Side by side

Autodesk Mudbox vs Surface Labs

Both stand on game texture software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Autodesk Mudbox

Free plan APILinuxMac+1

Choose Mudbox if your work calls for detailed 3D sculpting, model painting, retopology, and 3D print export in a desktop workflow. Look elsewhere if you need a free plan or simultaneous use on multiple computers.

Visit Autodesk Mudbox

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.

Visit Surface Labs

The facts

	Autodesk Mudbox	Surface Labs
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	No	No
Runs on	API, Linux, Mac, Windows	Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Price being re-checked	Free or on request
Plans published	9	2
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	autodesk.com	surfacelabs.app
On game texture software	#4 of 34	#8 of 34

Autodesk Mudbox: what it does well

Builds meshes from scanned, imported, or sculpted data.
Paints across multiple channels directly on 3D models.
Includes retopology tools for clean production meshes.
Supports 3D print export.
SDK supports plug-ins, integrations, and task automation.

What to know first

There is no free plan.
A subscription permits use on one computer at a time.
Mudbox 2026 requires a three-button mouse.

Surface Labs: what it does well

Node library spans generators, filters, and math operations.
Custom GLSL nodes compile to the native engine.
CLI supports graph evaluation and batch export.
Portable projects bundle assets and export settings.
Free while in early access.

What to know first

Mobile authoring is capped at 4096 × 4096.
MCP file arguments can access user-accessible files beyond a project.
iPad TestFlight builds expire on a 90-day cycle.

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