October 2026 · the six from my video

My Top 6 AI 3D Model Generators

What each tool does best, what it costs, and where to try it.

Matt Farmer / @mattfarmeraiResearch: October 18, 2026

Three quick picks

My overall pickTripoEditable assets and valueEditable assets / value Premium detailRodinSculpts and hero assetsPremium hero assets Run it locallyTRELLIS.2An open model; suitable hardware requiredOpen model; 24GB GPU

All six · direct product links

No gate. Pick your workflow.

My picks for different workflows. Prices and availability can change. Prices below are USD snapshots. Region, taxes and billing interval affect checkout prices. Web subscriptions, API credits and local compute are different costs, so there is no single “cheapest” comparison.

I may earn a commission when you use the Tripo or Meshy links.

Tripo

H3.1 / Smart Mesh P2

Best for · Editable assets and value

My overall pick for detailed models, useful editing controls and clear API pricing. Choose the high-detail H3.1 track or the separate Smart Mesh P2 topology workflow.

Open Tripo Studio

Web plan

Pro · $20/month

3,000 Studio credits. Studio and API billing are separate.

API / local cost

H3.1 image input · $0.20–$0.50/model

Mesh only $0.20; standard textured $0.30; 8K BaseColor $0.50. P2 starts at $1.00; full rates are in the source notes.

Regional editing, UV/texture tools, parts and rigging.
High-detail or controlled-topology workflows.
Clear, configuration-specific API pricing.

Keep in mind: Cleanup and manual finishing can still be needed.

Geometry. H3.1 supports up to 2 million faces. P2's controlled, quad-dominant topology is a separate track.

Textures. Up to 8K BaseColor. The documented 8K export keeps Normal/ORM maps at 4K.

API pricing 8K texture example P2 workflow

A finished character from Tripo's P2 production workflow — Official workflow result · Tripo
Finished P2 character workflow
Includes manual DCC refinement and engine rendering; this is the finished workflow result.
Open official example

Tencent Hunyuan

HY3D3.1 · documented API

Best for · Multiple reference views

A strong option when you have several views of an object and want more control over the resulting shape.

Open Hunyuan 3D

Web plan

Not verified

The consumer web plan and current quotas are not established by the API tariff.

API / local cost

International PAYG · from $0.50/model

Normal textured generation $0.50; with multiview $0.70. Prepaid allocations and add-ons can change the effective rate.

Up to eight reference views on the documented API.
Detailed geometry and PBR options.
Processing tools for the next production steps.

Keep in mind: Low-poly output needs a separate retopology step. These API figures do not establish current consumer access or quotas.

Geometry. Up to eight reference views on the documented HY3D3.1 API; low-poly retopology is a separate step.

Textures. PBR options are documented. A current maximum texture resolution was not established by the research.

International pricing API documentation Mainland app

Official split-screen comparison labeled HY3D 3.0 and HY3D 3.1, showing an ornate sculpt — Official launch example · Tencent Hunyuan
HY3D3.1 geometry comparison
Still from 00:40 of the official film. Start around 00:32 for HY3D3.1; earlier scenes show Studio/PartGen.
Open official example

Meshy

7.1

Best for · Fine geometric detail

Detailed reference-to-shape results, with texturing, rigging, animation and printing tools in one place.

Open Meshy

Web plan

Pro · $20/month

1,000 credits in the USD monthly research snapshot.

API / local cost

7.1 · 20–35 credits/model

Mesh only 20; textured 2K/4K 30; 8K 35. Ultra adds 5 credits. Credit costs are not a universal dollar rate.

Fine surface detail.
Texturing, rigging, animation and printing tools.
Available 8K BaseColor.

Keep in mind: Check rigged hands, weights and topology before production. Texture modes do not all provide identical PBR output.

Geometry. Ultra 4K means 4096³ spatial geometry, not 4K texture pixels or the dimensions of a showcase video.

Textures. Available 8K BaseColor. PBR output differs between texture modes.

API pricing 7.1 release Official media kit

Poster from Meshy's official 7.1 Ultra 4K geometry showcase — Official model showcase · Meshy
Meshy 7.1 Ultra 4K launch
This is the official 7.1 showcase. Its 4K geometry label is separate from texture resolution.
Open official example

Microsoft TRELLIS.2

TRELLIS.2-4B

Best for · Local control and rich materials

An open model with impressive material handling, including thin, open and transparent structures.

Try the official demo

Web plan

Official demo · availability varies

No ongoing free quota is promised; the hosted demo's access and capacity can change.

API / local cost

Local · no Microsoft model fee

Hardware, setup and compute remain. Third-party fal hosting starts at $0.25 per generation.

Local customization and control.
Rich materials, including transparency.
MIT-licensed model code and weights.

Keep in mind: The official setup targets Linux and an NVIDIA GPU with at least 24GB VRAM. Check topology before printing.

Geometry. 512³, 1024³ and 1536³ spatial grids. These describe geometry resolution, not texture image size.

Textures. The official demo has a separate 1024–4096 texture-export setting.

Code and setup Hosted option / pricing Project and examples

The reference image of the same glass aquarium used for Microsoft's TRELLIS.2 example — Official input / result pair · Microsoft
Glass aquarium: image to 3D
The same glass aquarium appears in the reference image and generated turntable, showing material and transparency handling.
Open official example

Turntable render of a glass aquarium generated with TRELLIS.2 — Official input / result pair · Microsoft
Glass aquarium: image to 3D
The same glass aquarium appears in the reference image and generated turntable, showing material and transparency handling.
Open official example

Hyper3D Rodin

Gen-2.5

Best for · Premium detail and hero assets

Beautiful sculpt detail, multiple-reference support and controls for high-end assets.

Open Rodin

Web plan

Creator · $30/month

USD monthly billing. Annual pricing and configured options differ.

API / local cost

Business · $120/month + generation usage

Or eligible Enterprise access. Generation credits and export options follow the actual account terms.

High-density geometry.
Shape and material controls.
Multiple reference inputs.

Keep in mind: Access and configured export options affect the real cost. Cleanup may remain.

Geometry. Up to 10 million faces with the relevant Extreme-High configuration; this is not the default for every job.

Textures. Texture and export choices depend on configuration and plan. Check the options included in your account.

Pricing and API access Geometry showcase

Poster from Hyper3D's official Rodin introduction — Official model introduction · Hyper3D
Rodin Gen-2.5 introduction
A vendor introduction and showcase, rather than a matched quality test against the other tools.
Open official example

Claude Code + Codex

Coding agents · tool-based workflows

Best for · Editable scenes and custom pipelines

Coding agents that can build real editable scenes and assets through Blender and other tools. Especially useful when you want reusable code or precise structured changes.

Claude Code Codex

Web plan

Claude Pro / ChatGPT Plus · $20/month each

USD research snapshot, with usage limits. Locale-specific checkout prices can differ.

API / local cost

Chosen model's tokens and tools

No fixed cost per 3D model. The geometry and texture limits depend on the tool pipeline.

Procedural props and furnished architecture.
Game assets and structured scene editing.
Repeatable pipeline automation.

Keep in mind: Tool setup and iteration are part of the workflow. If an agent calls a specialist backend, attribute the resulting mesh to that backend.

Geometry. Determined by the scene, code, receiving application and any specialist backend.

Textures. Workflow-dependent. A coding-agent subscription does not imply a fixed native texture ceiling.

Claude pricing Codex pricing / docs Blender connector

Poster from Claude's official Blender connector video — Official scene-editing demo · Claude
Claude Desktop + Blender connector
April 2026 · Opus 4.7 visible. Material editing and scene cleanup; not a Claude Code or Opus 5.5 test.
Open official example

A furnished interior from OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra and Codex architecture example — Official completed-scene result · OpenAI
A furnished house built with Codex
GPT-6 Astra / Codex · completed house tour, not a recording of active modeling or a GPT-6.1 Sol benchmark.
Open official example

Method, pricing details and sources

How to read this list

This is Matt's editorial choice for different workflows, not a measured benchmark. The original research snapshot is October 18, 2026; the media inventory was updated October 19, 2026. Official examples show vendor demonstrations and workflow results, not a matched test or a claim that Matt generated them. Product access, quotas and prices can change.

Geometry counts, spatial grids and texture pixels measure different things. Higher numbers alone do not establish clean topology, animation-ready weights or printability. The examples below retain their actual version and workflow scope.

#1 · Tripo

Research snapshot: October 18, 2026.

P2 API: $1.00 mesh only, $1.10 standard textured, $1.30 with 8K.
8K describes texture pixels, not geometry, and is not exclusive to Tripo.
The finished P2 character below includes manual DCC refinement and engine rendering. It is a workflow example, not untouched one-click output.

API pricing 8K texture example P2 workflow

#2 · Tencent Hunyuan

Research snapshot: October 18, 2026. International billing source revisited October 19, 2026; consumer web access remains unverified.

A newer v3.6 bulletin was found, but rollout, consumer pricing and matching footage remain unverified. This card's prices and example remain scoped to HY3D3.1.
The official launch movie also contains Studio and PartGen material. The HY3D3.1 segment begins around 00:32; the selected still is at 00:40.

International pricing API documentation Mainland app

#3 · Meshy

Research snapshot: October 18, 2026. The API credit table was rechecked October 19, 2026.

T2.5 Smart Topology is a separate model from the 7.1 flagship.
The Ultra geometry surcharge applies to the selected 2K/4K geometry option. Check request configuration before calculating credits.
Subscription credits and API terms should be checked on the account being used; do not assume a universal credits-to-USD exchange.

API pricing 7.1 release Official media kit

#4 · Microsoft TRELLIS.2

Research snapshot: October 18, 2026. The official Linux/NVIDIA 24GB setup requirement was rechecked October 19, 2026.

fal hosting tiers are $0.25 / $0.30 / $0.35 at 512 / 1024 / 1536 spatial resolution.
The open model's license and absence of a Microsoft model fee do not remove the cost of hardware, compute or setup.
The reference image and aquarium turntable below are the matching pair from Microsoft's official project page.

Code and setup Hosted option / pricing Project and examples

#5 · Hyper3D Rodin

Research snapshot: October 18, 2026. Creator and Business monthly billing and API access were rechecked October 19, 2026.

There is no verified flat, all-inclusive API dollar price per maximum-resolution model in this comparison.
12K texture output is conditional. A beta showcase does not establish that every current plan includes it, so it is not a headline claim here.

Pricing and API access Geometry showcase

#6 · Claude Code + Codex

Research snapshot: October 18, 2026.

The Claude video shows Claude Desktop with the Blender connector and Opus 4.7 in April 2026. It demonstrates material editing and cleanup, not a Claude Code / Opus 5.5 generation test.
The OpenAI house tour shows a completed GPT-6 Astra / Codex result. It is not a recording of active modeling or a GPT-6.1 Sol benchmark.
The Blender connector is one workflow option. This route is less direct than a dedicated photo-to-mesh service, but useful for reusable code and precise structured edits.

Claude pricing Codex pricing / docs Blender connector OpenAI architecture workflow OpenAI game example

Read the complete text version Earlier 3D buyer guide