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AR VR · head to head

Medium by Adobe vs Substance 3D Painter

Medium by Adobe logo

Medium by Adobe

AR VR

Sculpt in VR with intuitive tools

From
$9.99/month
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

  • They diverge on capability: Medium by Adobe covers VR sculpting, 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 Medium by Adobe and Substance 3D Painter actually diverge.

Attributes where Medium by Adobe and Substance 3D Painter differ
AttributeMedium by AdobeSubstance 3D Painter
Starting price$9.99/month$29/month
PlatformsVr, QuestWindows, MacOS, Linux
CategoryAR VRGame Development

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (1982).

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 Medium by Adobe

  • VR sculpting
  • Layer system
  • Stamps
  • Move tool
  • Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Substance
  • FBX export
  • Vr support

Only in Substance 3D Painter

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

What people use each for

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

Medium by Adobe

  • VR Gamingnot Substance 3D Painter
  • AR Marketingnot Substance 3D Painter
  • Virtual Trainingnot Substance 3D Painter
  • 3D Visualizationnot Substance 3D Painter
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Substance 3D Painter

Substance 3D Painter

  • Game texturingnot Medium by Adobe
  • Film assetsnot Medium by Adobe
  • Product visualizationnot Medium by Adobe

Pricing, plan by plan

Medium by Adobe

$9.99/month
  • Medium$9.99/month
    • Full sculpting tools
    • Export
    • Adobe integration

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 Medium by Adobe if

  • You need vr sculpting.
  • You work on Vr, Quest.
  • You also want layer system.
Medium by Adobe 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 Medium by Adobe or Substance 3D Painter better?
Neither clearly leads. Medium by Adobe starts at $9.99/month 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, Medium by Adobe or Substance 3D Painter?
Medium by Adobe starts at $9.99/month and Substance 3D Painter at $29/month.
Does Medium by Adobe or Substance 3D Painter run on more platforms?
Medium by Adobe runs on Vr, Quest. Substance 3D Painter runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
What is Medium by Adobe best used for?
Medium by Adobe is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Substance 3D Painter is typically brought in for.
What can Medium by Adobe do that Substance 3D Painter cannot?
Medium by Adobe covers VR sculpting, Layer system, Stamps, Move tool. Substance 3D Painter covers 3D painting, Smart materials, Generators, PBR workflow.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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