Nomad Sculpt vs ZBrush
Nomad Sculpt
nomadsculpt.com
ZBrush
maxon.netSide by side
| Figure | Nomad Sculpt | ZBrush |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 7 |
| Spec score · 3D modeling software | 8.7 (#25) | 9.3 (#2) |
| Spec score · 3D Sculpting Software | 8.6 (#5) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Spec score · 3D Design Software | 8.6 (#9) | 8.5 (#12) |
| Spec score · Game 3D Modeling Software | 8.4 (#14) | 8.5 (#13) |
| Animation tools | No | Yes |
| File formats | The manual lists import support for NOM, glTF, OBJ, STL, PLY, and experimental FBX, and export options including glTF/GLB, OBJ, USD, PLY, STL, and FBX. | ZBrush imports and exports formats including OBJ, FBX, STL, PLY, DAE, ABC, 3MF and USD-related formats depending on edition and plugin. |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Paris, France | Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany |
| Integrations | Nomad’s FAQ describes workflows involving Procreate and Blender, including exporting OBJ textures for Procreate and importing glTF/GLB vertex attributes in Blender. | GoZ connects ZBrush with Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D and other supported applications. |
| Platform access | desktop | desktop |
| 3D print export | Yes | Yes |
| Render engine | built-in | both |
| Rendering | It offers PBR rendering, lighting, shadows, and screen-space post-processing effects. | Desktop includes advanced BPR rendering, render passes, raytraced ambient occlusion and a ZBrush-to-KeyShot bridge. |
| Sculpting tools | Yes | Yes |
| Support | The maker directs support inquiries to email and says support can verify a purchase or change its email address. | Maxon provides a support center with knowledge-base articles, ticket support, installers, requirements, release notes, training and community forums. |
Plans
Nomad Sculpt
- Nomad Sculpt for iPhone and iPadPrice not published
- Nomad Sculpt Desktop — Individual$35 a month
- Nomad Sculpt Desktop — Seat-basedPrice not published
- iOS app$19.99, paid once
- Desktop — One license$35, paid once
- Android appPrice not published
ZBrush
- ZBrush for iPad Free PlanFree
- ZBrush for iPad SubscriptionPrice not published
- ZBrush for iPad SubscriptionPriced on request
- ZBrush DesktopPrice not published
- ZBrush DesktopPriced on request
- ZBrush for iPad$33.25 a month
- ZBrush$399 a year
In their own words
Nomad Sculpt
Nomad Sculpt is a sculpting and painting application for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Its sculpting tools include brushes, customizable strokes, vertex painting, and layers. Mesh workflows include multiresolution sculpting, voxel remeshing, dynamic topology, decimation, face groups, and automatic UV unwrap. The built-in renderer provides PBR rendering, lighting, shadows, and screen-space post-processing effects. The manual lists imports for NOM, glTF, OBJ, STL, PLY, and experimental FBX, and exports for glTF/GLB, OBJ, USD, PLY, STL, and FBX. The maker describes workflows with Procreate and Blender. Desktop users can download and try the app without an account. A desktop license is a one-time purchase for Windows or macOS; one key covers two computers. The desktop app periodically checks the license online and continues offline for 15 days. Mobile versions are separate store purchases, and a store purchase does not unlock desktop use. The maker says the app does not support animation or low-poly modeling, and its real-time renderer is limited to four lights.
ZBrush
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.