cover hull, piping, and electrical
- Model data links to planning, BOM, and production
Cons
- Each version needs its own dedicated AutoCAD instance
- No public price and no free edition
DELFTship
Best for: Low cost hull modeling for students and small teams
DELFTship is a subdivision-surface hull modeler from the Netherlands, and it is one of the easiest ways to start modeling hulls. The free edition lets a user build a hull, fair the surface, and run basic hydrostatic calculations, which covers coursework, early concept work, and independent checks on a design. The interface is lighter than an enterprise suite, and the install is small, so a student or a solo designer can get a first hull on screen without a long setup process or a large budget.
- The Professional edition adds the features a working designer needs, such as saving and printing designs, plate development export, and more complete
- Extensions then add intact stability, deterministic damage stability, tanks, cranes, and dredger work, but those extensions need the Professional or C
- The vendor pricing page for the intact stability extension says to contact DELFTship for pricing information, so a buyer should request a quote for th
- DELFTship does not replace a full stability suite for class submissions, and it does not cover production detailing.
Pros
- Free edition covers hull modeling and basic hydrostatics
- Lightweight install with a short learning curve
Cons
- Stability extensions need the Professional or Corporate edition
- Extension pricing is available only on request
AutoCAD
Best for: 2D drawings and documentation alongside marine design tools
AutoCAD is the drafting standard in many engineering offices, and ship design is no exception. It handles precise 2D drafting, 3D modeling, documentation, and drawing comparison, and it includes seven industry-specific toolsets for electrical design, plant design, architecture, MEP layouts, mechanical design, 3D mapping, and raster conversion. A subscription also includes AutoCAD on the web and on mobile, so a designer can review and mark up drawings away from the main workstation.
- Students and educators can get free one-year educational access, renewable while they remain eligible.
- The Autodesk buy page lists an annual subscription at $2,095 per year for one user, or $260 per month, with a three-year term at $6,285.
- Autodesk sells its software by subscription only and no longer sells perpetual licenses, so the cost repeats each year.
- A subscriber can install and use the current version and the three previous versions at no extra cost.
Pros
- Precise 2D and 3D drafting with seven industry toolsets
- Web and mobile access included with a subscription
Cons
- Subscription only, with no perpetual license option
- No native hydrostatics or stability analysis
Autohydro
Best for: Hydrostatics and stability reports for approval bodies
Autohydro from Autoship Systems is a hydrostatics and stability program for naval architects, ship designers, and marine engineers. It performs intact and damaged stability analysis and produces customizable stability reports that the vendor says are accepted by all major approval bodies, including Lloyds, Det Norske Veritas, ABS, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Canadian Coast Guard.
- Vessel attitude is shown graphically and in text, with draft, VCG, and GM with free surface moment on the main screen.
- A vessel model can be built inside Autohydro from transverse sections, offsets, or primitive shapes, or it can be imported from Autoship hull shapes a
- The program calculates for tanks, cargo spaces, and compartments in intact, damaged, frozen, or spilling conditions, and it covers wind, waves, high s
- Output includes loading, longitudinal strength, stability, righting arms, and hull parameters, plus sounding and ullage correction tables for stabilit
Pros
- Intact and damaged stability reports accepted by major approval bodies
- Run files allow repeatable batch calculations
Cons
- Pricing is available only through a dealer or by requesting a quote
- Windows 10 and 11 Professional only
How we chose
We opened each vendor pricing page on the date shown above and took the starting price from that page, or wrote quote only when the vendor did not publish a price. The eight tools here cover hull surface modeling, marine hydrostatics, stability analysis, resistance and motions, and production detailing. We checked product pages and documentation for file formats, operating systems, license types, and module limits, and we used those limits as the con for each tool. We did not claim hands-on testing, and we did not use third-party review scores or awards to rank the tools. Where a vendor sells modules separately, we used the lowest cost entry module as the starting price.
What to check before you buy
- Class and approval needs: ask whether the stability output, report format, and criteria library match the classification society and flag rules for your vessel type, and confirm this with the class society.
- File exchange: test hull geometry, compartment data, and drawing exports with the tools your partners use, because a clean transfer saves more time than any single feature.
- Operating system and hardware: Maxsurf, ShipConstructor, and Autohydro are Windows tools, Rhino covers Windows and Mac, and Orca3D needs Rhino for Windows, so check every seat before you buy.
- License type: compare a perpetual license such as Rhino at $995 one-time with a subscription such as AutoCAD at $2,095 per year, and check what happens if a subscription ends.
- Training and support: enterprise tools such as NAPA and ShipConstructor need formal training, while DELFTship and Rhino have shorter learning curves, so budget staff time as well as license cost.
- Module scope: confirm whether hydrostatics, damage stability, resistance, and plate development are in the base license or in a module, and get that scope in writing with the quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best ship design software for beginners?
DELFTship is the easiest starting point, because the free edition covers hull modeling and basic hydrostatics with a light install and a short learning curve. Rhino 3D is the next step for precise NURBS hull surfaces and Grasshopper parametric control, with a 90-day trial before the $995 license. Add Orca3D when you need stability checks inside Rhino.
Do I need separate software for stability checks?
In most cases, yes. Rhino 3D and AutoCAD model geometry and drawings, but they do not calculate stability on their own. Orca3D, Maxsurf, NAPA, DELFTship extensions, and Autohydro add hydrostatics and stability, and the right choice depends on whether you need basic checks, intact and damaged stability, or probabilistic damage stability for class approval.
How much does ship design software cost?
Costs range from $0 for the DELFTship free edition to $995 one-time for Rhino 3D, $500 per year for an Orca3D module, $2,095 per year for AutoCAD, and $11,375 per year for Maxsurf. NAPA, ShipConstructor, DELFTship Professional, and Autohydro are quote only, so request a written quote that lists modules, seats, training, and support before you compare totals.
Can I design a ship with Rhino 3D alone?
You can model a hull and superstructure in Rhino 3D, and Grasshopper helps you test hull variants, but Rhino alone does not calculate hydrostatics, stability, resistance, or class compliance. Most Rhino-based marine designers add Orca3D for hydrostatics and stability, or export the hull to Maxsurf, NAPA, or Autohydro for analysis and approval work.
Which tool is best for a shipyard rather than a design studio?
ShipConstructor fits a shipyard best, because it links hull, piping, HVAC, and electrical design to production drawings, bills of material, and cutting data in one database-driven model. NAPA fits a large design office that needs class-ready stability and structural work. A small studio that only models hulls will usually spend less with Rhino 3D plus Orca3D.
Sources
- https://www.rhino3d.com/
- https://www.rhino3d.com/en/sales/north-america/United_States/Louisiana/
- https://www.orca3d.com/
- http://orca3d.com/pages/v3-commercial-pricing
- https://it.bentley.com/software/maxsurf/
- https://www.napa.fi/
- https://www.napa.fi/ja/ship-design/hull-form-design-and-hydrodynamics/
- https://www.ssi-corporate.com/
- https://www.ssi-corporate.com/ja/engage/shipbuilding-software-and-expertise/
- https://www.delftship.net/
- https://www.delftship.net/load-cases-intact-stability/
- https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad/buy
- https://autoship.com/autohydro/
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.