Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source (4), which apparatus (1) comprises an application unit (6) with at least one application element (7) adapted to apply build material (3) on a build plane (8), characterized in by a determination unit (12) that is adapted to determine contact information relating to a force acting on the at least one application element (7), preferably during an application process.