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CAD · head to head

Mari vs Substance 3D Painter

Mari logo

Mari

CAD

3D painting for film and games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substance 3D Painter logo

Substance 3D Painter

Game Development

3D texture painting software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mari has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Mari covers High-resolution painting, Substance 3D Painter covers 3D painting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Mari and Substance 3D Painter differ
AttributeMariSubstance 3D Painter
Starting priceFree$29/month
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCADGame Development
Founded19961982

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), 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 Mari

  • High-resolution painting
  • UDIM support
  • Procedural layers
  • Node graph
  • Color management
  • Nuke
  • Katana
  • Floating licenses

Only in Substance 3D Painter

  • 3D painting
  • Smart materials
  • Generators
  • PBR workflow
  • Export presets
  • Scripting
  • 3ds Max
  • Blender

Both cover

  • Baking
  • Maya
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Mari

  • Painting textures directly onto high complexity 3D assets for film and gamesnot Substance 3D Painter
  • Handling very large multi-UDIM texture sets in a look development pipelinenot Substance 3D Painter

Substance 3D Painter

  • Game texturingnot Mari
  • Film assetsnot Mari
  • Product visualizationnot Mari

Where each one falls short

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

Mari

  • The full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter
  • The cheap $299 per year or $35 per month subscription is restricted to a single licence for people working alone or in small companies
  • Node-locked and floating are separate licence types you must choose between
  • All listed prices are before applicable taxes
  • A separate non-commercial licence exists, so commercial use requires a paid tier

Substance 3D Painter

Nothing recorded yet. See the Substance 3D Painter review.

Pricing, plan by plan

Mari

Free
  • Individual Subscription$86/month
    • Solo artists or small companies
    • $689 per year alternative billing
  • Team Subscription$null/year
    • Node-locked or floating licenses
    • Annual payment
  • Team Rental$949/quarter
    • Short-term access
    • Node-locked or floating licenses

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 Mari if

  • You need high-resolution painting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want udim support.
Mari 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 Mari or Substance 3D Painter better?
Neither clearly leads. Mari 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, Mari or Substance 3D Painter?
Mari has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mari and $29/month for Substance 3D Painter.
Does Mari or Substance 3D Painter run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Mari for free?
Yes. Mari has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Substance 3D Painter starts at $29/month.
What is Mari best used for?
Mari is most often used for painting textures directly onto high complexity 3d assets for film and games, handling very large multi-udim texture sets in a look development pipeline. Of those, painting textures directly onto high complexity 3d assets for film and games and handling very large multi-udim texture sets in a look development pipeline are not what Substance 3D Painter is typically brought in for.
What can Mari do that Substance 3D Painter cannot?
Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Node graph. Substance 3D Painter covers 3D painting, Smart materials, Generators, PBR workflow. Both handle Baking, Maya, Windows support, MacOS support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mari: What is Mari's pricing?

Individual Subscription costs $689 per year or $86 per month. Team Subscription costs $1,289 per year. Team Rental costs $949 per quarter for short-term access. Both subscriptions support node-locked or floating licenses.

Source
Substance 3D Painter: Does Substance 3D Painter offer a free trial?

Free trial availability for Substance 3D Painter cannot be confirmed from publicly accessible pricing pages. Check the product page directly or contact Adobe for current trial offers.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer a free trial?

Mari offers a free 30-day trial with unrestricted access to help users evaluate the software before purchasing.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer student pricing?

Yes, Mari offers free or discounted access to all Foundry products for students, as well as free non-commercial licenses for learning and exploration.

Source
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