# ZBrush, Adobe Substance 3D Painter vs Maya Comparison

| | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.7 out of 5 | 4.6 out of 5 | 4.3 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 104 | 109 | 267 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (69.9% of reviews) | Small-Business (75.9% of reviews) | Small-Business (61.8% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### ZBrush

Pros:
- Modeling (4 reviews)
- 3D Modeling (3 reviews)

Cons:
- Difficult Learning (2 reviews)
- Limited Features (2 reviews)

### Adobe Substance 3D Painter

**Not enough data**

### Maya

Pros:
- 3D Modeling (1 reviews)
- Ease of Use (1 reviews)

Cons:
- Crashes (1 reviews)
- Software Bugs (1 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 9.2 (99 reviews) | 8.8 (83 reviews) | 8.8 (228 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 6.7 (100 reviews) | 8.3 (84 reviews) | 7.0 (228 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 9.2 (8 reviews) | 8.8 (7 reviews) | 8.8 (35 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (25 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.4 (85 reviews) | 8.3 (76 reviews) | 7.8 (200 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (27 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 9.0 (94 reviews) | 8.7 (74 reviews) | 8.1 (223 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### ZBrush

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

Yes

### Adobe Substance 3D Painter

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### Maya

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### 3D Modeling

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **ZBrush** | 7.8/10 | 32 |
| **Adobe Substance 3D Painter** | N/A | N/A |
| **Maya** | 8.0/10 | 100 |

#### Design

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Sculpting** | 9.6 (31 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.5 (91 reviews) | 
| **Topology** | 8.9 (28 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.7 (89 reviews) | 
| **Drawing** | 7.2 (25 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.0 (83 reviews) | 
| **Brush Variety ** | 9.2 (27 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.2 (84 reviews) | 
| **Effects** | 7.0 (23 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.3 (87 reviews) | 

#### Move

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Animate** | 4.5 (22 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.1 (86 reviews) | 
| **Render** | 6.6 (25 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.0 (90 reviews) | 
| **Views** | 8.4 (27 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.7 (86 reviews) | 

#### Store & Manage

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Pipeline ** | 8.5 (28 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.8 (87 reviews) | 
| **Controls** | 8.1 (27 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.5 (85 reviews) | 
| **Template library ** | 8.2 (27 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.3 (81 reviews) | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Text-to-Image** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 6.7 (40 reviews) | 
| **AI Text-to-3D** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.1 (41 reviews) | 

### 3D Painting

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **ZBrush** | 8.5/10 | 15 |
| **Adobe Substance 3D Painter** | 7.6/10 | 68 |
| **Maya** | N/A | N/A |

#### Design

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Brush Variety** | 9.6 (13 reviews) | 8.8 (62 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Color** | 9.5 (13 reviews) | 9.1 (61 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Effects** | 7.1 (12 reviews) | 8.6 (61 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Detail

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Sculpt** | 9.9 (14 reviews) | 6.7 (50 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Dynamic Tessellation** | 9.4 (11 reviews) | 7.3 (55 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Texture ** | 9.0 (13 reviews) | 9.0 (66 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Unwrap** | 6.7 (12 reviews) | 7.5 (53 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **UV Mapping** | 6.7 (13 reviews) | 7.7 (52 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Logistics

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Import** | 8.3 (13 reviews) | 8.4 (57 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Integrations** | 9.0 (13 reviews) | 8.1 (59 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Export** | 8.5 (13 reviews) | 8.2 (57 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Text-to-Image** | Not enough data | 4.7 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **AI Text-to-3D** | Not enough data | 4.4 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### 3D Rendering

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **ZBrush** | N/A | N/A |
| **Adobe Substance 3D Painter** | N/A | N/A |
| **Maya** | 6.7/10 | 32 |

#### Generative AI

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Text-to-Image** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 6.7 (29 reviews) | 
| **AI Text-to-Video** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 6.4 (29 reviews) | 
| **AI Text-to-3D** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.1 (30 reviews) | 

### Animation

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **ZBrush** | N/A | N/A |
| **Adobe Substance 3D Painter** | N/A | N/A |
| **Maya** | 7.4/10 | 41 |

#### Generative AI

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Image-to-Text** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 6.9 (36 reviews) | 
| **AI Text-to-3D** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.9 (38 reviews) | 

#### Agentic AI - Animation

| Feature | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories

**Unique to ZBrush (3):** [3D Painting Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/3d-painting), [3D Modeling Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/3d-modeling), [3D Rendering Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/3d-rendering)

**Unique to Adobe Substance 3D Painter (1):** [3D Painting Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/3d-painting)

**Unique to Maya (4):** [Animation Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/animation), [3D Modeling Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/3d-modeling), [3D Rendering Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/3d-rendering), [Virtual Reality (VR) Game Engines](https://www.g2.com/categories/vr-game-engine)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | ZBrush | Adobe Substance 3D Painter | Maya | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 69.9% | 75.9% | 61.8% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 20.4% | 20.4% | 23.2% | 
| **Enterprise** | 9.7% | 3.7% | 15.1% | 

### By Industry

#### ZBrush

- **Computer Games:** 17.5%
- **Animation:** 16.5%
- **Design:** 10.7%
- **Entertainment:** 8.7%
- **Graphic Design:** 5.8%
- **Motion Pictures and Film:** 4.9%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 3.9%
- **Architecture & Planning:** 3.9%
- **Arts and Crafts:** 3.9%
- **Media Production:** 2.9%
- **Other:** 21.4%

#### Adobe Substance 3D Painter

- **Animation:** 15.7%
- **Computer Games:** 14.8%
- **Design:** 11.1%
- **Graphic Design:** 7.4%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 6.5%
- **Media Production:** 5.6%
- **Computer Software:** 4.6%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 4.6%
- **Motion Pictures and Film:** 2.8%
- **Music:** 1.9%
- **Other:** 25.0%

#### Maya

- **Animation:** 16.6%
- **Computer Games:** 13.1%
- **Design:** 6.9%
- **Motion Pictures and Film:** 6.9%
- **Entertainment:** 6.2%
- **Higher Education:** 5.0%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 4.2%
- **Architecture & Planning:** 3.1%
- **Computer Software:** 3.1%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 3.1%
- **Other:** 31.7%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to ZBrush

- [3D Coat](https://www.g2.com/products/3d-coat/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (21 reviews)
- [Blender](https://www.g2.com/products/blender/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (316 reviews)
- [3ds Max Design](https://www.g2.com/products/3ds-max-design/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (280 reviews)
- [Modo](https://www.g2.com/products/modo/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (86 reviews)
- [Adobe Dimension](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-dimension/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (72 reviews)
- [Mudbox](https://www.g2.com/products/mudbox/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (50 reviews)
- [Houdini](https://www.g2.com/products/houdini/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (35 reviews)
- [Unity](https://www.g2.com/products/unity/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (364 reviews)
- [SketchUp](https://www.g2.com/products/sketchup/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1324 reviews)
- [LightWave 3D](https://www.g2.com/products/lightwave-3d/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (29 reviews)

### Alternatives to Adobe Substance 3D Painter

- [Mudbox](https://www.g2.com/products/mudbox/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (50 reviews)
- [3D Coat](https://www.g2.com/products/3d-coat/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (21 reviews)
- [Mari](https://www.g2.com/products/mari/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (12 reviews)
- [Autodesk Media & Entertainment Collection](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-media-entertainment-collection/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (13 reviews)
- [Meshy](https://www.g2.com/products/meshy/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (2683 reviews)
- [Pacdora](https://www.g2.com/products/pacdora/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (36 reviews)
- [Ultimate Unwrap 3D](https://www.g2.com/products/ultimate-unwrap-3d/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (10 reviews)
- [3D Slash](https://www.g2.com/products/3d-slash/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (14 reviews)
- [Cheetah 3D](https://www.g2.com/products/cheetah-3d/reviews) — 3.7/5 stars (12 reviews)
- [Sculpt](https://www.g2.com/products/sculpt/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (12 reviews)

### Alternatives to Maya

- [Unity](https://www.g2.com/products/unity/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (364 reviews)
- [Blender](https://www.g2.com/products/blender/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (316 reviews)
- [Cinema 4D](https://www.g2.com/products/cinema-4d/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (136 reviews)
- [Modo](https://www.g2.com/products/modo/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (86 reviews)
- [LightWave 3D](https://www.g2.com/products/lightwave-3d/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (29 reviews)
- [KeyShot](https://www.g2.com/products/keyshot/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (181 reviews)
- [Adobe Dimension](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-dimension/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (72 reviews)
- [SketchUp](https://www.g2.com/products/sketchup/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1324 reviews)
- [Adobe After Effects](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-after-effects/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1089 reviews)
- [Substance Designer](https://www.g2.com/products/substance-designer/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (56 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### ZBrush

- Title: [Is ZBrush free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-zbrush-free) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "NO"
- Title: [What can ZBrush be used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-can-zbrush-be-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Digital sculpture and modeling to be use animation, print or games. "
- Title: [In The near futuro, Will you upgrade the rendering options and camera controls?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/in-the-near-futuro-will-you-upgrade-the-rendering-options-and-camera-controls) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "By Anonymous
Many binary operations are rippers. I invested about $320,000 then i decided to withdraw after several week but the withdrawal wasn't..."
- Title: [Is there a way to have a 3D sculpt that has been converted to an image file?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-there-a-way-to-have-a-3d-sculpt-that-has-been-converted-to-an-image-file) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Hey Shariece,

Thanks for the question.

I'm having a little bit of trouble figuring out what your question is asking, I'm going to assume this is the..."

### Adobe Substance 3D Painter

- Title: [What is the use of substance painter?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-use-of-substance-painter) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Substance painter is a tool used for texturing 3D work, for example you may have a 3D model of a table and you want it look like an actual real life table,..."
- Title: [What is Adobe Substance 3D Painter used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-adobe-substance-3d-painter-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Adobe Substance 3D Painter is a powerful software program used to paint textures and add materials directly onto 3D models in real time. Think of it like..."
- Title: [How do you make something glow in a substance painter?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-you-make-something-glow-in-a-substance-painter) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Emissive maps are what gives the "glow" effect on objects. In substance painter, you can simply create a new fill layer, and set the color of the emissive..."
- Title: [How can I get a free substance painter?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-can-i-get-a-free-substance-painter) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "It is free for current students and educators with a valid school ID and email address."

### Maya

- Title: [Is Maya free to use?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-maya-free-to-use) — 6 comments
  > **Top comment:** "NO"
- Title: [What is new in Maya?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-new-in-maya) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Its a software of Autodesk, used for 3D modelling, rendering and animation"
- Title: [What studios use Maya?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-studios-use-maya) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "MPC"
- Title: [What does Maya software do?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-does-maya-software-do) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "While it's understandable that many of us prefer to do the work ourselves, when you have more tasks or responsibilities you start to define your time..."
- Title: [laraib](https://www.g2.com/discussions/49923-laraib) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "You need assistance and support to run a successful and high-quality business, which will undoubtedly boost your sales and team performance. In these..."

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**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/zbrush-vs-adobe-substance-3d-painter-vs-maya)