Meshy: our review
Meshy generates a textured 3D model from text, an image or a sketch, then exports it in several standard video game and augmented reality formats. Rights over the model and the fate of uploaded files change radically between the free tier and the paid tiers.
What we take away from it
What counts in its favor
- Multi-format export from the Pro tier at $20/month: FBX, OBJ, GLB, STL, USDZ and Blend cover video games, 3D printing and augmented reality without switching tools.
- On the paid tiers (Pro, Studio, Enterprise), you stay the owner of the generated model, with full resale and commercial-use rights.
- Only the Enterprise tier lets you contractually negotiate an exclusion from training on uploaded files.
What counts against it
- On every tier except Enterprise, Meshy trains its models on uploaded files and generated models by default (section 2.9 of the terms of use): no box to uncheck, only an Enterprise contract lets you avoid it.
- On the free tier, Meshy owns the generated model; the user only gets a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, which allows anyone else to reuse the same file as long as they credit Meshy.
- None of the exported formats is a native computer-aided design format (STEP, IGES): a part meant for an engineering department will need to be redone in real CAD software regardless.
A solid choice for quickly producing a 3D model for video games, printing or a product visual, provided you stay on a paid tier and never upload a design covered by a trade secret without checking the Enterprise contract.
The facts
- First paid tier
- $20/month — Pro
- Data hosting
- Data in the United States · source
- Categories
- 3D modeling
- Data verified on
- 30 July 2026
What happens to your data
- Is your data used to train their models?
- Yes, according to the publisher
- Subprocessors
- The privacy policy mentions sharing technical data (clicks, device information) with analytics providers like Google Analytics, without listing a subprocessor dedicated to AI processing of 3D files.
- Retention
- For non-Enterprise accounts using the API, generated output is deleted three days after creation; on the web interface side, Meshy applies storage limits with notice. Enterprise accounts choose a retention period, from 1 to 30 days, or unlimited.
Meshy in detail
Meshy turns a text description, an image or a sketch into a textured 3D model, ready to drop into a game engine, an augmented-reality scene or a 3D-printing queue. The process runs in three steps visible on screen: geometry generation, texture application, then export. For a team producing lots of small objects — game props, e-commerce product sheets, sets — it's a real time saver on the first draft.
What Meshy does with your files
The point to check before any upload: clause 2.9 of Meshy's terms of use lets the company use input files (image, text) and generated models to train, validate and improve its services — and this applies to every account, free and paid alike, except the Enterprise tier, the only one able to negotiate an exclusion by contract. A prototype photo or an unpublished part sketch, uploaded on a Pro or Studio account, therefore feeds Meshy's next model by default.
Who owns the generated model
Here again, the tier changes everything. On the free tier, Meshy stays the owner of the model: the user only gets a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licence, which lets anyone else pick up an identical or similar result, as long as they credit Meshy. From the Pro tier onward, the user becomes the owner of their creations, with a full right to sell and use them commercially — Meshy only keeps a non-exclusive licence on the content, notably for the training mentioned above.
Export formats, and their real limit
Paid tiers export in FBX, OBJ, GLB, STL, USDZ and Blend — enough to cover Unity, Unreal, 3D printing and augmented reality without switching tools. What's missing, though, is any parametric computer-aided design format (STEP, IGES): Meshy produces a mesh, not CAD geometry. A mechanical part meant for a design office, in manufacturing especially, will need to go through standard CAD software anyway; Meshy serves visuals and rapid prototyping, not industrial production.
Our take
For a game studio or an e-commerce team that wants a textured 3D model fast, with no modelling skills, Meshy does the job at a pace no outside provider can match at this price — as long as you stay on a paid tier. For a company handling photos or drawings covered by trade secrets, caution is in order: without an Enterprise contract, those files feed the next model's training by default. Our applied AI training covers this kind of trade-off before a team uploads its first files. Our selection of 3D modelling tools rounds out the comparison, and the free tools page lists the tiers with no credit card required, Meshy included.
Who it's for, and who it isn't
Suited for
- Video game studios or e-commerce teams that want a textured 3D model fast, with no hand-drawn mesh
- Freelancers or small organizations who accept the Pro tier's regulated commercial use and have no strong confidentiality constraint
Not a fit
- Engineering departments or manufacturers that need a file usable directly in parametric CAD software: Meshy only produces meshes, not CAD geometry
- Companies uploading photos or designs covered by a trade secret without subscribing to the Enterprise tier: the default contract lets Meshy use them to train its models
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use a model generated on the free tier commercially?
- Yes, under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license with attribution — but Meshy stays the owner of the file, and nothing stops a competitor from grabbing a similar result under the same license. For exclusive use, you need a paid tier.
- Does Meshy train its models on my uploaded files?
- Yes, by default, on every tier except Enterprise: clause 2.9 of the terms of use explicitly allows Meshy to use inputs and outputs to train, validate and improve its services, unless otherwise agreed in a negotiated Enterprise contract.
- Can I export a Meshy model to industrial CAD software?
- Not directly: Meshy exports meshes (FBX, OBJ, GLB, STL, USDZ, Blend) designed for video games, 3D printing or augmented reality, not parametric STEP or IGES geometry usable by an engineering department.
- How much does Meshy cost for a small team?
- The Pro tier is $20 a month (1,000 credits), the Studio tier $60 a month. Enterprise, the only tier that lets you exclude training on uploaded files, is negotiated on quote.
- What's the difference between the free tier and the paid tiers?
- A difference in ownership, not just quota: on the free tier, Meshy owns the generated model and grants you a CC BY 4.0 license; on the paid tiers, you stay the owner of your creations, with full resale and commercial-use rights.
Alternatives to Meshy
3D modeling
Tripo 3D
Generates a textured 3D model from text or an image, ready to export.
3D modeling
Hyper3D Rodin
Generates detailed 3D models from multiple images or text, with high-definition textures.
3D modeling
Sloyd
Generates game-ready 3D models from text or image, with automatic rigging and animation.
3D modeling
Kaedim
Converts 2D concepts into game-ready 3D models, built for production studios.
Our sources
- Pricing gridaccessed on 30 July 2026
- Terms of Use, section 2.9 on trainingaccessed on 30 July 2026
- Privacy policyaccessed on 30 July 2026
- Privacy policy — server locationaccessed on 31 July 2026
Prices and hosting terms change often. We recheck them periodically, but the publisher's page remains the only up-to-date reference.