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Modly

Free desktop app that turns a photo into a printable 3D mesh on your own GPU

Modly is a free desktop app for unlimited photo-to-3D figures on your own PC, offline. Free and open source under the MIT license, with no credits or subscriptions. You provide the GPU; optional donations go through GitHub Sponsors. Exports STL, OBJ, GLB and PLY; no account needed. Last checked 26 September 2026.

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At a glance

Price: Free and open source under the MIT license, with no credits or subscriptions. You provide the GPU; optional donations go through GitHub Sponsors.
Runs on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Exports: STL, OBJ, GLB, PLY
Multicolor: No, single color
Account: Not needed
Open source: Yes
Skill level: Some learning curve
Best for: Unlimited photo-to-3D figures on your own PC, offline
Selling prints: Depends on each model's license Modly itself is MIT, but prints fall under the license of the model you run: TripoSG's weights are MIT, while the Tencent Hunyuan 3D 2.0 community license behind Hunyuan3D 2 Mini does not apply in the EU, UK or South Korea, including use of its output there.
How we checked: Read the tool page and docs Site FAQ lists GLB, OBJ, STL and PLY export and an NVIDIA CUDA GPU; release v0.4.2 (Aug 28, 2026) ships Windows, Linux and Apple Silicon installers
Last checked: 26 September 2026

Open generator

Sources: Modly site: FAQ and downloads, Modly on GitHub (MIT), Modly extension catalog (checked 26 September 2026)

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What is Modly?

Modly is a free desktop app by Lightning Pixel that turns a photo into a 3D mesh with open-source AI models running on your own graphics card. Nothing is uploaded, there is no account and there are no credits, so you can generate as many models as your hardware allows. It removes the image background for you, shows the result in a built-in 3D viewer and exports GLB, OBJ, STL or PLY files.

The AI models come as extensions. Official ones, such as Hunyuan3D 2 Mini in three speed variants, TripoSG and a TRELLIS.2 build, install from the Models page, and community extensions install by pasting a GitHub link. The community has added many more, including Trellis Text for turning a written prompt into a model. Meshes can be smoothed and simplified inside the app, and a community PyMeshLab extension can clean and repair them before printing.

It suits makers with a capable PC who print figures, busts or props and would rather not pay for cloud credits. The site lists an NVIDIA card with CUDA as the requirement and recommends 6 GB or more of VRAM, and there is also a newer build for Apple Silicon Macs. The app was labeled beta as of September 2026, setup takes longer than a website, and AI meshes still need a check in your slicer.

What you can make

Printable figurines and characters from a single photo
Busts, props and decor objects
Textured GLB meshes for Blender or game engines
Models from a text prompt through a community extension

How to use Modly

Download the installer for Windows, Linux or Apple Silicon Mac from modly3d.app
On the Models page, install an extension such as Hunyuan3D 2 Mini and download its weights
On the Workflows tab, connect a basic Image, Generate Mesh and Add to Scene workflow
On the Generate tab, drop in a clear PNG, JPG or WebP photo and click Generate 3D Model
Check the mesh in the viewer, export it as STL and slice it

What you'll need to print it

Filament and parts that suit what you make with Modly.

Matte PLA

Resin

Siraya Tech Fast ABS-like Resin (affiliate link) Siraya Tech
Siraya Tech Blu Tough Resin (affiliate link) Siraya Tech

Multicolor PLA

Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about that

Modly pros

Unlimited generations with no account, credits or photo uploads, since everything runs on your own machine
Lets you switch between several open-source models such as Hunyuan3D 2 Mini, TripoSG and TRELLIS.2
Exports STL for your slicer, and meshes can be smoothed and simplified in the app

Modly cons

Built for NVIDIA cards with CUDA and 6 GB or more of VRAM; AMD cards are not officially supported and the Apple Silicon build is new
More setup than a website: you install a model extension, download its weights and set up a simple workflow before your first model, and the app was labeled beta as of September 2026
The license depends on the model: Hunyuan3D 2 Mini's does not apply in the EU, UK or South Korea, while TripoSG is MIT