Source 2 Viewer vs SLADE3

Source 2 Viewer9.3Visit SLADE38.7Visit

Higher score Source 2 Viewer #2 in Game Asset Extractors 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Try Source 2 Viewer

vs

SLADE3 #7 in Game Asset Extractors 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit SLADE3

• Source 2 Viewer fits best

  Source 2 asset extraction and editing

• SLADE3 fits best

  Doom and classic archive workflows

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Side by side

Feature	Source 2 Viewer 9.3/10 Visit ↗	SLADE3 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.7
Ranking	#2 in Game Asset Extractors	#7 in Game Asset Extractors
Best for	Source 2 asset extraction and editing	Doom and classic archive workflows
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features Source 2 Viewer 3/3 · SLADE3 2/3
Batch extraction	✓	✓
Command-line support	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Archive repacking	✓	✓
Specs
Asset types	maps, models, materials, textures, sounds, particles, physics, animations, shaders, navigation meshes, closed captions, KeyValues	archives, maps, graphics, fonts, textures, audio, models, text
Game file formats	VPK, vmap, vwrld, vmdl, vmat, vtex, vpcf, vphys, vsnd, vwnod, vvis, vpk, vcs, SPIR-V, nav, bin, DMX, KeyValues	WAD, PK3/ZIP, Quake PAK, WAD2, BSP, Anachronox DAT, Dark Forces GOB/LFD, Build GRP, Blood RFF, Shadowcaster DAT/LIB, CyClones HD/CD, Amulets & Armor RES, Descent HOG, Terminal Velocity/Fury3/Hellbender POD
Model formats	glTF 2.0, GLB, vmdl, DMX	DMD, MD2, MD3, VOX, KVX
Texture formats	PNG, JPG, EXR, SVG	Doom picture, Doom flat/raw, PNG, GIF, JPEG, BMP, TGA, PCX, TIFF, Shadowcaster/CyClones, Amulets & Armor MipImage, Quake HUD/texture/sprite, Quake II WAL, Heretic II M8, Half-Life, Build ART, Wolfenstein 3D, Rise of the Triad, IMGZ, Planar
Our review
Pros	Supports broad Source 2 asset types, including maps, models, textures, and shaders Exports models, maps, physics, and animations to glTF or GLB Combines batch extraction, command-line automation, and VPK repacking	Supports WAD, PK3/ZIP, Quake, Build, and other classic formats Combines archive, graphics, texture, map, audio, and scripting tools Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux as free open-source software
Cons	The documented 3D GUI is Windows-only Linux and macOS support is provided through the command-line utility Export options vary by asset type rather than using one universal format	Model formats are identified but not fully viewed or exported The feature set is centered on classic game resource workflows Map editing is focused on Doom, Hexen, Doom 64, and UDMF
Our verdict	Source 2 Viewer is a free, open-source desktop tool for working with Source 2 game files. It is designed for modders, map creators, texture artists, 3D artists, researchers, and others who need to inspect, extract, convert, decompile, or… Read the review →	SLADE3 is a desktop editor for Doom-engine games and source ports, aimed at modders, archivists, and developers working with classic game resources. It can create, open, save, import, export, and reorder archive entries across formats… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Source 2 Viewer — where it wins

  • Supports broad Source 2 asset types, including maps, models, textures, and shaders
  • Exports models, maps, physics, and animations to glTF or GLB
  • Combines batch extraction, command-line automation, and VPK repacking

  Where it doesn't

  • The documented 3D GUI is Windows-only
  • Linux and macOS support is provided through the command-line utility
  • Export options vary by asset type rather than using one universal format

• SLADE3 — where it wins

  • Supports WAD, PK3/ZIP, Quake, Build, and other classic formats
  • Combines archive, graphics, texture, map, audio, and scripting tools
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux as free open-source software

  Where it doesn't

  • Model formats are identified but not fully viewed or exported
  • The feature set is centered on classic game resource workflows
  • Map editing is focused on Doom, Hexen, Doom 64, and UDMF

• Source 2 Viewer9.3/10 · Free plan

  A deep Source 2 asset toolkit with GUI inspection, conversion, automation, and VPK repacking.

  Try Source 2 ViewerFull verdict →
• SLADE38.7/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source toolkit for extracting, editing, converting, and repacking classic game assets.

  Visit SLADE3Full verdict →