HueForge Alternatives in 2026: Free and Paid Options Compared
The best HueForge alternatives for filament painting: VoxelPrime, Filapaint, a free planner and lithophane makers, compared on price, platform and features.
The short answer
HueForge is still the most complete filament painting tool, but it has no free version. If you want the same kind of color print for less, VoxelPrime costs $8 once and supports printers without an AMS. If you want to spend nothing, the free Depthue filament painting planner and Filapaint both run in a browser.
Disclosure: Depthue makes the options marked “By Depthue”. Each option is described from its own public documentation, including where it beats ours. Prices change; check each site before buying.
1.VoxelPrime
By Depthue- Price
- $8 one-time
- Best for
- Cheap desktop filament paintings
Windows app that turns images into color reliefs and lithophanes, plans colors around the filament you own, guides manual swaps on single-extruder printers and exports clean STL. Not affiliated with HueForge.
2.Depthue filament painting planner
By Depthue- Price
- Free
- Best for
- Planning swaps without installing anything
Browser tool that simulates the stacked colors from your filaments' TD values, lists every swap layer and Z height, and exports the relief STL. Runs locally, no upload.
3.Filapaint (cxwl.org)
- Price
- Free
- Best for
- Trying HueForge-style prints in a browser
Browser tool with layer height, relief, contrast and color change layers with blending distances. Exports STL. The developer describes it as experimental, and blending values need calibration.
4.HueForge
- Price
- Personal licence one-time; commercial licences annual or lifetime
- Best for
- Serious filament painters who sell work
The original filament painting app for Windows, macOS 12+ and Linux, with a live color preview, filament library, TD-based stacking and a plugin ecosystem. Exports STL plus a swap list; 3MF with colors needs a separate plugin.
5.ItsLitho
- Price
- Free
- Best for
- White and color lithophanes
Free online lithophane maker with flat, curved, lampshade and nightlight shapes and color lithophane support. A different technique from filament painting, but often what people want.
Side by side
| VoxelPrime | Depthue planner | Filapaint | HueForge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $8 once | Free | Free | Paid licences |
| Runs | Windows app | Browser, local | Browser | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Image uploaded | No | No | Loaded in the browser | No |
| Color preview | Yes | Yes, TD-based | Yes | Yes, detailed |
| Swap heights listed | Guided | Yes, with Z | Color change layers | Yes, describe file |
| Works without AMS | Yes, guided | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Export | STL | STL | STL | STL (3MF via plugin) |
| Commercial use | Yes | Yes | Check the site | Commercial licence needed |
How filament painting works
A filament painting is a thin relief printed in several colors, stacked from dark at the bottom to light at the top. Brightness in the image decides the height at each point, so bright areas grow tall enough to show the light filaments. Because each filament is partly translucent for a few layers, the colors blend. The key number is each filament's transmission distance (TD), the thickness at which it hides what is below.
Every tool on this page does the same basic job: turn an image into a height map, choose where to change filament, and export an STL. The differences are in the preview accuracy, the swap guidance, the platforms and the price.
When HueForge is the right choice
HueForge is the reference tool for a reason: a detailed live preview, a large filament library with TD values, community profiles and plugins. If you print these weekly and sell them, its commercial licence is a fair business cost.
When an alternative makes more sense
- You want to try the technique before buying. Start with the free filament painting planner.
- You print occasionally and do not want a large licence. VoxelPrime is $8 once.
- You have no AMS or MMU. Every option here works with manual swaps; VoxelPrime guides you through them.
- You actually want a lithophane. A white backlit lithophane is simpler; use the image to STL tool or ItsLitho.
Try it free
For settings, swap math and troubleshooting, read how to plan color swap heights and our guide to Filapaint and other free options.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free HueForge alternative?
For planning and previewing, the Depthue filament painting planner is free, runs locally and lists every swap height. Filapaint on cxwl.org is another free browser option that exports STL.
Is HueForge free?
No. HueForge sells a one-time Personal licence and commercial licences. Its shop and FAQ do not list a free version or trial.
Is VoxelPrime the same as HueForge?
No. VoxelPrime is an independent app with its own engine. It covers the most common HueForge-style jobs, color reliefs and lithophanes, for $8 once, but it does not replicate every HueForge feature.
Can I sell prints made with a HueForge alternative?
Yes with VoxelPrime and the Depthue planner, which allow commercial use. HueForge requires a commercial licence to sell prints. Check each tool's terms.
Sources
Try VoxelPrime.
VoxelPrime is a desktop app that turns any image into a printable HueForge-style color relief or lithophane. It plans filament colors and swap heights, exports clean STL and works with single-extruder printers. $8 once, lifetime access.