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ZBrush vs Mudbox

ZBrush logo

ZBrush

Software

Industry standard for digital sculpting

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mudbox logo

Mudbox

Software

Digital painting and sculpting software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ZBrush subscription model required; no perpetual licence option available; Mudbox a Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)
  • They diverge on capability: ZBrush covers Dynamesh, Mudbox covers Texture painting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ZBrush and Mudbox actually diverge.

Attributes where ZBrush and Mudbox differ
AttributeZBrushMudbox
Starting priceOn request$29/month
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iPadOSWindows, MacOS, Linux
Founded19861982

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 ZBrush

  • Dynamesh
  • ZRemesher
  • PolyPaint
  • Live Boolean
  • Sculptris Pro
  • UV Master
  • High polygon handling
  • Blender

Only in Mudbox

  • Texture painting
  • Retopology
  • PTEX support
  • Layer system
  • Stencils
  • Stamps
  • GPU tessellation
  • Autodesk ecosystem

Both cover

  • Digital sculpting
  • Maya
  • 3ds Max
  • License management
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support

What people use each for

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

ZBrush

  • Digital character and creature sculptingnot Mudbox
  • High-polygon organic form designnot Mudbox
  • Texture painting and PolyPaint worknot Mudbox
  • Game asset creation and 3D modellingnot Mudbox

Mudbox

  • Character sculptingnot ZBrush
  • Texture creationnot ZBrush
  • Asset detailingnot ZBrush

Where each one falls short

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

ZBrush

  • Subscription model required; no perpetual licence option available
  • iPad version requires separate subscription to ZBrush for iPad

Mudbox

  • A Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)
  • Sold as monthly, annual or 3-year subscription terms with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)

Pricing, plan by plan

ZBrush

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the ZBrush review.

Mudbox

$29/month
  • Mudbox$85/month
    • Full sculpting
    • Texture painting
  • M&E Collection$2390/month
    • Mudbox + Maya + 3ds Max + more

Which should you pick?

Choose ZBrush if

  • You need dynamesh.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iPadOS.
  • You also want zremesher.
ZBrush review

Choose Mudbox if

  • You need texture painting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want retopology.
Mudbox review

Questions people ask

Is ZBrush or Mudbox better?
Neither clearly leads. ZBrush starts at On request and Mudbox at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ZBrush or Mudbox?
ZBrush starts at On request and Mudbox at $29/month.
Does ZBrush or Mudbox run on more platforms?
ZBrush runs on Windows, macOS, iPadOS. Mudbox runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
What is ZBrush best used for?
ZBrush is most often used for digital character and creature sculpting, high-polygon organic form design, texture painting and polypaint work, game asset creation and 3d modelling. Of those, digital character and creature sculpting and high-polygon organic form design are not what Mudbox is typically brought in for.
What can ZBrush do that Mudbox cannot?
ZBrush covers Dynamesh, ZRemesher, PolyPaint, Live Boolean. Mudbox covers Texture painting, Retopology, PTEX support, Layer system. Both handle Digital sculpting, Maya, 3ds Max, License management.
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