ZBrush
Digital sculpting and 3D painting software from Maxon
- #5 of 10 in best 3D modeling software
- Subscription
- WindowsmacOSiPadOS
Ranked 5 of 10 in best 3D modeling software
A sculpting specialist that runs on desktop and iPad under one subscription, with painting and rendering tools. It is narrower than Blender and suits organic and hard-surface models rather than CAD.
Best for Digital sculpting of organic 3D models
About ZBrush
ZBrush is built around sculpting, which the vendor describes as working with digital clay. Its page lists character and creature sculpting, hard-surface and polygon modeling, painting and texturing, and rendering as uses. The audience it names includes character artists, concept artists, product designers, illustrators moving into 3D, and film, VFX and games studios.
Every ZBrush subscription includes ZBrush on desktop, iPad and Windows on Arm, and the licence is dual platform, so one user can run it on desktop and iPad at the same time. The current release named on the page is ZBrush 2026.2.1. Because sculpting is its core, it is narrower than Blender, which covers animation and general 3D work.
Key features
- Digital sculpting
- Hard-surface and polygon modeling
- Painting and texturing
- Desktop and iPad licence
- Windows on Arm support
Strengths
- Sculpting and painting in one application
- One subscription covers desktop and iPad
- Runs on Windows on Arm
Limits
- Subscription pricing
- Narrow focus on sculpting and 3D painting
Where ZBrush ranks
How ZBrush compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
#3 Houdini | 86.5 | Paid | WindowsmacOSLinux |
#4 Rhino | 86.0 | Paid | WindowsmacOS |
| #5ZBrush | 85.0 | Subscription | WindowsmacOSiPadOS |
#6 SketchUp | 84.5 | Subscription | WebiPadOS |
#7 Shapr3D | 83.0 | Subscription | macOSiPadOSWindows |
The full comparison table for best 3D modeling software has all 10 products.
Alternatives to ZBrush
All 9 alternatives
BlenderHas a free option; is open source; also runs on Linux.
Cinema 4D3D modeling, animation and motion graphics software from Maxon- HoudiniAlso runs on Linux.
- RhinoNURBS-based 3D modeler for design, architecture and jewelry
- SketchUpAlso runs on Web.
- Shapr3DCAD-style 3D modeling app for iPad, Mac and Windows
Questions about ZBrush
- Is ZBrush free?
- ZBrush is a paid product (subscription). Subscription covers desktop and iPad licences.
- Is ZBrush open source?
- No. ZBrush is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does ZBrush support?
- ZBrush is available on: Windows, macOS, iPadOS.
- What is ZBrush best for?
- Digital sculpting of organic 3D models. In our ranking of 3D modeling software it is number 5 of 10 with a score of 85.0.
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