Meshy vs Spline — a model, or a place to show it

The short version

• You need 3D assets for a game or AR → Meshy (generate from text or an image)
• You need moving 3D on a website → Spline (build the scene and embed it)
• Both → generate in Meshy, bring it into Spline

1. Pricing

Note that Spline's free plan includes no AI credits. Free covers 3D editing and watermarked export; AI generation of models and textures starts on the paid tiers. Starting free specifically to try the AI will disappoint.

2. Meshy — producing the asset

Meshy generates a textured mesh from a text description or a single image. It suits game props, AR objects and prototype material.

What comes out is not necessarily production quality. Polygon reduction, UV work and retopology are often required. Treat it as 'a base in a few minutes' — measured against modelling from scratch, that is still a large saving.

3. Spline — producing the place

Spline is a browser-based 3D editor whose scenes embed into web pages: objects that react to the cursor, product models that rotate on scroll.

It has AI generation for models and textures and an agent, but the centre of its value is that what you build runs on the web, with documented paths for embedding as React or Vue components.

Load time is the constant problem with 3D on the web. Heavy meshes and high-resolution textures slow the page down. On any site that watches Core Web Vitals, plan to place 3D below the fold or lazy-load it.

4. Using them together

Export from Meshy in a common format such as glTF and import into Spline to build the scene. The step in between is reducing polygon count — Meshy output is heavier than the web wants.

If the 3D already exists — CAD data for a product, say — Meshy is unnecessary and Spline alone will do. Generation is only needed when the asset does not exist.

Frequently asked questions