Wax vs Paper
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Wax
Create 3D models, characters, and scenes on your mobile device. Sculpt, paint, and animate your creations with intuitive tools and modifiers. Save and share your projects in editable formats.
- 3D modeling with vertex, edge, and face editing
- Sculpting and painting tools with symmetry
- Keyframe animation with timeline and curve editor
- Editable project files for cross-device work
- Import OBJ and GLB/glTF models
- Export to OBJ, STL, PNG, MP4, GLB, and USDZ
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Make 3D props, characters and scenes on iPhone and iPad. Start with a shape, import a model, or open one of five editable examples. MODEL Edit vertices, edges and faces. Extrude faces, inset details, bevel edges and add loop cuts. Mirror, Subdivision Surface, Array and Smooth modifiers stay editable. SCULPT AND PAINT Push, pull and smooth a mesh with brushes, symmetry and masks. Paint colors onto the mesh, add image textures, and place reference images in your scene. Apple Pencil pressure can control brush size and strength. ANIMATE Keyframe position, rotation and scale. Adjust timing on the timeline and motion in the curve editor. Add cameras to frame your scene. KEEP YOUR PROJECT EDITABLE Save and share .waxproject files with the full scene, including materials, textures, modifiers and animation. Open them on another device to keep working. Older .wax projects still open, and importing a project creates a separate copy. Import OBJ and self-contained GLB or glTF models. GLB/glTF files must contain their own mesh data and textures; separate buffer and image files are not supported. Model import does not bring in animation. Use Wax project files to transfer an editable Wax scene. FREE TO USE Modeling, sculpting, painting, animation, modifiers, model import and unlimited projects are free. Export editable Wax projects, OBJ, STL, SDS and PNG images without buying Pro. WAX PRO • Combine shapes, cut holes and find intersections with booleans. • Rebuild a mesh for sculpting with voxel remesh. • Export animations and turntables as MP4 videos. • Export GLB files with materials and animation for use in other 3D apps, games and the web. • Export USDZ files to view your models in AR. Wax Pro is a one-time purchase with Family Sharing. No subscription. LEARN BY EDITING Open a robot, spacecraft, painted creature, speaker or animated example and change it yourself. A guided tour, gesture help, keyboard shortcuts and a left-handed layout are included. No account is required. Projects are stored on your device and are available in Files.
Paper
Create intricate 3D models with a tactile, paper-art feel. This app offers unparalleled spatial freedom, allowing you to draw directly into 3D space without a canvas. Sculpt complex shapes using intuitive tools and realistic materials.
- Zero-canvas 3D drawing
- Intuitive OmniJoystick control
- Tactile drawing and geometry tools
- Realistic material library
- Cinematic lighting presets
- Professional export options (USDZ, OBJ)
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3D Paper Studio: The Most Tactile Modeling Experience on iPad. Step into a digital atelier where the precision of CAD meets the soul of hand-crafted paper art. 3D Paper Studio is a first-of-its-kind creative suite designed specifically for iPad and Apple Pencil, allowing you to build complex 3D structures as easily as drawing on paper. Draw freely in 3D space and use any 3D stroke as a canvas to draw over as well to enhance your ideas and creative expressions. INFINITE SPATIAL FREEDOM: NO CANVAS REQUIRED Forget everything you know about 3D drawing. Unlike other apps that force you to create a canvas surface or plane before you draw, 3D Paper Studio gives you total spatial freedom. Start your stroke anywhere in 3D space and let it flow. Our engine handles the complex coordinate math so you can focus on the form. Draw in thin air, bridge gaps, and weave intricate 3D webs without ever feeling "stuck" to a 2D surface. THE OMNI-JOYSTICK: CONTROL DEPTH WITH ONE THUMB Experience the revolutionary OmniJoystick—the heart of our interaction model. While your Apple Pencil handles the art, your other thumb controls the universe. The same joystick becomes an object controller when any object/s is selected. No need to draw complicated canvases; Simply long press on the ground or any other stroke to set the precise drawing position and start painting in 3D space. Real-time Depth Control: Glide through the Z-axis as you draw to create sweeping 3D curves. Precision Snapping: Use the joystick to "Lock" to specific axes or snap to existing 3D "Magnets" for perfect alignment. Tactile Feedback: Feel the "click" of the grid as you navigate through your 3D studio. BEYOND DRAWING: TRUE 3D GEOMETRY Don't just sketch—extrude, revolve, and sweep. Use our advanced geometry engine to create ribbons, tubes, and complex lathes with a single stroke. The Bridge Tool: Connect two existing points with a sinuous paper ribbon that respects the surface normals of both objects. The Revolve Tool: Turn a single profile into a 3D vessel, bowl, or column in seconds. Edge Perturbation: Choose between "Clean" or "Torn" edges to give your models a raw, hand-crafted aesthetic. PHYSICAL MATERIALS & CINEMATIC LIGHTING Watch your creations come to life with our high-end material library. Choose from Smooth Bristol, Cold-Press Watercolor, Crumpled Foil, Corrugated Cardboard, and more. Use Cinematic Looks to light your scene with professional studio presets like Golden Hour, Midnight, and Vaporwave. KEY FEATURES: Zero-Canvas Drawing: Draw directly into 3D space with no setup required. OmniJoystick Workflow: Master depth, rotation, and snapping with a single, intuitive control. Tactile Tools: Draw, Bridge, Arc, and Revolve to create complex 3D meshes. Advanced Deformers: Warp, Twist, and Liquify your 3D geometry in real-time. Symmetry Engine: Mirror and Radial symmetry for intricate architectural patterns. Professional Export: Save your work as USDZ for AR, or OBJ for professional 3D pipelines. Camera Tours: Create cinematic fly-throughs and export them as high-quality video. UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY IN 3D. Join a new generation of designers who are redefining what it means to create on iPad. 3D Paper Studio—where paper becomes infinite. The app supports finger touch drawing but we recommend using apple Pencil for the best drawing experience and to access pressure sensitivity features. No subscriptions - Ever! Once you purchase the app, thats it. No additional in-app purchases, no subscriptions ever again. Every future update will be free for the life of the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Wax at Free against Paper's $6.99. Wax also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.4). Paper's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On rating, ratings volume, ads 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
Wax is free to download; Paper costs $6.99 up front. Wax sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Paper asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Wax against 5.0 for Paper. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.
| Parameter | Wax | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $6.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | — | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 — better | 26.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | John Haas | Imran Gul |
In-app purchases
Wax
- Wax Pro$14.99
Paper
No in-app purchases







