Short answer: Hi3D is an all-in-one platform built around 3D printing: image or text to 3D, automatic part splitting, multi-color printing and a print-and-ship service. TRELLIS 2 on trellis2.com is the better pick when you want Microsoft's open TRELLIS 2 model, PBR materials in a GLB, up to 1536³ resolution, and pay-once credits that never expire. If your end goal is a multi-part, multi-color print, Hi3D's print tools are the reason to choose it.
Hi3D vs TRELLIS 2 at a glance
| Decision area | Hi3D | TRELLIS 2 on trellis2.com |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | 3D creation for printing: split to print, multi-color, print fulfillment | Image-to-3D assets for games, web, AR and printing |
| Model | Hi3D's own versions (v1.5 to v3.0) | Microsoft TRELLIS 2 (open, 4B parameters), plus Hunyuan3D, Meshy, Tripo, Hyper3D Rodin |
| Free tier | 100 lifetime credits (up to 3 v3.0 Quality or 10 v2.1 models) | No free credits on the premium generator; a free public demo runs on Hugging Face |
| Paid plans | Pro 1,000, Max 4,000, Ultra 10,000 credits per month | One-time packs from $4.9 (120 credits, never expire) or monthly from $15.9 (700 credits) |
| Cost per model | 10–130 credits depending on model version and quality | 30 / 35 / 42 credits at 512³ / 1024³ / 1536³ |
| Materials | Textured models and stylized textures | PBR in GLB: base color, roughness, metallic, opacity |
| Exports | STL, OBJ, 3MF, GLB, USDZ | GLB; free in-browser GLB→STL converter |
| Refunds | See Hi3D terms | Unused credits refundable within 7 days |
Sources: Hi3D and Hi3D pricing (read 2026-10-26; Hi3D's dollar prices are on its pricing page), Microsoft TRELLIS.2, trellis2.com pricing.
When Hi3D is the better choice
Hi3D's strength is everything that happens after the mesh exists, if the mesh is going to a printer:
- Split to Print separates a model into printable parts and adds connectors.
- Multi-color printing detects colors and matches filaments.
- Exports include 3MF and STL, with slicer support for Bambu Lab, OrcaSlicer, Elegoo, Snapmaker and Creality.
- Print fulfillment ships a printed model if you don't own a printer.
If you print figures or props in several colors, those tools save real time.
When TRELLIS 2 is the better choice
- You want the TRELLIS 2 model itself. TRELLIS 2 is Microsoft's open image-to-3D model built on O-Voxel, designed to keep open surfaces and thin parts intact, with outputs up to 1536³.
- You need PBR materials. The GLB keeps base color, roughness, metallic and opacity, ready for Blender, Unity, Unreal or a web viewer.
- You don't want a monthly plan. One-time credit packs never expire. The $4.9 Mini pack covers about four models.
- You want to compare models. Run the same image through TRELLIS 2, Hunyuan3D, Meshy, Tripo or Hyper3D Rodin from one account.
- You still want to print. Convert the GLB to STL in your browser with the free GLB to STL converter. Colors are not kept in STL.
Cost per model on trellis2.com
| Setting | Credits | With the $4.9 Mini pack | With the $15.9/month Basic plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRELLIS 2, 512³ | 30 | ≈ $1.23 | ≈ $0.68 |
| TRELLIS 2, 1024³ | 35 | ≈ $1.43 | ≈ $0.80 |
| TRELLIS 2, 1536³ | 42 | ≈ $1.72 | ≈ $0.95 |
Hi3D charges 10 to 130 credits per generation depending on the model version and quality, so compare against its live pricing page for your plan.
A fair way to compare
- Pick three images: a product shot, a character, and an object with thin parts.
- Use one subject per image on a plain background.
- Generate each on Hi3D and on the TRELLIS 2 generator at a similar quality level.
- Check silhouette, thin parts, texture fidelity and whether the mesh is watertight for printing.
- Note the credits each run used.
FAQ
Does Hi3D have a free plan? Yes. Its pricing page lists 100 lifetime credits on the Free plan.
Is there a free way to try TRELLIS 2? The homepage embeds the public Hugging Face demo. The premium generator uses credits and adds higher resolution and advanced controls.
Which is better for 3D printing? For multi-part or multi-color prints, Hi3D's print tools are more complete. For a single-color print from a TRELLIS 2 model, generate a GLB here and convert it to STL for free.
Do trellis2.com credits expire? One-time pack credits never expire. Unused credits from any purchase can be refunded within 7 days.