ZBrush vs VirtualTablet
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ZBrush
Create detailed 3D models and digital sculptures on your iPad. This app offers industry-leading sculpting tools, advanced detailing, and seamless integration with desktop versions for professionals and hobbyists alike.
- Digital sculpting and 3D painting
- 200+ pressure-sensitive brushes
- Sculptris Pro & Dynamic Tessellation
- Live Boolean modeling
- 3D Layers for non-destructive editing
- Seamless desktop interoperability
- Direct export for 3D printing
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ZBrush for iPad. Create stunning 3D models, digital sculptures, concept art, and detailed characters with ZBrush for iPad—the award-winning, industry-leading digital sculpting app trusted by professional artists across film, AAA games, collectibles, toy design, jewelry, illustration, and 3D design. ZBrush for iPad brings unrivaled desktop-grade digital sculpting and 3D painting power into an intuitive, touch-first mobile environment optimized for Apple Pencil. Take complete creative freedom on the go with high-poly mesh density, proprietary digital clay brushes, procedural detailing, and seamless cross-platform interoperability. Subscribers to Maxon One or ZBrush desktop can download the iPad app and sign in to activate full access instantly. A comprehensive free tier is also available to start sculpting immediately. NEW FOR IPAD • Spotlight Integration: Seamlessly load reference images directly onto the canvas, apply projection painting and texture mapping across complex mesh surfaces, and extract custom 3D geometry from 2D source imagery. • 3D Layers: Store high-resolution sculpting details, PolyPaint color channels, and masking non-destructively. Effortlessly toggle layer visibility, blend sculpt deformations, and refine feature intensity with precise slider controls. CORE SCULPTING & MODELING FEATURES • 200+ Sculpting Brushes: Pressure-sensitive digital brushes engineered for Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil Pro, supporting squeeze, roll, hover, double-tap gestures, and haptic feedback. • Sculptris Pro & Dynamic Tessellation: Add local mesh detail on the fly without manual topology management. • DynaMesh Digital Clay: Re-topologize mesh density evenly during early concept exploration. • ZRemesher: Industry-standard automatic retopology for clean, optimized edge flow. • Live Boolean: Non-destructive real-time union, subtraction, and intersection modeling. • PolyPaint: High-resolution 3D painting directly on vertex geometry without preliminary UV unwrapping. • Advanced Detailing: VDM Brushes, Surface Noise, Retopo Brush, Subdivision Modeling, NanoMesh, and ArrayMesh. DESKTOP INTEROPERABILITY & EXPORT • One-Click GoZ: Seamless transfer of ZTool and ZProject files between iPad and desktop ZBrush. • 3D Print Hub: Direct export for additive manufacturing and 3D printing workflows. HIGH-PERFORMANCE HARDWARE OPTIMIZATION Handles up to 90+ million polygons per mesh on M4 iPad hardware. Optimized for multi-touch gestures, custom hotkey bars, rapid undo/redo touch shortcuts, and real-world photogrammetry base mesh imports for high-end digital asset creation. TARGET CREATIVE USE CASES 1. Game Developers: Hero character modeling, creature design, and environment asset creation. 2. Collectibles & Toy Designers: High-detail prototyping and precise 3D print preparation. 3. Film & VFX Artists: Production-grade concept sculpting and digital asset creation. 4. Industrial & Jewelry Designers: Precision organic detailing for consumer products, apparel, and hardware. 5. 2D Illustrators & Concept Artists: Fast 3D block-outs and visual design expansion. LANGUAGE SUPPORT English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, German, French, and Portuguese (BR).
VirtualTablet
Transform your iOS device into a wireless pen tablet for your computer. Draw, write, and control your PC or Mac with precise, low-latency input using Apple Pencil or touch. Connect easily via Wi-Fi or USB for a professional graphic tablet experience without the cost.
- Wireless pen tablet functionality
- Apple Pencil pressure and tilt support
- Wi-Fi or USB connection
- Screen mapping and mouse modes
- Compatible with creative desktop apps
- Low-latency cursor control
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Turn your iPad or iPhone into a wireless pen tablet for your computer! Draw, write, and control your PC or Mac with Apple Pencil—just like a professional graphic tablet. VirtualTablet turns your iOS device into a high-precision input tablet for desktop apps. It connects over Wi-Fi or USB, giving you accurate, low-latency cursor control without buying expensive hardware. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Draw directly into desktop creative apps • Control your computer cursor with Apple Pencil or touch • Annotate PDFs, slides, and documents for teaching or presentations • Play rhythm games like osu with precise, low-latency input ------- CONNECT OVER WI-FI OR USB • Wi-Fi: connect wirelessly when your computer and iOS device are on the same router/network • USB: plug in for a rock-solid, low-latency wired connection • No complicated network setup—just scan a QR code or type a short connection code • Every input event is fully encrypted end-to-end for safe, private transmission ------- CHOOSE YOUR SETUP: SCREEN MAPPING OR MOUSE MODE VirtualTablet lets you decide how your cursor moves on your device. • Screen Mapping (Absolute Positioning) Your iPad maps directly to your computer display, similar to a traditional pen tablet. Ideal for artists and osu players. • Mouse Mode (Relative Positioning) Use your iPad like a large trackpad. Cursor movement follows your hand regardless of position. ------- APPLE PENCIL SUPPORT • Pressure and tilt sensitivity • Double-tap gesture support • Hover cursor control on supported Apple Pencil models Finger or passive stylus input is supported with basic functionality. ------- WORKS WITH YOUR FAVORITE APPS Compatible with popular desktop software such as Photoshop, Affinity, Krita, Clip Studio, Illustrator, and more. ------- REQUIREMENTS • A Windows or macOS computer (Linux is not supported yet) • The free VirtualTablet Server installed on your computer: https://www.sunnysidesoft.com/virtualtablet/download • Wi-Fi (same network) or a USB cable to connect your iOS device and computer ------- GETTING STARTED WITH VIRTUALTABLET • Download VirtualTablet on your iPhone or iPad • Install VirtualTablet Server on your Windows or macOS computer • Launch both, then connect by scanning the QR code or entering the connection code • Use Apple Pencil or touch to control your computer Need help? Visit our website or contact support from the app. https://www.sunnysidesoft.com/support/ ------- Stop paying for expensive drawing tablets. Use the device you already own—download VirtualTablet and start creating. HELP • Support page: https://www.sunnysidesoft.com/support/ • Email us: support@sunnysidesoft.com • Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ZBrush at 4.1 against VirtualTablet's 3.3. ZBrush also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (265 vs 4). VirtualTablet's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. ZBrush sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and VirtualTablet sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ZBrush holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZBrush has 265 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ZBrush ships an update monthly, VirtualTablet every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ZBrush | VirtualTablet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (265 ratings) — better | 3.3 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 265 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.1 GB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MAXON Computer GmbH | Eunjin Joo |
Customer experience
ZBrush
VirtualTablet
In-app purchases
ZBrush
- ZBrush Monthly$9.991 Month
- ZBrush Annual$89.991 Year
VirtualTablet
- Pro Subscription (Monthly)$1.991 Month
- Pro Subscription (Annual)$11.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime Access$29.99









