This nodal workflow isn’t for everyone, but Houdini also has some more traditional tools which allow you to directly interact with the polygons on screen. Its node-based procedural approach offers artists unprecedented power, flexibility and control. SideFX's Houdini is responsible for creating a range of 3D imagery across the CG industry. Download Houdini Apprentice (free version) (opens in new tab).Even if you invest a couple hundred in add-ons over time, it's still a lot less than base C4D.

There are a ton of great free add-ons, and the paid ones aren't really that expensive either. Blender makes it a lot easier than other programs to make your own add-ons. Other pros for Blender are the strong community, and a wealth of developers contributing add-ons.

EEVEE is a ton of fun, the UI just got a beautiful makeover, and there's more fun stuff coming soon as well. Blender 2.8 is a lot of fun, so maybe this is just recency bias, but I don't know if there's ever been a more exciting time to be a Blender user. Animation nodes can do a lot of what their mograph effectors can do, but animation nodes are far from drag and drop. Ultimately Blender can do most or all of what C4D can, it just may take a lot more work to set it up. I follow C4D tutorials in Blender too, though they don't always translate 1 to 1. Blender does not have these, but you can buy them or build them using add-ons. C4D's specialty is probably the mograph stuff, but like most other CG packages, it also has a material asset system, and a decent amount of base models included.

If the only reason you would consider C4D is the sale, then I would think twice.

Is cinema 4d easier than blender