Maya and ZBrush both are advanced modelling, sculpting and animation software used for creating different styles of animation. They are used by individuals as well as organisations for the commercial production of animation works. They are used in designing assets for games and movies. Both come with robust sculpting, animation, texturing and visual effects features. There is always been confusion in choosing software for the work which would be best suited for them so let’s understand the key differences between these softwares.
Maya is also an animation software developed by Autodesk so it is also known as Autodesk Maya. It is not free but its trial version is available for free for a limited time period. It was initially released in 1998. It is written in different programming languages like C#, C++, Python, MEL etc.
Advantages of Maya
- It is an all in one software from modelling to animation along with visual effects.
- It is an industry-standard software which is widely used in gaming and animation organizations.
- It allows editing along with animation which makes it the best choice for animators.
- It allows a large number of plugins to enhance its capabilities.
- It allows files from different software like ZBrush, Blender etc.
Disadvantages of Maya
- It is expensive software.
- It is difficult to learn as it provides complex features and functionalities.
- It requires a high processor along with the graphic card to run this software.
ZBrush is computer software for digital sculpting and it is an advanced tool which is used in creating high-quality models. Its best feature is that it can combine 2.5 and 3D modelling and texture. Initially, it was released in 1999. It is available for Windows and Mac operating systems.
Advantages of ZBrush
- It allows sculpting with millions of polygons with very little impact on computer speed.
- It comes with automatic retopolizing features along with a manual which saves a lot of time.
- It allows material modelling like textile, stone, clay etc.
- It allows to paint and UV unwrap models easily.
Disadvantages of ZBrush
- The user interface of ZBrush is difficult to understand.
- The rendering process is slow.
Following is a table of differences between Maya and ZBrush:
|
Maya |
ZBrush |
|
| 1. | Maya can be understood as an advanced animation software which comes with advanced tools to ease the 3D animation process. | It can be understood as an advanced tool designed especially for texturing and sculpting purposes. |
| 2. | It was developed by Autodesk. | It was developed by Pixologic. |
| 3. | It is ranked on the fifth position in terms of modelling features. | It is the second-best tool for modelling. |
| 4. | It is costly software. | It is cheaper than Maya. |
| 5. | The resolution of models is lower as compared to ZBrush. | It produces high-quality models. |
| 6. | It is used for many purposes like sculpting, modelling, animation etc. | It is only used for modelling and texturing purposes. |
| 7. | It supports VFX functionalities. | It does not support VFX features. |
| 8. | It is a bit difficult to learn. | Learning this software is easy. |