Software · head to head
Alibre Design vs ZBrush
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Alibre Design perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates; ZBrush subscription model required; no perpetual licence option available
- They diverge on capability: Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, ZBrush covers Digital sculpting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and ZBrush actually diverge.
| Attribute | Alibre Design | ZBrush |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29/month | On request |
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, iPadOS |
| Founded | 1997 | 1986 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Alibre Design
- Parametric modeling
- Assemblies
- Sheet metal
- 2D drawings
- BOM
- Rendering
- CAM software
- PDM
Only in ZBrush
- Digital sculpting
- Dynamesh
- ZRemesher
- PolyPaint
- Live Boolean
- Sculptris Pro
- UV Master
- High polygon handling
Both cover
- Windows support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Alibre Design
- Parametric 3D solid modelling for mechanical partsnot ZBrush
- Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot ZBrush
- Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot ZBrush
ZBrush
- Digital character and creature sculptingnot Alibre Design
- High-polygon organic form designnot Alibre Design
- Texture painting and PolyPaint worknot Alibre Design
- Game asset creation and 3D modellingnot Alibre Design
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Alibre Design
- Perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates
- Sheet metal, PDM data management and rendering are Design Expert only at $1,999
- Scripting is excluded from the $199 Atom3D edition
- CAM capability is sold as separate EZ-Mill, EZ-Turn and EZ-EDM products costing up to $2,999
- A dedicated account manager is excluded from Atom3D
ZBrush
- Subscription model required; no perpetual licence option available
- iPad version requires separate subscription to ZBrush for iPad
Pricing, plan by plan
Alibre Design
$29/month- Atom3D$199/month
- Basic modeling
- Design$999/month
- Professional CAD
- Expert$1999/month
- Full features
ZBrush
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the ZBrush review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Alibre Design if
- You need parametric modeling.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want assemblies.
Choose ZBrush if
- You need digital sculpting.
- You work on Windows, macOS, iPadOS.
- You also want dynamesh.
Questions people ask
- Is Alibre Design or ZBrush better?
- Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design starts at $29/month and ZBrush at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Alibre Design or ZBrush?
- Alibre Design starts at $29/month and ZBrush at On request.
- Does Alibre Design or ZBrush run on more platforms?
- Alibre Design runs on Windows. ZBrush runs on Windows, macOS, iPadOS.
- What is Alibre Design best used for?
- Alibre Design is most often used for parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts, producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models, designing parts for 3d printing and small shop machining. Of those, parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts and producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models are not what ZBrush is typically brought in for.
- What can Alibre Design do that ZBrush cannot?
- Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings. ZBrush covers Digital sculpting, Dynamesh, ZRemesher, PolyPaint. Both handle Windows support.
Related pages
More on Alibre Design
Keep looking
Other head to heads
- Alibre Design vs Enscape
- Alibre Design vs V-Ray
- Alibre Design vs FreeCAD
- Alibre Design vs KeyShot
- Alibre Design vs Lumion
- Alibre Design vs Houdini
- Alibre Design vs Arnold
- Alibre Design vs Inventor
- Alibre Design vs Mudbox
- Alibre Design vs Corona Renderer
- Alibre Design vs D5 Render
- Alibre Design vs Twinmotion
- Alibre Design vs LightWave 3D
- Alibre Design vs OpenSCAD
- Alibre Design vs PrusaSlicer
- Alibre Design vs Siemens NX
- Alibre Design vs 3D-Coat
- ZBrush vs Enscape
- ZBrush vs V-Ray
- ZBrush vs FreeCAD
- ZBrush vs KeyShot
- ZBrush vs Lumion
- ZBrush vs Houdini
- ZBrush vs Arnold
- ZBrush vs Inventor
- ZBrush vs Mudbox
- ZBrush vs Corona Renderer
- ZBrush vs D5 Render
- ZBrush vs Twinmotion
- ZBrush vs LightWave 3D
- ZBrush vs OpenSCAD
- ZBrush vs PrusaSlicer
- ZBrush vs Siemens NX
- ZBrush vs 3D-Coat