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Software · head to head

CryEngine vs Substance 3D Painter

CryEngine logo

CryEngine

Software

Build worlds, break limits. Professional game development engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substance 3D Painter logo

Substance 3D Painter

Software

3D texture painting software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CryEngine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CryEngine a royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE; Substance 3D Painter the Internet Archive's capture of Adobe's Substance 3D Painter page on 23 June 2021 priced the Substance 3D Collection plan (which bundles Painter, Stager, Sampler, Designer and Modeler) at US$39.99/month for the first year.
  • They diverge on capability: CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, Substance 3D Painter covers 3D painting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CryEngine and Substance 3D Painter actually diverge.

Attributes where CryEngine and Substance 3D Painter differ
AttributeCryEngineSubstance 3D Painter
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Playstation, Xbox, LinuxWindows, MacOS, Linux
Founded19991982

Identical on both: 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 CryEngine

  • Advanced graphics
  • Physics engine
  • AI system
  • Animation tools
  • Flow Graph visual scripting
  • C++ and Lua support
  • Entity component system
  • Sandbox editor

Only in Substance 3D Painter

  • 3D painting
  • Smart materials
  • Generators
  • PBR workflow
  • Baking
  • Export presets
  • Scripting
  • Maya

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

CryEngine

  • Building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illuminationnot Substance 3D Painter
  • Developing with full engine source code accessnot Substance 3D Painter
  • Sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get exportnot Substance 3D Painter

Substance 3D Painter

  • Game texturingnot CryEngine
  • Film assetsnot CryEngine
  • Product visualizationnot CryEngine

Where each one falls short

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

CryEngine

  • A royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE
  • Royalties are waived only on the first USD 5,000.00 of Gross Receipts per year per game
  • Royalties are calculated at source on gross receipts before any publisher or platform deductions, so a developer receiving 70% of USD 100,000 still owes USD 4,750
  • Military projects, gambling, simulation, science, architecture and serious games are excluded from the standard licence and are not covered as Games
  • The licence forbids combining CRYENGINE with code from other game engine providers
  • Supported platforms are limited to those Crytek announces at its sole discretion, listed in the agreement as Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
  • Support is only provided against payment of a separate Support Fee that Crytek may change at its sole discretion
  • Crytek may modify the licence agreement at any time, with the only remedy for disagreement being to stop using CRYENGINE

Substance 3D Painter

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Adobe's Substance 3D Painter page on 23 June 2021 priced the Substance 3D Collection plan (which bundles Painter, Stager, Sampler, Designer and Modeler) at US$39.99/month for the first year.

Pricing, plan by plan

CryEngine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine access
    • Source code
    • Asset library

Substance 3D Painter

$29/month
  • Substance 3D Texturing$19.99/month
    • Painter + Sampler
  • Substance 3D Collection$49.99/month
    • All Substance apps

Which should you pick?

Choose CryEngine if

  • You need advanced graphics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
  • You also want physics engine.
CryEngine review

Choose Substance 3D Painter if

  • You need 3d painting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want smart materials.
Substance 3D Painter review

Questions people ask

Is CryEngine or Substance 3D Painter better?
Neither clearly leads. CryEngine starts at Free and Substance 3D Painter at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CryEngine or Substance 3D Painter?
CryEngine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CryEngine and $29/month for Substance 3D Painter.
Does CryEngine or Substance 3D Painter run on more platforms?
CryEngine runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. Substance 3D Painter runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use CryEngine for free?
Yes. CryEngine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Substance 3D Painter starts at $29/month.
What is CryEngine best used for?
CryEngine is most often used for building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illumination, developing with full engine source code access, sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get export. Of those, building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illumination and developing with full engine source code access are not what Substance 3D Painter is typically brought in for.
What can CryEngine do that Substance 3D Painter cannot?
CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, Physics engine, AI system, Animation tools. Substance 3D Painter covers 3D painting, Smart materials, Generators, PBR workflow. Both handle Windows support.
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