10 Best Voxel Software
Are you new to voxel art, or are you searching for the best voxel software?
Then, we are here to help you.
The market offers various voxel software created to match one’s preferences or level of expertise, starting from beginner-friendly to advanced.
We have lined up the 10 best voxel software for you to explore.
Table of Contents
1. MagicaVoxel
This software is the most famous among the voxel software.
It gives the creators materials and effects to provide the best possible creation.
It takes a lot of courage and creativity to expose your art to the public, but this software eases the process.
The idea behind it is to provide you with the basic features like a rich color palette, brushes, editor, then the option to export as a model or as an image.
In addition, it provides you with a glass effect option, an option to create LEGO voxels, to use the mirror tool, or the coolest feature – to create water.
There is a step-by-step tutorial (written and video recorded) that leads you to the best creation.
There are two versions available for download on the GitHub page for MagicaVoxel:
- Version 0.99.6.2
- The older version 0.99.4
This free voxel editor has served the less experienced ones as well as the pros.
2. Qubicle
This is a professional software used for the creation of numerous games like Crossy Road and Shooty Skies.
This one is recommended for experienced voxel artists who need a well-designed and all-in-one software.
For that purpose, the creator of this software constructed it similar to the 2D and 3D software in order to make it easier for the users to work with something more familiar, and therefore feel more comfortable.
The tools consist of 21 different tools for drawing, selecting, and transforming voxels.
It allows you to create 16 million objects per scene and import and export the completed art in all voxel formats.
One of its cool features is the 3D print which enables you to print at home or in i.materialise.
In addition, it has a built-in Voxelizer that allows converting meshes to voxels and full texture support.
The software is more advanced but easy to use.
As a bonus, it is fun, and it allows you to create quickly as it has all the needed tools in one place.
3. Sproxel
Sproxel stands for Sprite Voxel Editor, and it is new to the market.
Due to its easy usage and toolkit availability, it has grown in popularity.
It’s beginner-friendly as it’s a little bit differently constructed to help each user create their best work despite their level of knowledge.
This software offers a rich color palette, fast and stable algorithm, and supports BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF image file formats.
Depending on its upgrades, which led to Sproxel v0.6 release, you are offered various tools and features and every released version is better than the previous one.
If you’re a beginner, you’ll adore this one.
It would make you love voxel art and prepare you for the voxel world.
It’s important to remember that this software has two primary file formats: CVS (comma-separated value) file and the enhanced PNG file. It can export OBJ and MTL files as well.
You can find all the versions for downloading on Sproxel Project.
4. VoxelShop
VoxelShop is software with an intermediate complexity.
That allows beginners and professionals to use it for creating games and any type of 3D voxel art in general.
It offers plenty of lighting modes, borders, grid, background color, mirror option, then a bounding box that allows you to draw into the 3D view and the list goes on.
The attractive thing about this software is that it supports numerous import file formats such as GIF, BINVOX, KV6, KVX, PNX, RAWVOX, QB, VXl, VOX- game, and engine files.
As for the export side, it supports multiple file formats.
The purpose behind this software is to provide an easy and fun design while keeping you interested and involved as sometimes it can be overwhelming.
For detailed information, their website VoxelShop is always available.
5. Goxel
This software is aimed for usage on mobile and desktop.
Its downloading is free which allows you to own free software with thousands of features and efficient tools.
Great, isn’t it?
As part of the software, you get:
- Unlimited scene size due to the sparse matrices internally
- Layers to separate parts of the scene into independently editable models
- Cross-platform (runs on any OS: MAC, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android)
- Many export formats (Magica Voxel, Qubicle, glTF2, obj, ply, build engine)
Following this, you are also provided with standard tools like colors, brush, size, shape, symmetry, effects, view, and so on.
Therefore, you have the freedom to work with the creation and see the best angle, what best suits it, and if anything needs to be changed.
The greatest characteristic of this software is that it’s constructed in a way to be available and simple for beginners, while also leveling-up artists.
6. Particubes
This one is a completely different software than any mentioned above.
What makes it unique is its presentation as a place to hang out, play, build, and share users’ experiences as made of cubes.
It can be avatars, worlds, vehicles, or clothes.
And the greatest feature is that is free to download, so everyone can enjoy the experience.
The users can explore different worlds built by the community, and use the simple but sophisticated tools to create, and code.
Their website offers beginners a guide to lead them through the steps to download and start creating art.
At first look, you have games created by your online friends that you can play alone or in company.
Next, as you open a blank file, you’ll see all the features such as add, delete, paint cubes, a palette, option to save and take a screenshot of your art.
In addition, you’ll get the familiar face and mirror mode, preview, and import.
Give this software a chance and you’ll love it!
7. VoxEdit
If you’re an NFT and voxel lover, this software is going to fulfill your dreams.
It is aimed at beginners as well as professionals.
It follows the modern world, which means that you can create, rig, and animate voxel-based NFTs.
The most exciting thing about it is that it gives you the freedom to sell your creation on the marketplace for $SAND (the main utility token for selling & buying NFTs).
By downloading it, you’re secured with:
- All in one software
- Incredible performance
- Availability for MAC and Windows
- Rich color palette
- Tools to fill the box/walls with voxels, paint one voxel, then define a position…
- Menu bar: flip, mirror, rotate, increase/decrease the number of voxels, crop…
- Import/export: obj, vox, vxm, vxr, dae, glTF.
You’ll be impressed by this one for sure.
8. Zoxel
Zoxel is software designed for small models (16x16x16).
In general, it is simple and easy for beginners and everyone whose focus is smaller models.
It is aimed for use on Windows and Linux.
The features are generally the same, a color palette, export in obj, import and export in QB and Sprocel’s CVS files, options to rotate, crop, and flip the model, camera translation and the list has no end.
This software offers a lot of features.
It is perfect for the creation of role-playing games, action/adventure games, and simulations.
It allows the artists to pay attention to details while owning the same features as for creating whole, bigger arts.
9. Optivox
This software is specially designed for creating cube-based models for game development.
It makes voxel art simple and fun and it’s available for Windows, MAC, and Linux.
Optivox uses advanced optimization methods.
It is organized in a similar way as the other software and it offers:
- Save and load mode
- Import vox models
- Change size, position, and direction
- Add, remove and paint voxels
- Versatile color palette
- Basic 3D tools – Box, Line, Pen, Sphere, Circle, Surface
- Light setup
- 2D-Edit modes
- Extra camera controls
- Re-do
- Internal Code cleanup
The game designing is taken to another level with this software and is worth the hype.
10. Anima Toon
This unique software is designed for 3D voxel character creation and animation.
It is precise and detail-oriented.
Beginners have found it easy to use and not intimidating at all, which is important for newbies.
The keyframes that use precise manipulators and guides allow easy control over the character.
As a plus, the timeline editor allows you to set keys and copy, paste, and duplicate.
You cannot import creations from other software which may be a minus for some creators, but the provided features and options make up for it.
You’re provided with the color palette on your right as the tools for a redo, maximizing, minimizing, etc. are on your left.
There is the option to choose when to create the model and further see it as animation.
All in all, it’s a great, worthy software if you’re into game development.
Final Thoughts
There is numerous software to choose from as technology goes forward every day.
All of them are composed to ease the work of the artists and make the beginners fall in love with the voxel art at the same time.
Most of the software is free which gives you more freedom and motivation to start creating voxel art.
Download the one that fits your preferences best and start creating art.
If this article on the best voxel software piqued your interest, then you will definitely enjoy the articles below.
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