Comparison

Box 3D 2 vs Forma3D

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Box 3D 2

Features
Read full description

Box 3D is a fun and easy app that lets children create beautiful 3D models. Simply tap a box face to build, hold a box to remove, swipe left or right to rotate, and explore many more features inside Box 3D.

About

Forma3D

Create and edit 3D models directly on your iPhone or iPad. Prepare designs for 3D printing with precise tools and export to common formats. Ideal for beginners and experienced users alike.

Highlights
  • Create primitive 3D shapes
  • Precise transformation controls
  • Boolean operations (union, subtract)
  • Mesh editing (vertices, edges, faces)
  • STL and 3MF import/export
  • Beginner-friendly interface
  • X-Ray mode for transparency
Features
Read full description

Forma3D is a professional 3D mesh editor for iPad and iPhone — built for makers, 3D printing enthusiasts, and anyone who needs to create, fix or modify 3D models on the go. No laptop. No cloud. Everything runs locally on your device, offline, with desktop-grade mesh editing capabilities. ▸ FACE PAINT & MULTI-FILAMENT 3MF EXPORT Paint individual faces with different colors directly in the editor, then export a 3MF file with per-face color data ready for multi-filament 3D printing. Bambu Studio and Creality Print automatically assign filaments based on the embedded paint codes — no manual slicer setup needed. This is a desktop-only feature in slicer software, now available on mobile exclusively in Forma3D. ▸ MESH EDITING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Switch between Object Mode and Edit Mode. Select and edit individual vertices, edges, and faces with precision. Use Single, Rectangle, Oval, or Brush selection tools with Multi-select support. Move, rotate, and scale with an interactive transform gizmo or numeric input. ▸ PROFESSIONAL MODELING TOOLS • Extrude — push faces in or out with live preview and direction toggle • Inset — shrink or grow faces inward with adjustable depth • Bevel — round edges with custom segments and profile control (desktop-grade bevel algorithm) • Boolean Operations — Union and Subtract using Manifold CSG library • Manifold Cut — slice meshes with Line, Circle, Ellipse, Rectangle, Polygon, or Freehand shapes • Mirror — symmetrically duplicate geometry across X, Y, or Z axis • Revolve — create lathe geometry by rotating a profile • Subdivide — add resolution where you need it • Simplify — reduce polygon count for lighter exports • Remesh — retopologize with uniform quad-dominant mesh • Vertex Sculpting — push and pull vertices with gesture-based brush • 3D Text — add extruded text to your scene • Color — paint all faces of a mesh with a single tap ▸ PRIMITIVES & IMPORT Start from built-in primitives: Cube, Soft Cube, Sphere, Soft Sphere, Cylinder, Torus, Pyramid, Plane, Tube, Bolt, Nut. Import STL and 3MF files. Export to STL, 3MF, or USDZ formats. ▸ 3D SCANNING (LiDAR) Capture real-world objects with your iPhone or iPad LiDAR scanner and edit the resulting mesh directly in the app — scan, fix, and print without switching apps. ▸ PRECISION & MEASUREMENT Ruler tool for measuring distances in millimeters. World grid with 20 mm squares for build-plate reference. Snap-to-grid for accurate positioning. Keyboard hotkeys for fast numeric input (move, rotate, scale by exact values). ▸ VISUALIZATION Orthographic view cube for standard projections (Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Left, Right). X-Ray mode to see through meshes and inspect internal geometry. Wireframe display with Triangles or Quads mode. Custom viewport colors, lighting controls, and world axes toggle. ▸ UNDO / REDO & PROJECTS Full undo/redo history. Save and load projects in native .forma3d format. Duplicate, delete, and organize objects in the scene with an objects list panel. ▸ APPLE PENCIL SUPPORT Hover tooltips with Apple Pencil. Precise vertex dragging and component selection optimized for Pencil input. ▸ MULTILINGUAL Now available in 16 languages: English, Deutsch, Français, 日本語, 简体中文, Español, Italiano, 한국어, Português, Русский, Nederlands, Polski, Türkçe, 繁體中文, Svenska, العربية. Forma3D is built on a custom mesh kernel with Manifold CSG boolean operations and a desktop-grade bevel algorithm — bringing professional 3D editing to your pocket. Whether you're preparing models for 3D printing, fixing scanned meshes, painting faces for multi-filament prints, or creating from scratch, Forma3D gives you the tools to get the job done — anywhere. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Box 3D 24 screens
Forma3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Box 3D 2 at none against Forma3D's 1. Box 3D 2 also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Forma3D's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Forma3D sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $6.99 per month. Box 3D 2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Box 3D 2 ships an update every 4 days, Forma3D every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Box 3D 2 versus Forma3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBox 3D 2Forma3D
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNu HoangDenis Vazyulya

In-app purchases

None

Box 3D 2

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Forma3D

Subscriptions1
  • Forma3D subscription3 Days trial$6.991 Month

Questions

Is Box 3D 2 free?
Box 3D 2 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Forma3D free?
Forma3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Box 3D 2 or Forma3D have ads?
Box 3D 2 shows ads; Forma3D does not.
Which is updated more often, Box 3D 2 or Forma3D?
Box 3D 2 ships an update every 4 days, and Forma3D every 3 days. Most recently, Box 3D 2 was updated on September 13, 2026 and Forma3D on September 10, 2026.

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