30 Best Sites for Free STL Files & 3D Printer Models

Site	Type	Free/Paid	3D Printable Models
Thingiverse	Repository	Free	★★★★★
CGTrader	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★★★
Cults	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★★★
MyMiniFactory	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★★★
Pinshape	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★★★
TurboSquid	Repository	Free/Paid	★★★★
3DExport	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★★
PrusaPrinters	Repository	Free	★★★
YouMagine	Repository	Free	★★★
NIH 3D Print Exchange	Repository	Free	★★
Free3D	Repository	Free, Paid	★★
Threeding	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★
GrabCAD Library	Repository	Free	★★
Redpah	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★
3DShook	Subscription Service	Free, Paid	★★
XYZprinting 3D Gallery	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★★
Zortrax Library	Repository	Free	★
Repables	Repository	Free	★
3Dagogo	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★
Libre3D	Repository	Free	★
Fab365	Marketplace	Free, Paid	★
NASA	Repository	Free	★
Instructables	Repository	Free	n/a
Dremel Lesson Plans	Repository	Free	n/a
Polar Cloud	Repository	Free	n/a
3DKitBash	Marketplace	Free, Paid	n/a
Shapetizer	Marketplace	Free, Paid	n/a
Yeggi	Search Engine	Free, Paid	n/a
STLFinder	Search Engine	Free, Paid	n/a
3DFindIt	Search Engine	Free, Paid	n/a

Thingiverse

The single biggest content repository for 3D printer models on the internet is Thingiverse – the site offers more than 2.8 million STL files, leaving the competition far behind. The website is operated by MakerBot Industries, the creators of the Replicator and Method series of 3D printers.

In March 2020, Thingiverse underwent a major design overhaul and speed improvement. The site also offers a huge community of dedicated makers offering free STL files to download in varying categories and complexity. Once you are logged in, you can share tagged 3D printer models in a personal collection.

Download 3D printer files at: Thingiverse

CGTrader

CGTrader is a marketplace to buy and sell 3D designs. Not just limited to CAD files, however; the site also offers a selection of free 3D printer files to download for production on any 3D printer. Of the staggering 1 million+ 3D models available, roughly 229,000 models are marked as 3D printable. Most of them are freely available for download following the creation of a free account with the site.

Download 3D printer files at: CGTrader

Cults

Based in France, Cults is a fast-growing community and 3D printer file marketplace where makers can share or sell their STL files. The standard of Cults’ 160,000-plus 3D printer models is usually high, with the equally impressive presentation a big draw. Users can follow their favorite designers or get instant updates when a new creation is posted. They also offer curated collections based on popular big-name brands (for example, IKEA hacks, Lego parts, GoPro, or drone accessories). A neat touch: the website supports English, French, and Spanish languages. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can hire a designer through Cults directly.

Download 3D printer files at: Cults3D

MyMiniFactory

MyMiniFactory is a community space and repository for some 129,000 3D printer files, with a strong emphasis on gaming and geek culture. It has close ties with iMakr, an online store that sells 3D printers and accessories.

The site offers free and paid 3D printer files made by professional designers, with a guarantee that they’ve been quality tested. They also provide challenges to 3D designers regularly, and host an extensive collection of free STL files with a cultural heritage theme called “Scan the World.” In 2018, a premium store offering became available, where creators can promote their work and earn revenue from their talents.

Download 3D printer files at: MyMiniFactory

Pinshape

Pinshape describes itself as a 3D marketplace “connecting makers and designers.” You can find plenty of free STL files to download in the more than 67,000 designs, but it also functions as a platform to buy and sell premium 3D printer models. This is the place if you’re looking for free STL files for toys and games, miniatures, jewelry and fashion, home appliances, gadgets, people and creatures, and art.

Download 3D printer files at: Pinshape

TurboSquid

One of the oldest websites to feature on this list, TurboSquid, is easy to navigate and offers more than 860,000 free and premium 3D models. Geared more toward digital content creation than 3D printing (think AR/VR and those using Physically Based Rendering software in their work), there is still a limited selection of free 3D printable models on offer at TurboSquid.

Being able to filter by filetype aids in finding them – tick the checkbox against STL to show the more than 52,300 3D printable designs.

Download 3D printer files at: TurboSquid

3DExport

Aimed at professional designers and 3D artists, 3DExport is a marketplace for premium 3D printer models. Besides generic and low-poly 3D models, 3DExport offers a decent selection of more than 39,000 3D printable designs. You can also filter your search to find a small collection of free STL files for 3D printing, with an emphasis on jewelry and ornaments.

Download 3D printer files at: 3DExport

PrusaPrinters

With its iconic Prusa i3 design, Josef Prusa defined a new standard for FDM 3D printers. Covering all bases, he offers his own open-source software PrusaSlicer, own filament Prusament, great documentation, a database of Prusa users…. and a free and well-sorted file repository. The newcomer repository was launched in 2019 and is growing fast. Its free models, of which there are now more than 23,500, can be downloaded as STL files. They are usable on all FDM machines.

Download 3D printer files at: Prusaprinters

YouMagine

YouMagine is a community website and file repository operated by Ultimaker, a 3D printer manufacturer and creator of the popular Cura slicing software. Started in 2013, the site has some solidly designed items, and the free STL files you can download will work on any fused filament fabrication (FFF) machine. You can browse through more than 17,000 free 3D printer models and interesting, handpicked collections.

Download 3D printer files at: YouMagine

NIH 3D Print Exchange

The NIH 3D Print Exchange is a fantastic and popular resource for the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) community. It’s a platform for sharing, distributing, and downloading 3D printer files that are scientifically accurate or medically applicable. Collections include roughly 9,600 free STL files for face shields, prostheses, neuroscience, a “heart library,” and a “molecule of the month.” It also houses a section for 3D printable low-cost prosthetics.

Download 3D printer files at: NIH 3D Print Exchange

Free3D

Free3D is a good entry point if you are looking for royalty-free 3D models you can use in CAD or 3D and game design. Alongside an extensive collection of more than 60,000 models, the website also maintains a small collection (6,800+) of STL files that are tagged as 3D printable. From the looks of it, not every item in the section is going to easily 3D printable with an FDM 3D printer, but there are some gems to be found.

Download 3D printer files at: Free3D

Threeding

Threeding is an online marketplace for 63,000 paid and free 3D printer models. Their platform allows individuals and businesses to buy, sell, or just exchange any 3D printing designs. There are over 6,300 STL files to download. The site also offers a 3D printing service, so that you can have your 3D printer models fabricated and shipped to you at the click of a button.

Download 3D printer files at: Threeding

GrabCAD Library

GrabCAD wants to “help mechanical engineers build great products faster.” The site offers tools that help users collaborate in the development of their designs, and a portion of that includes 3D printer models. Not necessarily the first port of call for a wide selection of everyday printables, GrabCAD is still handy for complex parts from designers and engineers flexing their modeling muscles. Be warned though: Although more than 6,400 models are tagged as 3D printable, not all actually will print.

Besides free STL files, the site offers the free 3D printing software GrabCAD Workbench and the professional 3D printing service GrabCAD Print.

Download 3D printer files at: GrabCAD

Redpah

Redpah is a 3D printing design store offering a mixture of paid and free 3D printer models for makers and designers. The repository features more than 4,600 premium and free 3D printer files to download. A nice feature is the ability to sort 3D printing designs based on the work of popular designers.

Download 3D printer files at: Redpah

3DShook

The business model for 3DShook is a subscription service for those who want a steady stream of quality 3D printer files. Package deals range from $25-$50, as well as monthly, educational, yearly, and commercial subscriptions for STL files. Most of the roughly 6,000 3D printer models are excellent, and to convince you before you take out a subscription, they have a small trial gallery of free STL files to download.

Download 3D printer files at: 3DShook

XYZprinting 3D Gallery

Taiwanese manufacturer XYZprinting has a dedicated 3D gallery of free STL files to download. There’s no digital rights management that we could find, but you have to first register with the site to access the 3D printer models. The majority of items here – some 2,600+ models altogether – do not appear to have been printed, given the preponderance of renderings over photos of physical objects.

But it’s reassuring to see that they have dedicated repositories for stereolithography (SLA), dual-extrusion, and also color 3D printing.

Download 3D printer files at: XYZprinting 3D Gallery

Zortrax Library

In a previous incarnation, the Zortrax library of free STL files was integrated into their Z-Suite software, and therefore only available to owners of Zortrax 3D printers. The company has now split the library from the software and made it openly available online. That means anyone can browse and download free STL files, and fabricate them on any FDM machine. It’s a canny move, too. Most of the 1,100+ 3D printer models are optimized for ABS filament; makers who wouldn’t ordinarily use the material might be tempted to give it a try.

Download 3D printer files at: Zortrax Library

Repables

Repables is a straightforward repository to download some 1,000 free STL files for 3D printing. There aren’t any newfangled community features here, just a barebones website that allows users to upload the 3D printer files they want to share and distribute. The site contains a lot of small, simple designs, with a nice selection of everyday items and replacement parts for open source printers.

Download 3D printer files at: Repables

3Dagogo

“Just create and sell.” That’s the premise of 3Dagogo, a platform to buy and sell 3D printer models. But a fair number of 3D printer files are offered for free and are verified by the site for print quality. Overall, the site offers 650+ designs.

Download 3D printer files at: 3Dagogo

Libre3D

This is the place to go if you’re a devout supporter of the open-source 3D printing movement. Why? Because, none other than the inventor of the RepRap Project, Adrian Bowyer, sits on the board of directors. Libre3D is a dedicated resource for 3D printing help with more that 480 free STL files to download and much more.

Download 3D printer files at: Libre3D

Fab365

Fab365 is a product marketplace for 3D printer files. Registered users can buy, sell, and download models to make at home on their 3D printers. These premium designs are grouped in themes like gadgets, art, home, and architecture, and there’s a dash of sophistication and humor about them. Most of what’s on offer are paid designs, but a small selection of 3D printer files is available for free.

Download 3D printer files at: Fab365

NASA

The site looks gray and boring, but don’t let that fool you. This is a very exciting repository of 110 3D printer models created by none other than NASA. Their STL files are made available for free for educational purposes so that you can fabricate landmark objects in the history of space exploration like the Apollo 11 landing site, the Curiosity Rover, or the Hubble Space Telescope.

Download 3D printer files at: NASA 3D Resources

Instructables

Instructables is a fantastic and vivid community portal where users can share their DIY projects, including things made for 3D printing. Featured on the project pages are the tutorials and instructions on how to build each creation, together with the 3D printer files to download where relevant. Plus, most of the designers are helpful enough to answer questions submitted by the public.

Download 3D printer files at: Instructables

Dremel Lesson Plans

US manufacturer Dremel has a curated portal of lesson plans to complement their Idea Builder line of 3D printers. Based on the pretext that the Idea Builder can only 3D print in PLA filament, this selection of 3D printer files is optimized for a frustration-free experience. The free STL files are great to be printed in classrooms, and they are also accompanied by education material for teachers. Please be advised the curriculum is only available after registering.

Download 3D printer files at: Dremel Lesson Plans

Polar Cloud

The Polar Cloud is an online social platform for free STL files and 3D printer models. There’s also a strong emphasis on education and collaboration, with regular challenges to stimulate engagement and ambassadors to show you how it’s done.

Download 3D printer files at: Polar Cloud

3DKitBash

This site is a quirky little project operating at the outer fringes of science-fiction fandom. They specialize in articulated toys and models, with pop culture motifs like monsters and robots. The quality of the designs themselves are excellent and though you’ll have to buy the majority of them, there is a downloads area with free STL files to download and “try before you buy.” We especially recommend the Graphica Ghost as a fun project.

Download 3D printer files at: 3DKitbash

Shapetizer

Shapetizer is a 3D printing marketplace for the Chinese market, offering 3D printer models in most categories from jewelry to video games. Full functionality is limited to registered users, but once you’re in, there’s a good mix of paid and free STL files to download. They also offer streaming of 3D printer files, so the 3D printer models can be prepped and sent to your machine without downloading anything.

Download 3D printer files at: Shapetizer

STL search engines don’t host the models they are displaying – but for the sake of completion, we have added the most important and popular STL search engines to this list.

Yeggi

Yeggi is a dedicated search engine that will crawl through many 3D printing websites for 3D printer models. You can also look up some of the popular searches to get an idea of trends the community is currently interested in. The user interface isn’t going to win prizes anytime soon, but it’s an effective tool for finding free STL files for 3D printing fast. There’s also a section for new and popular free 3D printer files.

Download 3D printer files at: Yeggi