Guide · AI3DGrab
GLB vs FBX: which 3D format should you download?
Most downloaders ask you to pick a format before you know what each one is for. The short answer: download GLB for Blender and the web, FBX for Unity and Unreal Engine, OBJ only for simple interchange, and STL or 3MF only for 3D printing. The rest of this guide explains why, so you stop re-downloading the same model.
How to choose between GLB and FBX
- 1
Start from the original, not a convert
Whatever format you finally need, download the original file from Meshy or Tripo first. Every convert after that should start from the original, not from a file you already converted once.
- 2
Pick GLB for Blender, web and PBR
GLB packs mesh, materials and PBR textures into one file. It opens natively in Blender through glTF 2.0, in most web viewers, and in many engines. If you only download one format, download GLB.
- 3
Pick FBX for Unity and Unreal Engine
FBX is the game-engine interchange format. Unity and Unreal import it most reliably, including hierarchy and materials. Convert the original GLB to FBX in your browser when your destination is a game engine.
- 4
Use OBJ, STL and 3MF only when you must
OBJ is a simple interchange format, but it drops much of the material setup. STL is surface-only for 3D printing and drops UVs by design. 3MF is the modern, colour-aware printing format. None of them is a good master file.
Format rules that save a re-export
- Master file rule: keep the original GLB. Everything else is a working copy.
- Web or Blender? GLB. Game engine? FBX. Printer? STL or 3MF.
- If a material looks wrong after convert, go back to the original and convert again, and check the texture zip.
GLB vs FBX questions
Is GLB better than FBX?+
Neither is universally better. GLB is better for Blender, the web and single-file PBR. FBX is better for Unity and Unreal Engine pipelines. Pick by destination, not by file size.
Does converting lose quality?+
Converting can change how materials and scale are stored, even when the geometry survives. That is why you should always convert from the original file, and keep that original untouched.
What about OBJ and STL?+
OBJ is fine for simple geometry exchange. STL is for printing only: it has no materials and no UVs. Neither should replace GLB or FBX as your master file.
Try it on your own model
Paste a link you can already open, preview it, then download the format you need.