# ZBrush review, pricing and alternatives

Source: https://listme.name/software/zbrush
Website: https://www.maxon.net/en/zbrush

Digital sculpting and 3D painting software from Maxon

ZBrush is a digital sculpting application from Maxon for organic and hard-surface 3D models, with painting, texturing and rendering tools. It is sold as a subscription that covers desktop and iPad use. It runs on Windows, including Windows on Arm, on macOS and on iPadOS.

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.

- Subscription | Windows, macOS, iPadOS
- Price: Subscription covers desktop and iPad licences
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## 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

## Rankings

- #5 of 10 in [best 3D modeling software](https://listme.name/best/3d-modeling-software), score 85.0: 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.

## Alternatives

- [Blender](https://listme.name/software/blender), score 94.5
- [Cinema 4D](https://listme.name/software/cinema-4d), score 87.5
- [Houdini](https://listme.name/software/houdini), score 86.5
- [Rhino](https://listme.name/software/rhino), score 86.0
- [SketchUp](https://listme.name/software/sketchup), score 84.5
- [Shapr3D](https://listme.name/software/shapr3d), score 83.0
- [FreeCAD](https://listme.name/software/freecad), score 82.0
- [Onshape](https://listme.name/software/onshape), score 80.0