3D Model Maker vs Shapely 3D
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
3D Model Maker
Transform 2D images into detailed 3D models quickly and easily. Preview your creations in real-time and export them in GLB format for use in various 3D applications and viewers. No prior 3D modeling experience is required.
- Generate 3D models from 2D images
- Real-time 3D model preview
- Export in GLB format
- User-friendly interface
- No prior 3D skills needed
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Turn a photo or 2D image into a downloadable 3D model with ImgTo3D, an AI 3D model generator and image-to-3D converter for iPhone and iPad. Upload a single image or up to four views of the same object, let AI generate the 3D geometry and textures, then preview, save, share, or export your model as GLB, STL, OBJ, or USDZ. No CAD or traditional 3D modeling experience required. IMAGE TO 3D IN A FEW TAPS • Choose a photo or 2D image from your library • Add one image or up to four views of the same object • Select Pro Mode for high-quality generation or Ultra Mode for enhanced detail • Rotate, zoom, and inspect the result in an interactive 3D model viewer • Change the viewer background to inspect your model more clearly • Save generated models to your on-device history and revisit them anytime • Share or save the finished 3D file from your iPhone or iPad EXPORT GLB, STL, OBJ, AND USDZ Choose the standard 3D file format that fits your workflow: • GLB - A compact 3D format with textures for real-time and web 3D workflows • STL - A mesh format for 3D printing and use with slicer software • OBJ - Widely supported geometry for 3D design and modeling software • USDZ - Apple’s 3D format for AR Quick Look and Apple-platform workflows Move your exported models into workflows using tools such as Blender, Unity, web-based 3D viewers, and 3D-printing slicers. CREATE 3D STARTING POINTS FOR • Game-development assets and rapid prototypes • 3D-printing and maker projects • AR, VR, and interactive web concepts • Product mockups and design exploration • Digital art, characters, props, and collectibles • Further editing, sculpting, or texturing in other 3D tools TWO QUALITY OPTIONS Pro Mode accepts one to four images of the same object, including front, side, and angled views. Use additional angles to give the AI more visual reference for your model. Ultra Mode uses one clear, high-quality front view and ImgTo3D’s most advanced generation option for enhanced geometry and texture detail. WHY IMGTO3D? Traditional 3D modeling and CAD tools can be complex and time-consuming. ImgTo3D gives beginners, 3D artists, designers, game developers, makers, students, and curious creators a simpler photo-to-3D workflow: 1. Upload your image or images 2. Generate an AI 3D model 3. Preview it from every angle 4. Export and use it in your project Built-in image tips help you choose a strong source image: use one clearly visible object against a plain, neutral background for better results. Whether you want to convert an image into a 3D model, prototype a game asset from concept art, make an STL for a 3D-printing workflow, or build a base model for Blender or Unity, ImgTo3D helps you move from 2D reference to downloadable 3D file in a few taps. Download ImgTo3D and create your first 3D model. ImgTo3D includes limited free Pro generations. A Pro subscription includes unlimited Pro generation plus Ultra credits: 1 per paid week on the weekly plan or 10 per paid year on the annual plan. Credits are added when a paid purchase or renewal is processed, not during a free trial. Existing subscribers receive their first included credits at their next paid renewal. Unused Ultra credits roll over, never expire, and remain available after your Pro subscription ends. Need more? Extra Ultra credit packs are available as separate purchases. Privacy Policy: https://www.imgto3dapp.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.imgto3dapp.com/terms-of-use
Shapely 3D
Create and sculpt 3D models directly on your iPad. Build scenes from primitives, refine them with intuitive tools, and export your creations for printing or digital use. Unlock advanced features with a Pro upgrade.
- Sketch and sculpt 3D models
- Build scenes from primitives
- On-screen gizmo for manipulation
- Configurable grid and measurement tools
- Export USDZ for AR and Quick Look
- Advanced Pro features (CSG, STL export, smoothing)
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Shapely 3D is a fast, native 3D modeling app built for iPad — sketch, sculpt, and export real 3D models with just your finger or Apple Pencil. Build scenes from simple primitives, then move, rotate, and scale them with an on-screen gizmo. Snap to a configurable grid, measure distances as you work, and use the orientation cube to jump straight to any view. Shapely 3D saves your work as a native document you can open again anytime, right where you left off. Before you print, tap View in Room to see the model on your desk at its actual size, through the camera, or export a USDZ for Quick Look and any USD tool. Apple Pencil Pro's squeeze switches sketch modes mid-drawing and hover shows where the next shape will land. Every project is in Spotlight, Siri and Shortcuts. Shapely 3D Pro unlocks: • CSG boolean operations — union, subtract, and intersect shapes to build more complex forms • STL export — send your models straight to a 3D printer or another CAD tool • Sketch & Extrude — draw a 2D profile and pull it into a solid • Smoothing — round any object with adjustable, non-destructive subdivision • Cut tool — slice objects apart along a face or a drawn line • Edit Faces — move, extrude, and reshape the individual faces of any object, and give any face a color of its own • Repair — find the holes, stray faces, and inside-out faces a slicer would trip on, see them in red, and fix them before you export Whether you're prototyping a part, teaching geometry, or just enjoy building things in 3D, Shapely 3D keeps the fundamentals simple and gets out of your way.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shapely 3D at 100% against 3D Model Maker's 27%. 3D Model Maker's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 2.0) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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. 3D Model Maker sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Shapely 3D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
3D Model Maker holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 3D Model Maker has 314 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 27% of 3D Model Maker's written reviews are positive against 100% of Shapely 3D's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
3D Model Maker ships an update weekly, Shapely 3D every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 3D Model Maker | Shapely 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (314 ratings) — better | 2.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 26.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 314 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 11 days |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 103 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Creator View, L.L.C. | Fabrizio Brancati |
Customer experience
3D Model Maker
Shapely 3D
In-app purchases
3D Model Maker
- Weekly Pro$3.997 Days
- Weekly Pro$4.997 Days
- Annual Pro$34.991 Year
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- Annual Pro$39.991 Year
- 10 Credits$9.99
- 20 Credits$14.99
Shapely 3D
- Shapely 3D Pro$4.99








