Meshy Alternatives in 2026: AI 3D Generators for 3D Printing
Meshy alternatives for 3D printing compared: Depthue Studio, Tripo, PrintPal, 3D AI Studio, MakerLab and TRELLIS, on free limits, licences and print tools.
The short answer
Meshy is the more complete AI 3D generator: its own models, texturing, rigging, animation and print prep, and more polished generation than Depthue Studio runs. Its free plan is thin for printing: 10 downloads a month, untextured Meshy 6 Lite models only, and Meshy owns free outputs under CC BY 4.0. If the goal is a printed part, Depthue Studio pairs AI generation with a full editor: cut, hollow, repair, add text, check and export STL or 3MF in one tab, from 50 free credits a month. For textured game or film assets, stay with Meshy or try Tripo.
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.Depthue Studio
By Depthue- Price
- Free, 50 credits a month; Maker $5 a month for 1,200
- Best for
- A photo or a description to a part you can print and edit
Browser 3D workspace built for printing. Photo to 3D runs TRELLIS (3 credits) or TRELLIS 2 for finer detail (30 credits); text to 3D runs Tripo H3.1, geometry only (12 credits). Then cut, hollow, repair, combine, emboss text, check for printing and export STL or 3MF in the same tab. No texturing or rigging.
2.Tripo
- Price
- Free plan with monthly credits; Pro $20 a month
- Best for
- AI generation in a browser studio, with an API
Tripo Studio in the browser plus an API. Exports GLB, USD, FBX, OBJ, STL and 3MF. Free plan models are not for commercial use. A free relief generator makes STL files with no account.
3.PrintPal
- Price
- Free, 10 basic generations a month; Pro $10 a month
- Best for
- Low cost AI generation aimed at printing
Browser AI photo and text to 3D with meshes auto-repaired for printing, plus about 50 free tools and a separately priced AI CAD agent. Free exports STL and OBJ; Pro adds GLB and PLY. Its pages disagree on Free commercial use and on whether text to 3D needs Pro.
4.3D AI Studio
- Price
- Free starter credits; Basic $19 a month for 1,000 credits
- Best for
- Trying several generation models in one place
Browser platform that bundles several generators, including Meshy, Tripo and Rodin. Its print export seals the model watertight at a height in mm and checks plate fit, but STL and 3MF downloads need a paid plan, and free output is personal, non-commercial.
5.Bambu Lab MakerLab
- Price
- Credit packs from $3 for 350; one-off free trial uses
- Best for
- Bambu Lab printer owners
Browser tools behind a MakerWorld sign-in: Image to 3D Model (24 to 45 credits), relief, lithophane, keychain and sign makers, and an OpenSCAD Parametric Model Maker that exports STL or 3MF.
6.TRELLIS (self-hosted)
- Price
- Free, MIT licence; your own GPU
- Best for
- Running image to 3D on your own hardware
Microsoft's open image to 3D model, the same family Depthue Studio runs through fal.ai. TRELLIS needs an NVIDIA GPU with at least 16 GB and is tested on Linux; TRELLIS.2 needs 24 GB. It outputs a GLB; making it printable is up to you.
Side by side
| Depthue Studio | Meshy | Tripo | PrintPal | 3D AI Studio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid plans from | $5/mo, 1,200 credits | $20/mo, 1,000 credits | $20/mo | $10/mo, 200 generations | $19/mo, 1,000 credits |
| Free allowance | 50 credits a month | 100 credits, 10 downloads a month | Monthly credits | 10 basic generations a month | Starter credits |
| Free plan output | You may use it commercially when you hold the rights to the input | Owned by Meshy, CC BY 4.0 with credit | Not for commercial use | Pages disagree | Personal, non-commercial |
| Image to 3D | TRELLIS 3 credits; TRELLIS 2 30 credits | 10 to 25 credits | Yes | Yes | Yes, several models |
| Text to 3D | Tripo H3.1, geometry only, 12 credits | 10 or 20 credits | Yes | Free or Pro (pages disagree) | Yes |
| Texturing and rigging | No | Yes, both | Textures listed on fal.ai; rigging Not listed | Not listed | Texture AI listed; rigging Not listed |
| Edit the mesh | Cut, hollow, boolean, repair, simplify, emboss text | Make Printable, Add Base, Split | Not listed | AI edits on Pro | Not listed |
| Print checks | Closed solid, plate fit, overhangs, thin walls, print estimate | Print Check: watertight, holes, non-manifold edges | Not listed | Auto repair on generation | Watertight seal, plate fit |
| Print exports | STL, 3MF, OBJ, GLB, PLY | STL, 3MF, OBJ and more; Free: Meshy 6 Lite untextured only | STL, 3MF, GLB, OBJ, FBX, USD | Free: STL, OBJ; Pro adds GLB, PLY | STL and 3MF on paid plans |
What Meshy does well
Meshy is a full AI 3D studio. It runs its own models for image to 3D and text to 3D, textures them, rigs and animates characters, and exports to FBX, OBJ, USDZ, GLB, STL, BLEND and 3MF. For printing it has Print Check, Make Printable, Add Base, Split and a multi-colour print option, plus slicer plugins. If you need a textured asset for a game, a film or AR, Meshy is the stronger tool, and nothing on this page beats its generation quality.
Where the free plan stops for printing
- 10 downloads a month. Only untextured models made with Meshy 6 Lite. Meshy 6, Meshy 7 and textured models are not downloadable on Free.
- Meshy owns free outputs. Its terms (section 3.2, September 19, 2026) license free plan outputs under CC BY 4.0. You can sell prints, but you must credit Meshy.
- Repair is paid. Make Printable costs 10 credits and needs a paid plan for Meshy-generated models. It also drops the texture.
- No hollow or boolean. Meshy's 3D printing guide does not list hollowing, cutting or combining parts, so a big figurine prints solid unless you take it into another program.
Paid plans start at $20 a month for 1,000 credits and remove the download cap.
Pick by what you are making
| You want to | Use |
|---|---|
| A textured, rigged character for a game or video | Meshy or Tripo |
| A figurine or part from one photo, edited and checked for printing | Depthue Studio image to 3D |
| A model from a description, then cut, hollowed or lettered | Depthue Studio text to 3D |
| A coin, plaque or lithophane from a photo | Depthue Studio bas relief generator |
| Fix or cut an STL you already generated elsewhere | Depthue Studio STL editor |
| Run image to 3D on your own GPU for free | TRELLIS from GitHub |
Generation is half the job
An AI model is rarely ready to slice. It arrives at an arbitrary size, often with no flat base, thin parts that will not print, and a solid body that wastes filament. In Depthue Studio the generated model lands on the build plate at 60 mm on its longest side, already repaired if it was not a closed solid. From there:
- Set its real size in millimetres.
- Cut a flat base, hollow it with drain holes, or combine it with a stand.
- Emboss a name or engrave a date.
- Read the checks: closed solid, plate fit, overhangs, thinnest wall.
- Get a print estimate in grams, time and cost, then export STL or 3MF.
Every step is an operation in a stack you can switch off or change later, and the copilot can run them from plain words.
What Depthue Studio's AI is, and is not
Studio does not train its own 3D models. Photo to 3D runs Microsoft's TRELLIS for a fast draft, or TRELLIS 2 at 1024 resolution, remeshed and reduced to 150,000 vertices for printing. Text to 3D runs Tripo H3.1 with textures off. All three run on fal.ai, and the photo or description goes to that provider for the one job.
The output is geometry for printing, not a textured asset. Expect results like the open models they are: good on one clear object, weaker on thin details and hidden sides.
What it costs
| Job | Credits |
|---|---|
| Photo to 3D, draft (TRELLIS) | 3 |
| Photo to 3D, quality (TRELLIS 2) | 30 |
| Text to 3D (Tripo H3.1) | 12 |
| Each operation, such as hollow or cut | 1 |
| Export | 5 |
The free plan has 50 credits a month and needs no card: enough for a few drafts with exports. Maker is $5 a month for 1,200 credits. Already have a GLB from Meshy? The free GLB to STL converter scales it to millimetres in your browser with no account.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Meshy?
It depends on the job. For printing, Depthue Studio is free with 50 credits a month, and the editing, repair and print checks run in the same tab as the AI. Tripo also has a free plan, but its free models are not for commercial use.
Can I use Meshy free models commercially?
Yes, with credit. Meshy's terms say it owns free plan outputs and licenses them under CC BY 4.0, so you must credit Meshy. A paid plan is needed to own the output and keep it private.
How many models can I download on Meshy's free plan?
10 a month, and only untextured models made with Meshy 6 Lite. Meshy 6, Meshy 7 and textured models cannot be downloaded on Free.
Is Depthue Studio better than Meshy?
Not at generation. Meshy has its own models, texturing, rigging and animation, and more polished results. Depthue Studio is better at what happens after generation for a print: cutting, hollowing, repairing, adding text, checking and exporting the part.
Can I edit a Meshy model in Depthue Studio?
Yes. Download it as STL, 3MF, OBJ or GLB and import it into Depthue Studio, then cut a flat base, hollow it, add a name, check it and export it for your slicer. For a quick conversion only, the free GLB to STL converter needs no account.
What AI does Depthue Studio use?
TRELLIS for photo to 3D drafts and TRELLIS 2 for the quality tier, both MIT licensed and run on fal.ai, and Tripo H3.1 for text to 3D, geometry only. The photo or description is sent to that provider for the one job.
Sources
- Meshy pricing
- Meshy Help, What is included on the free plan
- Meshy Terms of Use, section 3.2 (September 19, 2026)
- Meshy Docs, web app credit costs
- Meshy Docs, 3D printing
- Meshy Help, supported 3D file formats
- Meshy 3D Relief Generator
- Tripo pricing
- Tripo Terms
- Tripo Help, supported 3D file formats
- Tripo 3D relief generator
- PrintPal pricing
- PrintPal 3D generator
- PrintPal CAD Agent pricing
- 3D AI Studio pricing
- 3D AI Studio Docs, export for 3D printing
- 3D AI Studio Terms, section 2
- MakerWorld MakerLab
- MakerWorld MakerLab credit guide
- Microsoft TRELLIS on GitHub
- Microsoft TRELLIS.2 on GitHub
- fal.ai, TRELLIS 2
- fal.ai, Tripo H3.1 text to 3D
Try Depthue Studio.
Free in your browser, no card. 50 credits a month for everything you make, from a shape to an export.