Full access to the app | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Suitable for grades K-2 | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Suitable for grades 3-4 | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Suitable for grades 5-6 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Suitable for grades 7-9+ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Compatible with all devices and computers | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Licence(s) | Unlimited classes, teachers and students | One individual (home user) | Class, maker and school plans for schools and educational institutions, per student pricing for school districts and enterprise pricing for groups of schools |
Cost | Free | Free | Paid |
Privacy Agreements | Tinkercad (Autodesk) is unable to sign and comply to privacy agreements required by many US school districts. requirements. | N/a | Makers Empire can comply with and has signed agreements with many US schools and US school districts. We can work with schools and districts to fulfil requirements. |
Login Options | Autodesk, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, class code, email + password
| Google, Clever, Apple, Microsoft, email + password | Google/Google Classroom, Clever, Apple, Microsoft, class code, QR code, email + password |
Freeform 3D design editor | ✅ | ✅ Shaper | ✅ Shaper |
Voxel 3D design editor | ❌ | ✅ Blocker | ✅ Blocker |
Advanced design editor | ✅ Fusion - a seperate app | ✅ Advanced | ✅ Advanced |
Training Lab or Learning Centre | ✅ Learning Centre | ✅ Training Lab | ✅ Training Lab |
Themed, in-app Challenge Courses with videos, quizzes, tutorials & challenges. | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Full, curriculum-aligned lesson plans | ✅ 18 lesson plans | ❌ | ✅ 150+ lesson plans in the Lesson Plan Library |
Lesson plan builder so teachers can create their own curriculum-aligned lesson plans | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Teachers can opt to share lesson plans with the Makers Empire community via the Lesson Plan Library |
Lesson and project ideas (not aligned with curriculum) | ✅ 100+ projects on website | ✅ 30+ lesson ideas on website | ✅ 30+ lesson ideas on website |
Timed challenges | ✅ 24/year delivered via website | ✅ 12 monthly Design Thinking competitions + 365 Daily Challenges delivered in the app | ✅ 12 monthly Design Thinking competitions + 365 Daily Challenges delivered in the app |
In-app Design Missions | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ 129 in-app Design Missions |
Design Mission builder so teachers can create their own in-app Design Missions | ❌ | ✅ Create design missions in the teacher dashboard and have them appear in the Makers Empire app | ✅ Create design missions in the teacher dashboard and have them appear in the Makers Empire app |
AR tool | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Notes (annotation) tool | ✅ | ✅ Can program notes to play in a specific order | ✅ Can program notes to play in a specific order |
Replayer tool (shows how a design was made) | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Design and play 3D mazes | ❌ | ✅ Maze Mania | ✅ Maze Mania |
Simulation Lab Add-On | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Coding Add-On | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Circuits Add-On | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Students can collaborate on designs | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Getting started guide for teachers | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Students use non-identifiable avatars and usernames | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Teachers control the size of their students' design community | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Teacher dashboard | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Class management tools | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Assign students tasks via teacher dashboard | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Online professional development for teachers | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Class progress reports for teachers | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Can send custom and suggested feedback to students as in-app notifications | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Can download .STL files for 3D printing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
3D design app (software) support | ✅ FAQs, forums | ✅ Live support (phone, email) plus knowledgebase of help articles | ✅ Live support (phone, email) plus knowledgebase of help articles |
3D Printer (hardware) support | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Set up, troubleshooting and servicing where possible |
3D printing bureau for Australian schools | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |