Best Texel Alternatives in 2026
The top Texel alternatives are InstaMAT, Mixos Paint and Mari: 15 3D texturing software our editors would look at instead of Texel, in our ranking order.
Texel: A free, collaborative web studio covering painting, procedural materials, baking, and exports. Where it falls short: invite-only early access limits immediate availability.
Switching from Texel? For most 3d texturing software buyers the best Texel alternative is InstaMAT, built for professional texture artists and technical teams. On a budget, Trumble starts at $5/mo. Mari offers the most maximum texture resolution (32768 px).
Why People Look for a Texel Alternative
- Invite-only Early Access limits immediate availability
- Web and API access do not include a desktop application
- Paid plans have not launched yet
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallInstaMAT9.4
Professional texture artists and technical teams
Visit InstaMAT - Lowest priceTrumble8.2
Paid plans from $5/mo
Visit Trumble - Best free optionInstaMAT9.4
Has a free plan
Visit InstaMAT - Most maximum texture resolutionMari9.1
32768 px
Visit Mari
All 15 Texel Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forProfessional texture artists and technical teams
- Better than Texel:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.8
A cross-platform toolkit for procedural materials, texture painting, baking, and pipeline automation.
- Texture baking
- 3D texture painting
- Procedural materials
9.4/10★★★★★Visit InstaMAT -
Best forCross-platform PBR painting teams
- Better than Texel:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.8
A broad, cross-platform PBR texturing workspace with a capable free tier and paid 4K export.
- Texture baking
- 3D texture painting
- Procedural materials
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Mixos Paint -
Best forVFX studios needing advanced UDIM workflows
- Better than Texel:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.8
A deep texturing tool for VFX teams that need UDIM scale and procedural control.
- Texture baking
- 3D texture painting
- Procedural materials
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Foundry -
Best forBudget-conscious artists needing broad platform coverage
- Better than Texel:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.8
A broad, low-cost 3D texturing tool with desktop, mobile, and neural texture workflows.
- Texture baking
- 3D texture painting
- Procedural materials
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit ArmorPaint -
Best forArtists prioritizing high-resolution painting
A focused texture-painting tool with broad channel control and 24K export.
- 3D texture painting
- Procedural materials
- PBR workflow
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Wafer -
Best forFree procedural materials for game engines
A free node-based material tool for procedural PBR work across major game engines.
- 3D texture painting
- Procedural materials
- Node-based authoring
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Material Maker -
Best forLow-cost general-purpose PBR texturing
A low-cost general-purpose texturing suite with direct PBR painting and engine-ready exports.
- Texture baking
- 3D texture painting
- PBR workflow
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Trumble -
Best forFree procedural texturing on desktop
A free cross-platform texturing tool with painting, procedural nodes, and PBR generation.
- 3D texture painting
- Procedural materials
- Node-based authoring
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit LigidPainter -
Best forProcedural material artists and automation workflows
A free procedural PBR authoring tool for graph-based material workflows and automation.
- Texture baking
- Procedural materials
- Node-based authoring
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Surface Labs -
Best forOpen-source procedural material and baking work
A free procedural texturing toolkit for artists who value graphs, baking, and exports.
- Texture baking
- Procedural materials
- Node-based authoring
7.7/10★★★★☆Try VFX Texture Lab -
Best forSimple open-source web material authoring
A focused, open-source web and Windows tool for procedural PBR material creation.
- Texture baking
- Procedural materials
- Node-based authoring
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forStandalone mesh-painting and UV-repair workflows
A focused mesh-painting tool with UV repair, baking, and perpetual licensing.
- Texture baking
- 3D texture painting
- PBR workflow
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit MechaPaint -
Best forAffordable Windows map-generation workflows
An affordable Windows tool for PBR map generation, geometry baking, and scripted workflows.
- Texture baking
- Node-based authoring
- PBR workflow
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit ShaderMap -
Best forPhotograph-based material creation
A focused Windows tool for turning photographs into editable PBR materials.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit PixPlant -
Best forArtists needing texturing plus high-end rendering
A focused 3D texturing tool that also covers baking, rendering, animation, and web export.
7.2/10★★★★☆Try Marmoset Toolbag
Texel Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Texel?
InstaMAT: #1 in our 3D Texturing Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A cross-platform toolkit for procedural materials, texture painting, baking, and pipeline automation.
Is there a free alternative to Texel?
Yes. InstaMAT, Mixos Paint, Mari, Wafer and Material Maker have a free plan or a free tier (12 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Texel?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Trumble starts lowest, at $5/mo.
Why do people look for Texel alternatives?
Invite-only Early Access limits immediate availability; Web and API access do not include a desktop application; Paid plans have not launched yet.
Which Texel alternative has the most maximum texture resolution?
Mari, with 32768 px.
How do I switch from Texel?
Export your data from Texel (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Texel.
How to Switch from Texel
- Export your data from Texel (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Texel.
Texel vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | 3D texture painting | Procedural materials | Texture baking | PBR workflow | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Texel | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 |
| 1 | InstaMAT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Mixos Paint | Yes | $8.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 3 | Mari | Yes | $689/user/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.1 |
| 4 | ArmorPaint | No | $19 one-time | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 |
| 5 | Wafer | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 8.4 | |
| 6 | Material Maker | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | |
| 7 | Trumble | Yes | $5/mo | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 8.2 |
| 8 | LigidPainter | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 | |
| 9 | Surface Labs | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.8 | |
| 10 | VFX Texture Lab | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.7 | |
| 11 | Forge Material Studio | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.6 | |
| 12 | MechaPaint | Yes | $79 one-time | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 7.5 |
| 13 | ShaderMap | Yes | $19 one-time | No | Yes | Yes | 7.4 | |
| 14 | PixPlant | No | 7.3 | |||||
| 15 | Marmoset Toolbag | No | 7.2 |
Head-to-Head
- Texel vs InstaMAT
- Texel vs Mixos Paint
- Texel vs Mari
- Texel vs ArmorPaint
- Texel vs Wafer
- Texel vs Material Maker
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update