Spline is a design tool that lets you model, animate, and add interactivity to 3D content entirely in the browser. Since its public launch in 2020, it has grown into a way to build “3D that moves” for websites without having to learn a full-blown 3D application. What sets it apart is that AI generation of 3D objects from text or images, physics and particles, and a 2D design surface called Hana all live on one platform. In August 2026, Spline V2 shipped with a rebuilt editor, an AI agent that operates on the scene directly, a WebGPU renderer, MCP integration, and a desktop app for macOS and Windows.
Key Features
- AI 3D generation: Generate 3D models from a text prompt such as “a wooden chair” or from a 2D image you already have. Texture generation and style transfer are available too, which cuts down the time it takes to get the first version of an asset.
- A browser-based 3D editor with real-time collaboration: Nothing to install ─ share a URL and your team can edit the same scene at once. V2 moved to a WebGPU-based renderer, enabling PBR materials, HDR lighting, screen space reflections, and similar effects.
- Interaction and animation: States and events (click, hover, scroll, and more), timeline animation, physics, particles, and even game-style controls can all be configured without writing code.
- Hana, the integrated 2D design tool: A 2D surface with an infinite canvas, auto layout, and vector editing that feels close to Figma. It includes a 3D Shape effect that turns a flat vector shape into a lit 3D object, plus in-canvas AI features such as image generation and background removal.
- Built for exporting to the web and apps: HTML/JS, React, and Next.js, plus embedding into Webflow, Framer, and Wix Studio, and exports for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin). A web runtime (
@splinetool/runtime) is published as well. - AI agent and MCP integration (V2): An in-editor agent can inspect and edit objects, materials, lighting, and events, and external AI tools such as Claude Code and Cursor can drive the editor over MCP.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly (billed monthly) | Monthly equivalent (billed annually) | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Limited personal files, unlimited viewers, watermarked web exports, library access |
| Hobby | $15 | $12 | Unlimited files, no watermark on exports, material/audio libraries |
| Pro | $30 | $25 | Unlimited folders and projects, video export, multi-scene support, iOS/Android exports |
| Max | $70 | $60 | Everything in Pro plus higher generation limits and longer video exports, 10,000 AI credits per month |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Billed annually | Team management, SSO, self-hosted exports, file version history, Team Library, priority support |
AI generation features (3D generation, texture generation, style transfer) consume a monthly pool of AI credits, and lower tiers receive an allowance as well. How many credits you actually need depends on the type and frequency of generation, so it is sensible to check your consumption pace on the free plan before moving up.
Pricing is current as of August 2026. Check the official site for the latest details.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Everything runs in the browser, so you can start working in 3D without environment setup or a steep learning curve
- Plenty of ways out: what you build can go to the web, React, Webflow, Framer, or a mobile app
- AI 3D generation speeds up the first pass, so less time goes into building rough drafts
- Real-time collaboration and share links make review cycles between designers and engineers fast
- 2D (Hana) and 3D live on the same platform, so there is less switching between tools
⚠️ Cons
- Real-time rendering in the browser can feel sluggish on devices with weaker GPUs
- The free plan limits file count and watermarks web exports, so production use generally assumes a paid plan
- Putting 3D on the web still means you have to work out payload size and rendering performance yourself
- AI-generated results are not always finished assets; shape and topology often need manual cleanup
- Photorealistic product renders and large-scale asset production are still better served by a dedicated 3D application
Comparison with Similar Services
| Criteria | Spline | Rive | Womp | Blender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Interactive 3D for the web | Interactive 2D animation | Browser-based 3D modeling | General-purpose 3D production |
| Runs on | Browser + desktop app | Browser + desktop app | Browser | Desktop |
| AI generation | 3D generation from text/images | Not a core feature | Limited | Not built in (relies on add-ons) |
| Web embedding | React, Webflow, Framer, and more | Runtimes for various platforms | Export-oriented | You wire up glTF exports yourself |
| Pricing | Free plan; paid from $15/month | Free plan available | Free plan available | Free (open source) |
Who Is It For
- Web designers who want a moving 3D hero section on a landing page or portfolio
- Builders who want to add 3D to a Webflow, Framer, or React site with minimal code
- Designers with a 2D background who find full 3D applications like Blender too heavy
- Teams that need interactive prototypes of a product or character quickly
- Solo developers who want AI to rough out 3D assets so they can spend time on the finish
Summary
Spline connects “making 3D” and “shipping that 3D to a website or app” into a single flow. AI 3D generation lowers the barrier at the entry point, and the August 2026 V2 release ─ with its agent, WebGPU renderer, and MCP integration ─ makes driving scenes directly from AI tools a realistic workflow. For photorealistic large-scale production or projects with strict rendering-performance requirements, a traditional 3D pipeline still has the edge. Start with a simple scene on the free plan, verify export and load speed on a real site, and then decide whether a paid plan is worth it.