A custom HTML element (<model-viewer>) designed for simple 3D model display and AR.

An online platform for 3D design and animation, with direct export options for web integration.

Focuses on ease of use, optimized loading (lazy loading, poster), and performance for web display.

Focuses on creating optimized interactive experiences specifically for the web, with tools to analyze and improve performance.

Used by adding the `<model-viewer>` tag to an HTML page and configuring via attributes.

Primarily a visual design tool where scenes and interactions are built using a graphical interface. Logic is handled through an event/state system.

Consumes glTF files, which can be exported from Unity.

Exports glTF/USDZ which can be imported into Unity, but there is no direct integration or specific workflow.

Consumes glTF files, which can be exported from Blender.

Can import formats like glTF (often exported from Blender) and export glTF, but no direct integration.

Provides built-in features for model display, camera controls, and AR placement, but not for broader interactivity.

Visual design tool with built-in interactive components for common behaviors like drag, hover, click interactions.

Allows for JavaScript event handling and basic property manipulation via API, but not for extending core functionality.

Visual event system allows for creating interactive behaviors without coding. Limited JavaScript API for exported scenes.

Supports PBR materials, environment maps, and basic lighting/shadow options, but no control over per-object shadows, reflection probes, lightmaps or other advanced rendering features.

Supports PBR materials through a layer-based system, lighting (directional, spot, point), shadows, and post-processing effects.

Internal structure, not exposed as an ECS.

Features a 'Component' system allowing reuse of objects and their properties, aiding in creating design systems within Spline, but differs from traditional ECS architectures.

Not designed for networked experiences.

Supports real-time collaboration within the editor but does not provide features for runtime networking or multiplayer experiences in exported applications.

Can play animations embedded in glTF but has no built-in sequencing system.

Includes timeline-based animation system for keyframe animation and sequencing.

Can play animations embedded within the loaded glTF model.

Supports keyframe animation, state-based transitions, and interactive events to trigger animations.

Supports materials in the glTF, including basic animation defined in the model, but no dynamic material creation or animation.

Supports material animation through the timeline system and visual animation tools.

Does not have built-in audio features.

Supports adding sounds to scenes, including positional audio and background music.

Does not directly support video textures.

Supports using videos as textures on 3D models.

Focuses on model display, does not include physics.

Includes built-in physics simulation capabilities for creating dynamic interactions.

Designed specifically for loading and displaying glTF 2.0 models.

Can import and export models in glTF format for interoperability with other tools.

Provides basic interaction controls (orbit, pan, zoom) and hotspots. Customization primarily via HTML/CSS/JS API.

UI elements are typically created using 3D text and objects within the scene itself; no dedicated 2D canvas UI system.

It is fundamentally a web component.

Exports can be embedded using iframe or Javascript code snippets, including a React component export and a generic web component ('spline-viewer') for better performance with multiple embeds. The authoring tool itself is not web component based.

Can be included in Progressive Web Apps but provides no specific PWA features itself.

Spline exports can be included within a PWA, but Spline itself doesn't provide specific features for PWA development.

Designed specifically for seamless integration into standard HTML pages.

Designed to be easily embedded into HTML pages using generated code snippets (iframe or JavaScript).

Requires only static hosting for the component and model files.

Exports are self-contained web packages deployable on static servers. Spline also offers hosting for public URL embeds.

Requires external hosting for the glTF/GLB model files.

Spline hosts scenes shared via Public URLs. Exported code/files can be self-hosted.

Requires external hosting for the HTML page and model files.

Scenes can be hosted directly on Spline's servers.

Relatively lightweight as it bundles a subset of three.js.

Exports include the Spline runtime, which can increase the initial download size compared to solutions using shared runtimes or minimal frameworks. Size depends on scene complexity and export settings.

Implements strategies like lazy loading and posters for optimized loading experience.

Loading times depend heavily on scene complexity, polygon count, texture sizes, and the included runtime. Optimization tools are provided, but complex scenes can experience noticeable load times.

Offers good performance for its primary use case of displaying and interacting with single models.

Performance is generally good for well-optimized scenes but can degrade with high polygon counts, complex materials, numerous objects, or intensive interactions, especially on lower-end devices.

Handles progressive loading and encourages use of optimized formats like Draco and Basis Universal textures.

Provides tools like polygon reduction guidance, material asset reuse, geometry compression on export, and image quality controls, but lacks explicit support for advanced texture compression formats like Basis Universal or Draco geometry compression visibility.

Relies on optimization being done in the source glTF file; no dynamic LOD system.

Focuses on optimization but does not have a dynamic LOD system.

Supports viewing models in VR via WebXR, without interactivity.

Does not directly export WebVR experiences. Requires exporting models (e.g., glTF) and using a VR-capable framework.

Provides an AR button for viewing models in AR on compatible Android devices (via WebXR), without interactivity.

Does not directly export WebAR experiences. Exports USDZ for AR Quick Look on iOS, but full WebAR requires external frameworks.

Provides an AR button for viewing static models in AR on iOS using Apple's AR Quick Look.

USDZ files compatible with AR Quick Look on iOS can be exported from the web app. Also provides native Swift embeds for iOS apps.

Provides an AR button for viewing static models in AR on iOS using Apple's AR Quick Look.

USDZ files compatible with AR Quick Look on iOS can be exported from the web app. Also provides native Swift embeds for iOS apps.

Supports World Tracking via WebXR (Android) and surface placement via AR Quick Look (iOS).

Primarily through USDZ export for object placement in AR Quick Look.

Support primarily through GitHub issues and community channels.

Official support channels are typically available for paid subscribers, while community support is available for all users via Discord.

Excellent documentation site serves as the primary learning resource.

Offers official documentation, tutorials (text and video), a library of templates/examples, and an active community forum/Discord server.

Available under the Apache License 2.0.

Spline is a proprietary tool with free and paid subscription tiers offering different feature sets and usage limits.