FaceGen vs ZBrush

FaceGen creates 3D human faces from photos, 3D scan data or random generation. Its face controls cover more than 150 characteristics, including age, race, gender and caricature. Modeller includes over 110 morph targets, including Facial Action Coding System targets, and adjusts expressions and accessories for each face. It exports meshes in formats including DAE, FBX, 3DS, OBJ, XSI, WRL and STL, with optional expression morph targets. FaceGen Artist creates faces for Daz Studio Genesis meshes and lists support for Genesis 1, 2, 3, 8, 8.1 and 9. The software runs on Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 with DirectX 11; macOS and Linux are unsupported. Modeller purchases are perpetual, one-time licenses for one concurrent user. Free demo editions are available. Paid plans include FaceGen Artist Pro at $100, paid once, Modeller Core at $300, paid once, Modeller Pro at $900, paid once and Modeller Enterprise at $2,900, paid once. Rendered images, video and physical sculptures may be distributed freely, while exported models retaining photo color details have restrictions.

ZBrush is a 3D sculpting and modeling application with desktop and iPad offerings. Its listed tools include sculpting, parametric modeling, animation, rendering and 3D print export. Desktop is listed for Windows and macOS, while a separate supported-platform list also includes Linux. The desktop plan includes ZBrush for iPad and advanced sculpting, modeling, rendering and export tools. Rendering is described as hybrid, with GPU and animation rendering and denoising. Listed workload areas include CPU and GPU rendering, ray tracing, shader execution and geometry processing. Other listed capabilities include rotoscoping, 3D camera tracking, custom test profiles and CLI or automation support. The listed result export formats are none documented, and results are not saved as a file. Headquarters are listed as both Bad Homburg vor der Höhe and Friedrichsdorf, Germany; the maker is listed as founded in 1986.