Softwr

3D & CAD · head to head

3D-Coat vs Unity

3D-Coat logo

3D-Coat

3D & CAD

Digital sculpting for game artists

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unity logo

Unity

Game Development

Create beautiful interactive content with the world's leading real-time engine

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Unity has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 3D-Coat split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence; Unity unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
  • They diverge on capability: 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Unity covers Visual editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3D-Coat and Unity actually diverge.

Attributes where 3D-Coat and Unity differ
Attribute3D-CoatUnity
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl
Category3D & CADGame Development
Founded20072004

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting
  • Surface sculpting
  • Retopology
  • UV mapping
  • Texture painting
  • PBR materials
  • Smart materials
  • Baking

Only in Unity

  • Visual editor
  • Physics engine (PhysX)
  • Animation system
  • Particle system
  • Built-in audio engine
  • Scripting with C#
  • Asset Store
  • Version control integration

Both cover

  • Blender
  • Maya

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting from a digital clay blocknot Unity
  • Retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshesnot Unity
  • UV mapping and PBR texturingnot Unity
  • Preparing print-ready models for 3D printingnot Unity
  • Node-based material authoring on the GPUnot Unity

Unity

  • Building 2D and 3D games for desktop, mobile, web, AR and VRnot 3D-Coat
  • Shipping console titles under a Pro or Enterprise licencenot 3D-Coat
  • Real time 3D for manufacturing, automotive and retail visualisationnot 3D-Coat
  • Live operations and in-app purchase management for mobile gamesnot 3D-Coat

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3D-Coat

  • Split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence
  • Pricing is not published on the product pages
  • Licences are sold node-locked or floating, so moving a seat between machines depends on which was bought

Unity

  • Unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
  • Unity Pro costs $210.00 per month or $2,310.00 per year per seat
  • Businesses with more than $25M in annual revenue are required to be on Unity Enterprise, which is custom priced and requires contacting sales
  • Deploying to game consoles and to Apple Vision Pro requires Unity Pro or above
  • Splash screen customization is not available on Unity Personal
  • Unity Personal is licensed for gaming and entertainment applications only
  • Read-only engine source code access is an Enterprise feature and carries an additional cost
  • Asset Manager storage on Personal is capped at 10 GB per organization
  • Unity AI tools are free for a 14 day trial on Personal, after which a paid subscription is required
  • Enterprise terms note that minimum subscription or spending commitments may apply

Pricing, plan by plan

3D-Coat

$29/month
  • Amateur$99/month
    • Non-commercial use
  • Professional$379/month
    • Full commercial license
  • Floating$568/month
    • Network licensing

Unity

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Full engine access
    • Asset Store access
    • Community support
  • Professional$399/month
    • All Personal features
    • Priority support
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose 3D-Coat if

  • You need voxel sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want surface sculpting.
3D-Coat review

Choose Unity if

  • You need visual editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
  • You also want physics engine (physx).
Unity review

Questions people ask

Is 3D-Coat or Unity better?
Neither clearly leads. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and Unity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3D-Coat or Unity?
Unity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for 3D-Coat and Free for Unity.
Does 3D-Coat or Unity run on more platforms?
3D-Coat runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Unity runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
Can I use Unity for free?
Yes. Unity has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month.
What is 3D-Coat best used for?
3D-Coat is most often used for voxel sculpting from a digital clay block, retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes, uv mapping and pbr texturing, preparing print-ready models for 3d printing. Of those, voxel sculpting from a digital clay block and retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes are not what Unity is typically brought in for.
What can 3D-Coat do that Unity cannot?
3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Surface sculpting, Retopology, UV mapping. Unity covers Visual editor, Physics engine (PhysX), Animation system, Particle system. Both handle Blender, Maya.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on 3D-Coat

More on Unity

Keep looking

Other head to heads