Mari vs Surface Labs

Mari8.7Visit Surface Labs8.3Visit

Higher score Mari #4 in Game Texture Software 8.7/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Foundry

vs

Surface Labs #6 in Game Texture Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Surface Labs

• Mari fits best

  Large-scale film and game texture production

• Surface Labs fits best

  Free procedural materials with automation

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Side by side

Feature	Mari 8.7/10 Visit ↗	Surface Labs 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.3
Ranking	#4 in Game Texture Software	#6 in Game Texture Software
Best for	Large-scale film and game texture production	Free procedural materials with automation
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$689/user/yr	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Mari 1/4 · Surface Labs 1/4
Texture baking	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Procedural materials	✓	✓
UDIM support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Game-engine export	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Primary workflow	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported platforms	windows, linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPad
Our review
Pros	Supports UDIM workflows with thousands of textures per model Combines procedural nodes, PBR ingestion, and integrated baking Offers projection, eight-channel, 2D, and Python-based texturing workflows	Free node-based authoring for procedural textures and PBR materials Headless CLI and MCP automation support repeatable workflows Exports texture maps with Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, and glTF presets
Cons	Paid plans start at $86 per license per month Current support is limited to Windows and Linux The free version is restricted to non-commercial use	Focused on procedural workflows rather than painting No verified direct integrations are listed Early-access status may not suit users seeking a mature suite
Our verdict	Mari is desktop 3D painting and texturing software for artists creating visual effects, animation, games, and other digital content. Its focus is high-resolution asset work, combining projection painting on 3D models and UVs with UDIM… Read the review →	Surface Labs is a node-based procedural texture and material authoring application for artists and developers creating PBR assets. Its workflow combines graph-based authoring, custom GLSL shader creation, 3D material preview, texture… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Mari — where it wins

  • Supports UDIM workflows with thousands of textures per model
  • Combines procedural nodes, PBR ingestion, and integrated baking
  • Offers projection, eight-channel, 2D, and Python-based texturing workflows

  Where it doesn't

  • Paid plans start at $86 per license per month
  • Current support is limited to Windows and Linux
  • The free version is restricted to non-commercial use

• Surface Labs — where it wins

  • Free node-based authoring for procedural textures and PBR materials
  • Headless CLI and MCP automation support repeatable workflows
  • Exports texture maps with Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, and glTF presets

  Where it doesn't

  • Focused on procedural workflows rather than painting
  • No verified direct integrations are listed
  • Early-access status may not suit users seeking a mature suite

• Mari8.7/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  A mature texture-production tool with deep UDIM, procedural, baking, and scripting workflows.

  Visit FoundryFull verdict →
• Surface Labs8.3/10 · Free plan

  A free procedural PBR authoring tool with strong automation and a focused workflow.

  Visit Surface LabsFull verdict →