Comparison

Forma3D vs 3D Paint

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 iPhone and iPad — 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. ▸ PAINT & MULTI-FILAMENT 3MF EXPORT Paint with a brush directly on your model, then export a 3MF file with per-face color data ready for multi-filament printing. Bambu Studio and Creality Print read the embedded colors automatically — your paint job travels to the slicer intact. ▸ SCULPT MODE Sculpt meshes with a gesture-based brush — push, pull, and smooth with falloff presets and Apple Pencil support. ▸ SKETCH MODE Draw a shape or import an SVG and turn it into 3D geometry in one tap. ▸ LITHOPHANE GENERATOR Turn any photo into a printable lithophane — a depth-mapped relief that comes alive when backlit. ▸ SPLIT WITH JOINTS Split meshes along edge loops into printable parts with built-in joints — cylinder, square peg, cone, or ball. Perfect for models bigger than your build plate. ▸ EDGE LOOP TOOLS Select entire edge loops and fill them with clean topology: Grid Fill for quad surfaces, Bridge for connecting boundaries. ▸ MESH EDITING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Switch between Object Mode and Edit Mode. Select and edit vertices, edges, and faces with Single, Rectangle, Oval, or Brush selection. Move, rotate, and scale with a transform gizmo or numeric input. ▸ PROFESSIONAL MODELING TOOLS • Extrude — live preview with direction toggle • Inset — adjustable depth • Bevel — custom segments and profile control • Boolean — Union and Subtract (Manifold CSG) • Cut — Line, Circle, Ellipse, Rectangle, Polygon, Freehand • Mirror — across X, Y, or Z • Revolve — lathe geometry from a profile • Subdivide / Simplify — resolution where you need it • Remesh — uniform quad topology with quality control • 3D Text — extruded text objects ▸ PRIMITIVES & FILE FORMATS Cube, Sphere, Soft variants, Cylinder, Torus, Pyramid, Plane, Tube, Bolt, Nut. Import STL, 3MF, OBJ, PLY, DAE, ABC, USD, FBX and GLB — plus native Blender .blend scenes with mirror modifiers and object transforms applied. Export to STL, 3MF (Bambu-ready), OBJ, FBX, GLB or USDZ — with colors. ▸ 3D SCANNING (LiDAR) Scan real objects and edit the mesh immediately — scan, fix, print without switching apps. ▸ PRECISION & MEASUREMENT Ruler in millimeters, 20 mm build-plate grid, snap-to-grid, keyboard numeric input. ▸ VISUALIZATION Orthographic view cube, X-Ray mode, wireframe (triangles/quads), custom lighting and viewport colors. ▸ UNDO / REDO & PROJECTS Full history, native .forma3d projects, objects list panel. ▸ APPLE PENCIL Hover tooltips and precise component editing optimized for Pencil. ▸ 21 LANGUAGES English, Deutsch, Français, 日本語, 简体中文, 繁體中文, Español, Italiano, 한국어, Português, Русский, Українська, Nederlands, Polski, Türkçe, Svenska, العربية, हिन्दी, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, Bahasa Indonesia.

About

3D Paint

Create immersive 3D artwork with a powerful yet intuitive drawing studio. Sketch naturally, refine strokes with professional tools, and apply realistic materials and lighting. Perfect for artists, designers, and hobbyists looking to bring their imagination into three dimensions.

Highlights
  • Draw directly in 3D space
  • Editable 3D brush strokes
  • Professional brush library
  • Apple Pencil support
  • Unlimited layers
  • Realistic materials and PBR textures
  • 3D animation and AR preview
Features
Read full description

3D Paint – Draw in 3D Space Turn your ideas into immersive three-dimensional artwork with 3D Paint, a powerful yet intuitive 3D drawing and painting studio for iPhone and iPad. Sketch naturally in 3D space using your finger or Apple Pencil, then refine every stroke with professional editing tools, realistic materials, lighting, and animation. Whether you're an artist, designer, architect, engineer, educator, or hobbyist, 3D Paint provides everything you need to create stunning 3D illustrations, concept art, product designs, technical sketches, and creative visualizations. Features • Draw directly in 3D space with an infinite canvas • Create smooth, editable 3D brush strokes • Professional brush library with customizable settings • Apple Pencil pressure, tilt, hover, and barrel roll support • Unlimited layers and object organization • Sculpt and refine your creations with intuitive editing tools • Apply realistic materials including metal, glass, wood, fabric, and more • Paint textures with physically based rendering (PBR) materials • Professional lighting studio with HDR environments • Multiple camera modes including perspective and orthographic views • Symmetry and mirror drawing for precise designs • Grid, vertex, edge, and surface snapping • Import reference images and popular 3D model formats • Export artwork to USDZ, OBJ, STL, GLB, FBX, PNG, PDF, GIF, and more • Preview creations in augmented reality • Create animated camera paths and object animations • Auto-save and seamless iCloud synchronization • Optimized for Apple Silicon with high-performance Metal rendering Designed for Creativity From quick concept sketches to detailed product prototypes and artistic masterpieces, 3D Paint makes creating in three dimensions fast, intuitive, and enjoyable. Every stroke remains fully editable, allowing you to experiment without limitations. Whether you're designing the next great product, illustrating complex ideas, or simply exploring your creativity, 3D Paint gives you professional tools in a modern, easy-to-use interface. Download 3D Paint today and bring your imagination into three dimensions. #3D Paint offers auto-renewing subscription options: •$7.99 per month •$34.99 per year • You can subscribe for unlimited access to all features and content offered for purchases within Video Stabilizer • Subscriptions are billed weekly/yearly on the subscription plan • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Terms of Use: https://tos.asiancomputingapps.com Privacy Policy: https://privacy.asiancomputingapps.com

Screenshots

Forma3D4 screens
3D Paint3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: 3D Paint at 5.0 against Forma3D's 4.4. Forma3D's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). 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 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and 3D Paint sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

3D Paint holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forma3D has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Forma3D versus 3D Paint: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterForma3D3D Paint
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (7 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDenis VazyulyaDo Anh

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Forma3D

Subscriptions2
  • Forma3D subscription3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Forma3D - Year3 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime access to Forma3D$99.99
3 purchases

3D Paint

Subscriptions2
  • 3D Paint Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
  • 3D Paint Pro Yearly$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • 3D Paint Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Forma3D free?
Forma3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 3D Paint free?
3D Paint is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Forma3D or 3D Paint?
3D Paint is rated higher. Forma3D averages 4.4 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while 3D Paint averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Forma3D or 3D Paint have ads?
Neither Forma3D nor 3D Paint shows ads.

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