Side by side
Forge Material Studio vs MeshCoat
Both stand on 3d texturing software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan WebWindows
Forge Material Studio combines procedural authoring, image-derived maps, previews, and package exports in a free local-first tool. Users working from images should note that metallic values are not identified reliably from color alone.
Visit Forge Material Studio Free plan LinuxMacWindows
MeshCoat offers a local texture-painting workflow with layers, procedural tools, and common model import formats. It is in development, so check its availability and the model-preparation recommendations before adopting it.
Visit MeshCoatThe facts
| Forge Material Studio | MeshCoat | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Web, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | stuyk.itch.io |
| On 3d texturing software | #6 of 29 | #10 of 29 |
Forge Material Studio: what it does well
- Creates tileable materials with a node graph.
- Converts PNG, JPEG, and WebP images into editable maps.
- Previews materials on several shapes and production-style models.
- Exports PNG maps or validated .mmpack packages.
What to know first
- Windows launcher requires Node.js 22.13 or newer.
- Windows launcher also requires .NET 8 Desktop Runtime.
- Image-derived metallic maps default to a dielectric value.
MeshCoat: what it does well
- Runs locally without accounts or network calls
- Includes non-destructive layer controls
- Imports OBJ, GLB, and glTF models
- Offers 100-step undo and redo
What to know first
- The app is marked as in development
- The maker recommends preparing models with non-overlapping UVs
Alternatives to Forge Material Studio Alternatives to MeshCoat The whole list