Comparison

Forma3D vs Shapely 3D

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

Head to head
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 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/

About

Shapely 3D

Features
Read full description

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. 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 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

Forma3D4 screens
Shapely 3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Forma3D at 17.0 against Shapely 3D's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and Shapely 3D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Forma3D versus Shapely 3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterForma3DShapely 3D
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDenis VazyulyaFabrizio Brancati

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Forma3D

Subscriptions1
  • Forma3D subscription3 Days trial$6.991 Month
1 purchases

Shapely 3D

One-time1
  • Shapely 3D Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Forma3D free?
Forma3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shapely 3D free?
Shapely 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Forma3D or Shapely 3D have ads?
Neither Forma3D nor Shapely 3D shows ads.

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