ZBrush vs Blender: Which One Is Right for You?

Choosing 3D software is your first step as a digital artist. Different programs offer different features, and tend to focus on specific mediums, such as painting, animation or sculpture–you deserve the one that suits your style and goals.

Two leading options in the industry are ZBrush and Blender. As a 3D software comparison, this post examines the two across various dimensions such as features, usability and application areas to help you make an informed decision based on your specific needs.

Key Features Comparison

Both ZBrush and Blender work well for 3D modeling and 3D animation, but depending on your skill level, budget and artistic goals, one might be more ideal than the other.

ZBrush Features

As the industry leader in digital sculpting software, ZBrush provides customizable brushes for shaping, rendering, texturing and painting virtual clay. Use the powerful sculpting tools for illustration and movies with the ability to import and export as needed.

ZBrush has numerous features, from base mesh creation to detailed painting techniques, with some of the best being:

Anchor Brush: Take symmetrical or asymmetrical actions by applying anchors onto a mesh.
Gizmo/Transpose Masking: Control your transposing, manipulation and application of masks and assets.
DecoBrush: Simulate applying an alpha projection onto a surface with Stroke>>Curve Mode functionality.
Knife Brush Split to Parts: Keep sliced parts active while slicing them from existing parts.
Dragstamp: Move and change surface details in real time.
Maxon (C3D) Moises: Create incredibly unique assets with a wide range of surface details.
Repeat to Similar: Repeat changes from a source mesh onto another mesh with the same polygon count.
Morph UV: Transform a 3D mesh into a flat, 2D UV shell for sculpting and painting with ZSub, ZAdd and MRGB.

Blender Features

As a free and versatile open 3D creation suite, Blender supports modeling, rendering, rigging, simulation, compositing, Blender animation, motion tracking, game creation and video editing. The responsive development process is ideal for individuals and small studios.

Blender’s top features include:

Rigging: Transform a model into a character you can pose.
Constraints: Use static values or another object to control an object’s scale, rotation and location.
Shape Keys: Make new animation shapes by deforming objects.
Motion Paths: View animations’ motions over a series of frames.
UV Unwrapping: Add images or textures by unwrapping a 3D model surface onto a 3D plane.
Non-Linear Animation (NLA): Give independent movement to animations to make them unique.

Usability and Learning Curve

Beyond the feature differences, Blender and ZBrush cater to varied skill levels and support needs.

ZBrush Usability

ZBrush is beginner-friendly and has an intuitive user interface. New and experienced users alike can quickly learn its digital sculpting process, along with tools and shortcuts for quick production.

User guides, community forums and tech support are all available to help you learn ZBrush and how to make the most of it.

Be aware that the ZBrush camera system makes for a unique perspective view, sometimes giving a strange view of your model.

Blender Learning Curve

Blender is open-source software, so bug fixes and updates tend to be faster than with closed-source options. However, the range of tools and disciplines it uses could be intimidating to beginners.

Fortunately, you can get help from an online manual, 3D software tutorials and significant community support on forums, chats and social media.

If you’re using a device that’s more than 10 years old, prepare to deal with a bit of a lag.

Application in Industry

ZBrush and Blender are suited to specific professional settings. While ZBrush is primarily for sculpting and 3D printing, Blender was designed for animation.

Thus, ZBrush applications may be perfect for product design, from crafting jewelry to engineering planes. You might prefer Blender in game development or going 3D in film production.

You’d likely find uses for both programs in just about any creative industry, but knowing their particular strengths could make your choice easier.

Cost and Accessibility

Beyond capabilities and features, 3D software accessibility depends on cost. What’s affordable for agencies and big studios is quite different from the realities for freelance artists and small studios.

ZBrush Cost

You can pay for ZBrush with a monthly subscription or an annual fee. The licensing is dual platform, so you may use it on Windows or macOS. The pricing is tiered for individuals, teams and students.

Blender Cost

The open-source status makes Blender free. This kind of software licensing means you can use Blender commercially, personally or for research while retaining complete control of your work.

Community and Support

Both Blender and ZBrush have sizable support systems and engaged communities. Each offers manuals and guides, while also providing training and community forums. You can also look for third-party tutorials on YouTube and general 3D forums.

ZBrush Community

Because ZBrush is part of a suite of creative tools, so the support community is about more than digital sculpting. It is possible to use ZBrush-specific channels. The main community support includes:

Knowledge Base: FAQs, announcements, articles and upgrade info
User Guides: Documentation on getting started, features and tips and tricks
Cineversity Trainings: Video lessons on a range of digital art topics
Tech Support: Send requests and create help tickets
ZBrush Central: Community forum for users to share and discuss work

Blender Support

As open-source software, Blender invites users to contribute to solutions and support systems. Look around to see where you want to get involved.

Documentation: User manual available in several languages
Tutorials: Free and subscription-based videos
Community Support: Forums, chat rooms and social channels and tags
Canonical: Enterprise-grade support for professional users
Bug Reporting: Help from developers and the chance to get involved yourself
FAQ: Answers about usage, licensing and more

The Verdict

Selecting the best 3D digital art software primarily depends on the specifics of your skill, budget and goals. Choose Blender if you need the entire 3D pipeline, have some digital art experience and prefer free, open-source software. Choose ZBrush if you want to focus on sculpting, are a beginner and have money to spend.

Explore Skillshare for 3D animation classes, including Zbrush and Blender. By watching tutorials, you’ll get a feel of which is better for you while learning from experienced 3D animators.

Beginner’s Guide to Blender: Learn Blender from someone with a decade of experience.
Complete Guide to ZBrush: Learn ZBrush from a teacher with their own studio.
Blender 3D Animation: Bring your first animation to life with traditional animation skills.
Sculpt Faces in ZBrush: Create amazing characters with this beginner-friendly class.

Written By

Katie Mitchell

Katie lives in Michigan with her husband, kids and pets. She enjoys cooking, travel and live music.