Silo

Active

Country: United States (US)
Founded: 2003
Developer: Nevercenter
Pricing: Paid with free trial
Open source: No
Platforms: macOS, Windows

Indexes

3D Modelling

Overview

Silo is a lightweight 3D polygonal modeler and UV mapper designed for creating base meshes and UV maps. It targets artists in game development, animation, and digital sculpting, serving as a standalone tool or companion to software like Maya, Blender, Mudbox, ZBrush, Unity, and Unreal.¹²³

Key Features

UV Mapping - Tools for generating and editing UV maps for texturing.
Subdivision Surfaces - Generates smoother high-resolution meshes from base geometry that update with edits.⁵
Selection Highlighting - Highlights components on hover for intuitive selection across vertices, edges, and faces, even off-model.⁷
USD Support - Handles Pixar USD files for modern pipeline compatibility.⁴
UDIM Texturing - Supports UDIM tiles for high-resolution textures up to 8K across multiple tiles.⁴
Viewport Syncing - Synchronizes multiple viewports for rotation and zoom across perspectives.⁴
Unit Conversion - Seamless handling of different measurement units like inches and centimeters.⁴
GoZ Support - Exports to ZBrush for sculpting workflows.¹

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Silo License	Paid (one-time purchase)	Full 3D modeling and UV tools; free trial available.¹³

Platforms & Requirements

Runs on macOS and Windows; portable and lightweight with no specific minimum requirements detailed. Recent updates address multimonitor display issues on Windows. No Linux, mobile, or web support mentioned.¹⁴

Integrations & Ecosystem

Maya
Blender
Mudbox
ZBrush (GoZ)
Unity
Unreal Engine
Pixar USD
UDIM textures

Alternatives

App	Difference
Blender	Free all-in-one 3D suite with broader features beyond modeling, unlike Silo's focused lightweight design.
Maya	Full production suite with animation and rigging; Silo serves as a faster modeling companion.
3DS Max	Comprehensive Autodesk tool for complex scenes; Silo offers simpler, portable modeling.
Modo	Advanced modeler with rendering; Silo emphasizes speed and UV focus at lower cost.

Reputation

Silo is regarded as a reliable, fast pure modeler used for over two decades, praised for its intuitive workflow, lightweight nature, and seamless integration with sculpting tools and game engines.¹²³ Users appreciate recent updates like USD and UDIM support enhancing modern pipelines.⁴ Criticisms include needs for better object visibility controls in complex designs.²

Sources (7)