Meshy has a genuinely free plan not a 7-day trial, not a credit-card trap. But "free" comes with specific numbers and specific limits, and knowing them before you sign up saves you from surprises. Here's the complete, honest picture.
No payment details requested at any point on the Free plan
The free tier is a real, working slice of the product not a crippled demo. Here's what you can actually do without paying.
Type a description (up to 800 characters) and get a textured 3D model in about a minute. 20 credits per full generation mesh and texture included.
Turn a photo or sketch into a 3D model. Free users get the core single-image workflow; multi-view reference input is a paid-plan feature.
Apply PBR textures to models via prompt including models you upload yourself (.fbx, .obj, .stl, .gltf, .glb up to 50MB).
Auto-rig characters and apply animation presets without spending any credits currently free on every plan, including Free. The biggest hidden freebie.
10 model downloads per month in standard formats (.fbx, .obj, .usdz, .glb, .stl, .blend) enough to actually use your work in Blender, Unity or a slicer.
Failed generations aren't charged and cancelled tasks are refunded. Your 100 credits only go to generations that actually complete.
None of these are hidden traps but each one is the reason someone eventually upgrades. Know them going in.
| Limit | What it means in practice | Removed by |
|---|---|---|
| ~5 models/month | 100 credits ÷ 20 per generation. Re-rolls on unsatisfying results count too, so heavy iterators feel this fast. | Any paid plan (Pro: 1,000 credits) |
| Meshy 5 downloads only | You can generate with Meshy 6 the best engine but downloading those models needs a paid plan. Judge free-tier output knowing the paid tier is a step up. | Pro and above |
| 10 downloads/month | Generate more than 10 keepers and some stay in the browser until next month. | Pro: unlimited downloads |
| Public assets, CC BY 4.0 | Free creations are visible to the community and licensed openly fine for hobby work, wrong for client work needing exclusivity. | Paid plans: private, exclusively yours |
| 1 task, lowest priority | One generation at a time, and paid users' jobs go first expect slower results at busy hours. | Pro: 10 concurrent tasks, high priority |
| No top-ups, no API | Run out mid-month and you wait for the reset free accounts can't buy extra credits, and API access is paid-only. | Pro and above |
Many assume "free plan = personal use only." Meshy is more generous: free-plan assets are granted under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, and Meshy's own FAQ explicitly welcomes free users to sell their models they just ask that you credit Meshy in the description of your commercial page.
Need private, attribution-free, exclusively-owned assets? That's the single biggest reason to move to Pro on any paid plan, what you create is entirely yours.
Write specific single-subject prompts ("warrior", not "warriors"; "helmet on head" to anchor accessories). Vague prompts are the main cause of wasted 20-credit rolls.
If a generation preview is clearly going wrong, cancel it cancelled tasks are refunded, and failed tasks are never charged. Only completed generations cost credits.
All the character work after generation skeleton, walk/idle/attack presets costs 0 credits. Get one good base model, then squeeze unlimited free value from it.
Meshy's help center lists ways to earn bonus credits and earned credits are permanent, stacking on top of your monthly 100 and never expiring.
New subscribers get half off the first month 1,000 credits, unlimited Meshy 6 downloads, private assets and API for about $10. The natural next step when you hit the free ceiling. Pro explained →
Verified students get the first Pro month free, then $5.99/month for up to 12 months ~70% off. Apply with a school (.edu) email; verification takes ~3 business days. All discounts →
In select developing countries, a Starter plan with 250 credits/month appears on the pricing page a low-cost middle step between Free and Pro. Check the currency selector for your local price.
Really free a forever-free plan, not a time-limited trial. No credit card is requested, and the 100 monthly credits renew automatically on the 1st of every month at 00:00 UTC for as long as you keep the account. Paid plans exist alongside it, but nothing expires you out of Free.
About 5 complete models a month: 100 credits at 20 credits per full generation (mesh + texture). Rigging and animating those models costs nothing extra. You can generate more value from each model than the raw count suggests and earn permanent bonus credits on top via Meshy's reward methods.
Yes Meshy's FAQ explicitly welcomes it. Free-plan assets carry a CC BY 4.0 licence: commercial use and sales are allowed as long as you credit Meshy (e.g., in your product description). The trade-offs: assets are public, non-exclusive, and require that attribution. For private, attribution-free ownership, any paid plan grants full exclusive rights.
That's the free tier's sharpest limit: Meshy 6 (the newest, highest-fidelity engine) will generate for free users, but downloading those models requires a paid plan free downloads are limited to Meshy 5 models, 10 per month. One exception: models you previously generated while on a paid plan remain downloadable.
No the monthly 100 reset on the 1st of each month and unused ones vanish. Only permanent credits (earned rewards, or purchased packs on paid plans) carry over indefinitely. Practical tip: if it's the 28th and you have 60 credits left, spend them.
Not a traditional trial but two things come close: new subscribers get 50% off their first month of Pro, Premium or Ultra (about $10 for a full Pro month), and verified students get their entire first Pro month free through the Education Program. Combined with the forever-free plan, you can evaluate everything before committing to full price.
Mostly with one caveat. Five generations on your real use case will show you the workflow, speed and texturing honestly. But remember free downloads are Meshy 5: the paid tier's Meshy 6 output (the engine that won the professional blind tests) is a step up from what you're holding. Judge accordingly details in our full review.
100 credits, ~5 models, real downloads, commercial use allowed and not a card field in sight. The whole evaluation costs you nothing but curiosity.
Start Free on Meshy →