Creality Cloud 3D Model Licensing (as of 3/13/26)

This discussion is specific to Creality Cloud 3D model licensing but will help on other sites that use Creative Common (CC) licenses or a Standard License, but not other license types.

Note that other websites that have downloadable 3D models may not follow CC licenses for all models, e.g. Mak*rw***d has CC but adds commercial or exclusive model licenses or T*angs uses a different licensing model.

Discussion is welcomed including corrections - with sources/citations, but stupid comments will be ignored. I anticipate I will get some comments that disagree with something herein but the majority of those kind of comments will probably be wrong because they didn’t read this carefully and I have already noted the exception they will bring up.

I started this journey to learn more about 3D models licenses and realized that other websites must be looked at separately since they license things differently but if a specific model does use CC licensing, even if they have other licenses for other models on the website, then the following does apply.

Purpose of this post is to help explain which CC license to choose when uploading models to Creality Cloud or other 3D printing community.

My reason is I would like makers to quit choosing the wrong license when uploading models. I think some creators choose the license that doesn’t allow remixing by other users by accident. As long as it is free model, I think you should allow remixing/improving things by other users while still giving credit to the original creator.

Here is a list of licenses and what they allow. If you don’t want to allow other users to share your model on other sites, the CC license structure really doesn’t stop that. It is still allowed even if the author doesn’t like that, if you follow the license permissions.

• Note: that a CC0 license cannot be revoked and you must own the copyright to apply a CC license. All CC licenses are currently at version 4.0 except CC0 which is version 1.0.

• See https://creativecommons.org/ for most up to date information on CC licenses.

Standard License VS. CC licenses

A Stand License is different approach than a CC license. The list above mostly covers CC licenses but adds a standard license to be complete for Creality Cloud, or when applicable, to other websites.

A standard (traditional) license implies "all rights reserved," requiring explicit permission for any usage. A CC license only reserves some rights.

With standard licenses, users must contact the creator to obtain permission for usage, other than personal use. You should get and retain a written copy of the specific, explicitly granted license, usually an email authorization from the creator.

CC licenses are applied to the work, allowing immediate use without contacting the creator.

Standard licenses are designed to protect and limit usage, while CC licenses are designed to facilitate open sharing and collaboration.

Note: Creality uses, in their license wording, “under Copyright License 4.0” - but if it is a standard license, that is not true, there is no versions (4.0) of a Standard License. Also, for a CC0 license, the version is 1.0.

In FlowPrint, Creality has tried to make choosing a license easier when uploading a model by adopting Makerw***d’s approach, with two, sometimes three questions, but it seems they ask the same question twice about sharing or redistribution. To clarify, the first question is about adaptations or re-mixes then sharing. The other question is about any redistribution whether or not it has been adapted.

Common misunderstandings of Creative Common (CC) licenses:

Note: a CC - ND means non-distributable except in original format (no remixes). It does not mean completely non-distributable in original format. Use Standard License (not CC) if you want it to be non-distributable at all.

One clarification. If you are not allowed to remix or modify a model that would include not allowing you to open the model in a slicer and taking part of that model to use in your models.

Summary:

Look at licensing carefully before you reload or re-mix a model and give attribution in almost all cases. If you learn these things up front it makes things easier down the road.

If a model is free, consider allowing remixes, since it improves things for everyone.