Free and open first

Best 3D Texturing Software in 2026

3D texturing software can help create surface detail, build materials, and prepare textures for assets. Compare 3D texture painting and PBR workflow with procedural materials and node-based authoring. Maximum texture resolution and texture baking are additional capabilities to weigh, alongside supported platforms, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing. Mixos Paint, Surface Labs, and InstaMAT are among the entries, as are Marmoset Viewer and Trumble. Your priorities may depend on whether you paint directly on models, author reusable materials, or need a particular texture resolution or baking workflow.

29 apps
Research read 23 Sept 2026
How the order is worked out

1

AwesomeBump

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

AwesomeBump brings image-based material map generation and several texture-editing tools into a free desktop application.

7.5 Free plan Visit site
2

ColorMinis

Free plan AndroidiPhoneMac

ColorMinis combines model generation, detailed painting tools, and a large model library, with export limited to personally generated models.

7.4 Free plan Visit site
3

InstaMAT

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

InstaMAT combines material creation and 3D texturing with automation and application integrations.

7.3 Free plan · paid from $8/mo (annual) Visit site
4

LigidPainter

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

LigidPainter offers a broad set of texturing and painting tools without a listed price. Its development status, outdated guide and possible MSI download flags are worth considering before choosing it.

7.3 Free plan Visit site
5

Blacksmith3D

Free plan Windows

Choose Blacksmith3D if you want free Windows software for texture painting and morphing, with sculpting, UV mapping, and the listed Poser and Daz Studio formats.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
6

Forge Material Studio

Free plan WebWindows

Forge Material Studio combines procedural authoring, image-derived maps, previews, and package exports in a free local-first tool.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
7

Material Maker

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

Material Maker pairs node-based material authoring with previews, exports and a community library. Its Unreal export steps and account requirement for sharing are worth considering.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
8

Mixos Paint

Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+5

Mixos Paint offers layered PBR painting and geometry-driven masks, with painting available free.

7.2 Free plan · paid from $8.99/mo Visit site
9

Mari

Free plan LinuxWindows

Mari combines high-resolution painting workflows with pipeline formats, scripting and rendering shaders.

7.1 From $374/yr · 30-day trial Visit site
10

MeshCoat

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

MeshCoat offers a local texture-painting workflow with layers, procedural tools, and common model import formats.

7.1 Free plan Visit site
11

Surface Labs

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+3

Surface Labs pairs procedural material authoring with custom nodes and batch export. Consider the MCP file-access scope and the mobile resolution cap before choosing a workflow.

7.1 Free plan Visit site
12

Knald

Free plan Windows

Choose Knald if you need mesh baking or map generation from 2D sources on Windows, particularly for physically based pipelines.

7.0 30-day trial Visit site
13

MechaPaint

Free plan MacWindows

MechaPaint offers a time-unlimited free version with its full toolset, while watermark-free exports require purchase.

7.0 Free plan · paid from $79 Visit site
14

Pigmi

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

Pigmi brings palette, gradient, and material-map editing into a desktop tool with several export options and Blender add-ons.

7.0 Free plan Visit site
15

Trumble

Free plan LinuxMacWeb+1

Trumble brings painting, texture editing, baking, and engine exports into a browser-based workflow.

7.0 Free plan · paid from $5/mo Visit site
16

Materialize

Free plan Windows

Materialize offers image-based texture creation and repeat-task automation as a free Windows tool. Consider its platform and setup requirements before downloading.

6.9 Free plan Visit site
17

TextureLab

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

TextureLab offers a free, open source workflow for procedural, tileable textures, with direct Unity material export.

6.9 Free plan Visit site
18

Texel

Free plan APIWeb

Texel brings collaborative texturing, node-based authoring, and PBR exports into a browser studio. Access is currently invite-only, and service-level agreements do not apply during Early Access.

6.8 Free plan Visit site
19

Wafer

Free plan iPhoneMacWindows

Wafer offers layered, multi-channel painting tools for stylized 3D assets. The free download is limited: saving documents and exporting textures require a paid plan.

6.8 Free plan Visit site
20

ShaderMap

Free plan Windows

Choose ShaderMap if you work on Windows and need map generation, geometry baking, or a PBR workflow with batch processing.

6.7 Free plan · paid from $19 Visit site
21

VFX Texture Lab

Free plan LinuxWindows

VFX Texture Lab combines procedural texture authoring, materials, animation, and lightweight geometry workflows.

6.7 Free plan Visit site
22

Adobe Substance 3D Modeler

Free trial ExtensionWindows

Modeler combines sculpting, parametric modeling, rendering, and export in desktop and connected-VR workflows.

6.3 Free plan · 30-day trial Visit site
23

ArmorPaint

Paid AndroidiPhoneLinux+2

ArmorPaint combines node authoring, GPU painting and broad mesh and texture formats in a portable package. Review graphics-memory needs and the work-in-progress sculpting status before buying.

6.1 Visit site
24

Filter Forge

Free trial MacWindows

Filter Forge combines a node editor, community library, texture generation, and photo effects in one desktop tool.

6.1 From $25/mo · 30-day trial Visit site
25

CrazyBump

Paid MacWindows

CrazyBump focuses specifically on normal-map creation and offers Windows and macOS access.

5.7 Visit site

#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price

More in Design, Video & Audio