The best 3D modelling apps for iPad

The 3D modelling apps for iPad can emulate the tools of the best 3D modelling software but with the added value of touch controls and Apple Pencil or even Apple Pencil Pro support. Many artists are finding the new gesture controls are a more natural and approach way to sculpt and model in 3D, making these apps ideal for beginners and pros alike.

Apple's new M-chip iPad series, such as the Apple iPad Pro (M4, 2024), are powerful and versatile tablets, competing with many laptops for performance – while the graphics processing may not be quite the same, you can achieve a remarkable amount using them. Read our iPad generations guide for more details.

I took my first steps in CG art back in the late 1990s using Maya Unlimited, which was huge package to learn and the price meant it was only accessible for professionals. Now, my iPad can do the vast amount of what I was creating back then for less than 1% of the cost and with only an evening needed to learn an app.

That said, not all 3D modelling apps are made equally, so here's my rundown of the best for various use cases, made after spending a decent amount of time getting to know them. I've looked at everything form value and budget, to capability and how easy it is to slot into your existing desktop pipeline (if you have one). Overall ZBrush for iPad comes out on top in all areas, but its closely followed by some excellent cheaper (and more expensive) 3D programs for iPad, including two excellent CAD software for iPad.

Best iPad app for 3D modelling: Quick list

Best 3D modelling app for iPad overall

ZBrush is pretty much the undisputed champion of sculpting 3D models and has an excellent set of polygon modelling tools as well. The iPad version means you can take all of these features with you, either to a client, on location, or simply to the sofa.

As we found out in our ZBrush for iPad review, the tool set is massive, with features for just about everything you could think of and it is one of the most rewarding 3d apps to learn and mastering it could net you your dream job in the games or movie industries, as it is that well thought of.

The age old problem for ZBrush is the user interface, which in desktop form was rather intimidating and not just for first time users. It could take a long time to work out where everything lives and if you don't use a tool frequently it could cause a little head scratching. Thankfully the iPad version has a far superior interface. It not only functions better and more intuitively but it also looks nice. It's easy on the eye and allows you to focus on your creativity, rather than hunting for tools. It's nicely configurable too, making it simple to customise to your preferred way of working.

ZBrush for iPad is also incredibly well connected, so slotting it into an existing workflow is easy, with file interchanges made simple, so if you want to import or export a mesh, you can do so. If you do want to send a project to and from the desktop version then it's as simple as it could be.

Let's face it, if you are 3D modelling / sculpting on an iPad, then the Apple Pencil is really the only way to go and ZBrush takes full advantage of this and supports pressure and roll when working this way.

The actual modelling experience is top notch too. The sculpting tools are some of the best out there and it can handle huge polygon counts, so you'll never be starved of detail. I would say ZBrush on iPad is even better than the desktop version and I hope some of the GUI changes make it back to the desktop, it's that good.

Best affordable 3D modelling app for iPad

Nomad Sculpt has been around for a while now and has a fantastic community, who praise its sculpting abilities. This is very much a clay sculpting kind of 3D, with its focus mostly on sculpting, rather than polygon modelling and as such, it does a great job. The Ui is clean and logical, not getting in the way of your project but making it easy to access the tools you need.

Those tools are pretty comprehensive too. You get the usual suspects found in other sculpting apps, along with others but it's the way they work that makes Nomad Sculpt feel special. They are customisable so you can make them do exactly what you want, with ease, and the entire experience is one of not just creativity but fun. Working with Nomad Sculpt is hugely entertaining, which makes the whole creative process that much more rewarding.

Although I said Nomad Sculpt is mostly a sculpting app, there is also a really nice set of painting tools, so you can 3D paint your projects, without having to leave the app to use something like Procreate. There are material options too, so you can paint as well as apply shaders, so creating soft organic looks is just as easy as hard metallic ones. And to really help your images shine there are options to render using the in-built physically based renderer.

Nomad Sculpt has some excellent features for keeping on top of your mesh too, with options for topology and remising, so you get the details where and how you want them. It's a well-rounded app and for a one-off fee, rather than a subscription like ZBrush for iPad, this is a very affordable 3D modelling app for iPad.

The best CAD modelling app for iPad

Not all 3D tasks are the same and, while fun, sculpting and some poly modelling is great for certain things, like making game assets or digital props for movies. However you don't always get the precision and accuracy you might need, which brings me on to my next top choice, Shapr3D.

Shapr3D is much more of a CAD app, meaning you get access to pinpoint accuracy and a toolset more focused on working with real world measurements and attributes. So if you are looking to design or adapt blueprints, which need to be used for manufacturing, either conventionally or by 3D printing then this is the way to go.

That doesn't detract from the overall experience though. There's something satisfying about knowing the radius of a curve, or the angle of a fillet, that makes this app a joy to use.

The UI is, like the others here, clean and easy to use, while not detracting from the actual task at hand. The pop out tools menus are grouped nicely, so accessing everything is a breeze.

Modelling in this more CAD-like fashion is very fast on an iPad too and Shapr3D makes it even quicker. Simple draw out a shape using your Pencil and, if required, tap the measurement and type in your chosen value and you get a perfect result. Extruding is simply a case of click and dragging, as is adding a bevel or chamfer. Just click the edge and drag left or right.

Boolean operations are some of the best I've used too. Draw the profile of the hole you want to make, line it up with the first piece and drag it through the model and it will leave a perfect cutout, and this works with multiple profiles, so complex parts can be built very fast.

There is a material system but I'd suggest using this just to aid the design process, rather than rendering beauty shots. Dragging a material on to the object is simple and effective but there's not that much depth to the system but that's ok by me. It isn't what this app was made for.

Files can be exported in a number of formats, making it easy to import them into other software, or 3D print. Although this was originally an iPad only app it now available on Mac and pc, so if the workflow suits you, you can take advantage of it on your desktop.

The only drawback I can find it the price. There is a. cut down version but if you want all the pro features it will set you back. Now, we are all used to App Store apps being relatively affordable but Shapr3D comes in at £299 a year. That sounds expensive but think about the cost of other desktop apps with this kind of functionality and you'll soon see this is very good value. I pay that much a month for some of my 3D software, so really don't feel too bad about that and that's after being a user for a few years now.

Best pro 3D modelling app for iPad

Autodesk is a huge name in the 3D space. Their entertainment focused software, like Maya and 3DsMax have been headline acts for decades now and their other, CAD based, apps are even bigger.

AutoCAD is probably the best known CAD software around and, while there is an iOS version that didn't make the list, mostly because Shapr3D took the crown. However, they are also the developer of TinkerCAD, a much loved suite of tools that started out as browser based but has now got its own app.

TinkerCAD isn't as sophisticated as some other tools but it's free, simple to use and has one super power and that is its ability to help people learn. Not just CAD either. There are sections of the app for learning and creating electronics circuits and some great tools for learning code, visually.

The CAD tools are fine, although nothing exceptional. This is much more about placing primitives and making adjustments to parameters, then combining them to create more complex objects. Think of it more like a creative Minecraft and you won't be far off.

The interface is also basic. It's not the most pleasing or modern UI you will have seen but it serves it's purpose well and everything is where you expect to find it.

Bu the point of TinkerCAD isn't to be the most powerful. It's purpose is to guide newcomers to this space, give them the fundamentals to get started, exploring the joys of design and act as a form of gateway into what is possible and for that it is a roaring success. Oh and it is completely free, either browser based or as an app.

That said, it does have some fun functionality to play with. You can use AR to visualise your designs in the real world, you can turn your models into lego-style brick objects, or even do some physics simulation.

Of course at some point you'll want to progress to more capable software and for that you can either send your projects to Autodesk's Fusion software, or look at other options, like those listed here.,

Best beginner 3D modelling app for iPad

3D Modeling: Design My Model (which I'll refer to as BMM from now on) is at first glance a cheap and cheerful entry point to the world of 3D modelling on the iPad. This app is one of the few that works really well with touch gestures alone, although it does work well with the Apple Pencil too. Maybe that's why it feels more casual, and is ideally suited to beginners.

That feeling disappears after spending some time working with it though. Yes, it's simple to use and the the UI is friendly, if basic but then it works on the iPhone as well, so it has to be usable on a smaller screen.

There's actually quite a lot to love about BMM. The poly modelling tools are good and it takes very little time to get where you want to be. The modelling toolset may not be as comprehensive as your typical desktop app but you can work at point level and even do some sculpting and 3D painting, making this a pretty compelling way to get into some serious 3D work. There are subdivisions, smoothing, mirroring and boolean operations on offer, making it more than capable of creating complex models and all on the move, with just the tip of your finger.

For the accuracy focused user, there are snapping settings, options for selection sets and measurements, all packed into a pretty well thought out interface. I'd say this is an entry for this list but it's definitely worthy of some exploration, so download it now (it is free, although there are in app purchases) and give it a go.

Best 3D modelling apps for iPad: how to choose

This is all down to your preferences, budget and goals. If you want pinpoint accuracy, then look at something like Shapr3D or AutoCAD on my list, which will give you exactly that, although Autodesk's app comes at a cost.

If you want more traditional polygon modelling akin to Maya or Blender, then 3D Modeling: Design My Model might be a good choice plus it's free and can work on your phone as well as iPad.

3D sculpting opens up more options, and the two main apps are ZBrush for iPad and Nomad Sculpt, but there's also Forger which isn't on my list (this can work nicely with ZBrush for iPad as a renderer). There are more, but ZBrush for iPad and Nomad Sculpt both offer the best iPad sculpting experience and tools, which you choose depends on your experience and connection (ZBrush for iPad can be paired with the desktop version) but Nomad Sculpt is cheaper but good.

With this in mind, keep in mind what desktop apps you use, if you want to incorporate your iPad projects into a larger pipeline. Not all apps offer the same import and export functionality, so do check formats before you download. Some, like ZBrush make it really easy to round trip, so if that's high on your list it could tip the balance.

Best 3D modelling apps for iPad: how we review

I've tested each app on my list and use many of them everyday in my studio work, and I have experience of desktop 3D modelling apps for comparisons. Outside of this, for our guides we try and review every entry in detail and when this isn't possible we refer to reviews on our sister websites such as TechRadar and Tom's Guide.

If you want to find out more, read our explainer for 'how we test and review' and our specific explainer for 'how we test software'.

Best 3D modelling apps for iPad: frequent questions