Preview3D vs DotShake Brush Studio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Preview3D
View and inspect a wide range of 3D file formats natively on your iPhone and iPad. Supports CAD, mesh, and 3D printing files with detailed information and AR capabilities. Offline functionality ensures privacy and speed.
- Native viewer for STEP, STL, 3MF, G-code, and more
- Detailed model inspection (dimensions, volume, surface area)
- Full-color 3MF rendering
- Augmented Reality (AR) Quick Look integration
- Offline functionality, no account or web uploads
- Quick Look and 3D thumbnail support in Files app
- Universal purchase for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
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Preview3D is a fast, native iPhone and iPad viewer for the 3D formats you actually use โ from CAD to mesh to 3D printing โ in one clean window. Open a STEP file from a vendor, a painted 3MF from your slicer, or an STL someone sent you, and see it instantly โ in the app, or right in the Files app with Quick Look and 3D thumbnails. No web uploads, no account, no clutter. SUPPORTED FORMATS โข STEP / STP, STL, OBJ, PLY โข glTF / GLB, USDZ / USD, COLLADA (DAE) โข 3MF โ including painted multi-material prints โข FBX, 3DS, X3D, LWO, MS3D, AC, AMF, OFF and more (via Assimp) โข G-code and PrusaSlicer binary G-code (.bgcode) REAL STEP SUPPORT Preview3D reads STEP with a pure-Swift B-rep kernel: watertight tessellation and crease-aware normals straight from the exact geometry, so cylinders stay smooth and edges stay crisp. Files that carry colors (STYLED_ITEM) render each part in its assigned color. INSPECT Open the info panel for bounding-box dimensions, volume, surface area, watertightness and structure โ solids, faces, edges, triangles and vertices. 3D-PRINTING FILES Open your slicer's G-code or PrusaSlicer .bgcode, orbit the print toolpath in 3D, flip to the embedded preview image, and read the print stats โ time, filament, weight, layer height and material. 3MF, IN FULL COLOR Multi-material painting from PrusaSlicer and Bambu Studio is decoded and rendered in its filament colors โ including fine sub-facet brush detail โ so you can preview a finished multi-color print before it leaves the slicer. Colors written into a 3MF by CAD tools and converters show too. SEE IT IN YOUR ROOM View any model in AR with AR Quick Look โ place it on your desk or the floor and walk around it. SCAN A CODE, SEE THE MODEL A Preview3D QR code next to a printed model opens it in 3D and AR โ even for someone who hasn't installed the app, through an App Clip. Make codes for your own Printables models, free, at preview3d.xfanta.com/qr. QUICK LOOK & THUMBNAILS Preview supported files right in the Files app, and get real 3D thumbnails โ including STEP, painted 3MF, COLLADA (DAE), FBX and 3DS that iOS can't render on its own. Keep your models in the Preview3D folder in Files and reopen them anytime. SHARE Send a PNG snapshot of the current view to any app. Placing a model in AR? Share it as USDZ right from there. BUILT FOR IPHONE AND IPAD A real native app built on SceneKit and Metal โ quick to launch, quick to orbit. Fully offline: everything runs on your device, no account, no network. iOS and iPadOS 17 or later. BUY ONCE, USE EVERYWHERE Preview3D is a universal purchase: one purchase covers the iPhone, iPad and Mac apps. The Mac version adds PMI / GD&T (AP242) reading, assembly trees with per-part isolation, and one-click conversion to STL, OBJ, GLB and USDZ. Note: measurements are produced by automated tessellation and are provided for convenience โ always verify against your authoritative CAD source for manufacturing-critical work.
DotShake Brush Studio
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DotShake Brush Studio is where DotShake's brushes are made. Start from a brush that already exists, tune it until it feels right, and save it as your own. A CABINET OF BRUSHES, EACH SHOWING ITS OWN STROKE Every row draws a real stroke, so you never have to open a brush to find out what it looks like. The categories are on the row too: Line, Dab, Airbrush, Oil Paint, Palette Knife, Liquid, Optical Glass, Liquid Metal, Halftone, Particles, Noise, Volumetric, Dynamic Field โ and a whole family of type that runs along the stroke. NOT JUST LINES Pencil, charcoal, marker, calligraphy, impasto, gouache and fan brush for the traditional hand. Then glass, liquid chrome, meteor and flame โ and butterflies, moths, clouds and maple leaves that chase the stroke. TYPE THAT FOLLOWS THE STROKE Kinetic type, pop type, glass type, falling poems, and leader brushes that trail a small shape behind them. EVERY BRUSH IS EDITABLE โข Size and opacity, with the preview updating as you go โข Customise the pressure curve so the tip answers to your hand โข Enough parameters that there is a search field for them โข Preview in light or dark, and reset in one tap โข Save as a copy โ the original stays as it was IMPORT AND EXPORT Export the brushes you make, and import the ones other people made. Requires DotShake.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: DotShake Brush Studio at $0.99 against Preview3D's $9.99. DotShake Brush Studio also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Preview3D's advantage is chart position (#45 vs unranked) and device support (4 vs 2). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Preview3D costs $9.99 and DotShake Brush Studio $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Preview3D ships an update weekly, DotShake Brush Studio every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Preview3D | DotShake Brush Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | $0.99 โ better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | โ |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 3 days โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | โ |
| Best chart rank | #45 โ better | โ |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro โ better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 108 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michal Fanta | Zhen Chen |
In-app purchases
Preview3D
No in-app purchases
DotShake Brush Studio
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Preview3D free?
Is DotShake Brush Studio free?
Do Preview3D or DotShake Brush Studio have ads?
Which is updated more often, Preview3D or DotShake Brush Studio?
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