Software · head to head
Quill vs Tilt Brush
The short version
- Only Tilt Brush has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Quill quill.art, run by Smoothstep LLC, discloses no pricing anywhere on its own site (confirmed by direct fetch); Quill was originally a Facebook/Meta product and was handed to its creator Inigo Quilez in 2021 when Meta open-sourced the Quill file format and stopped supporting the original Oculus Store listing, so buyers today are dealing with a small independent studio rather than a large platform vendor.; Tilt Brush no longer actively developed by Google since January 2021; future updates and support are not guaranteed
- They diverge on capability: Quill covers VR illustration, Tilt Brush covers 3D painting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Quill and Tilt Brush actually diverge.
| Attribute | Quill | Tilt Brush |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $24.99/one-time | Free |
| Pricing model | one-time | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Vr, Quest | HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, PlayStation VR |
| Founded | 2021 | 2016 |
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 Quill
- VR illustration
- Animation timeline
- Layers
- Brushes
- FBX export
- Video export
- Alembic
Only in Tilt Brush
- 3D painting
- Dynamic brushes
- Environment selection
- Animation
- Google Poly
- Sketchfab
- YouTube VR
- Pc support
Both cover
- Vr support
- Quest support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Quill
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Tilt Brush
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Both are used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization, immersive experiences, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Quill
- quill.art, run by Smoothstep LLC, discloses no pricing anywhere on its own site (confirmed by direct fetch); Quill was originally a Facebook/Meta product and was handed to its creator Inigo Quilez in 2021 when Meta open-sourced the Quill file format and stopped supporting the original Oculus Store listing, so buyers today are dealing with a small independent studio rather than a large platform vendor.
Tilt Brush
- No longer actively developed by Google since January 2021; future updates and support are not guaranteed
- Limited editing capabilities with no layers system and no 3D brushes for precise refinement
- Not designed for professional branding or marketing work; better suited for creative expression than practical design
- Tool limitations make it difficult to move, cut, or rearrange grouped elements after creation
- VR hardware costs are high relative to software cost, and can cause motion sickness in some users
Pricing, plan by plan
Quill
$24.99/one-time- Quill$24.99/one-time
- VR illustration
- Animation
- Export
Tilt Brush
Free- Google Tilt Brush$19.99/one-time
- VR painting and creative tools
- Available on VR app stores
- Open Brush (open-source)Free
- Free open-source version
- Available on Steam and Meta Quest
Which should you pick?
Choose Quill if
- You need vr illustration.
- You work on Vr, Quest.
- You also want animation timeline.
Choose Tilt Brush if
- You need 3d painting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, PlayStation VR.
- You also want dynamic brushes.
Questions people ask
- Is Quill or Tilt Brush better?
- Neither clearly leads. Quill starts at $24.99/one-time and Tilt Brush at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Quill or Tilt Brush?
- Tilt Brush has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24.99/one-time for Quill and Free for Tilt Brush.
- Does Quill or Tilt Brush run on more platforms?
- Quill runs on Vr, Quest. Tilt Brush runs on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, PlayStation VR.
- Can I use Tilt Brush for free?
- Yes. Tilt Brush has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Quill starts at $24.99/one-time.
- What is Quill best used for?
- Quill is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization.
- What can Quill do that Tilt Brush cannot?
- Quill covers VR illustration, Animation timeline, Layers, Brushes. Tilt Brush covers 3D painting, Dynamic brushes, Environment selection, Animation. Both handle Vr support, Quest support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Tilt Brush: Is Tilt Brush still available to use?
Yes. Although Google ended active development in January 2021, Tilt Brush remains available on VR app stores and continues to function. Google also open-sourced the code, enabling community-maintained alternatives like Open Brush to provide free versions for PC VR and Meta Quest.
SourceTilt Brush: Is there a free version of Tilt Brush?
The official Google Tilt Brush costs $19.99. However, Open Brush (the open-source community version) is completely free and available for PC VR via Steam and on Oculus Quest.
SourceTilt Brush: What VR headsets does Tilt Brush support?
Tilt Brush works on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, Valve Index, and PlayStation VR. The open-source Open Brush version also supports PC VR.
SourceTilt Brush: Can I export my Tilt Brush creations?
Yes. Tilt Brush creations can be exported as room-scale VR pieces or animated GIFs to share with others. The app does not support direct export to 3D model formats like OBJ or FBX.
SourceTilt Brush: Is Tilt Brush good for professional 3D design work?
Tilt Brush is primarily a creative expression and painting tool rather than a professional 3D design tool. It lacks features like layers, editable 3D brushes, and precise refinement controls needed for professional workflows. For professional VR sculpting, Adobe Medium or Quill are better choices.
Source