Compare
glTF vs OBJ
glTF packages 3D assets for web and real-time viewing, including supported materials and animation. OBJ is a broadly used mesh format focused mainly on geometry.
Which format should you choose?
Use glTF or GLB for web and real-time assets; consider OBJ for geometry exchange between a wide range of 3D tools.
Good fit for glTF
Web and app 3D delivery
- Delivering a textured, animated model to a compatible real-time viewer
Good fit for OBJ
Mesh exchange
- Moving a static mesh between 3D modeling applications
Basic information
| Field | glTF | OBJ |
|---|---|---|
| Extension | .gltf, .glb | .obj |
| MIME type | model/gltf+json, model/gltf-binary | model/obj |
| Common uses | Web and app 3D delivery | Mesh exchange |
| How to open | Open with a glTF-capable viewer and inspect geometry, materials, textures, and animation. | Open in an OBJ-capable viewer or 3D editor and check MTL and texture references. |
| Export or convert | When converting, check material appearance, texture links, animation, units, and scale. | When converting, inspect face orientation, materials, textures, units, and scale. |
Choose by use case
Delivering a textured, animated model to a compatible real-time viewer
Web and app 3D delivery
glTFMoving a static mesh between 3D modeling applications
Mesh exchange
OBJKey point 1
glTF can carry materials and animation in a delivery-oriented asset.
More on the differencesKey point 2
OBJ centers on mesh geometry; materials may use a separate MTL file.
More on the differencesMore on the differences
Check whether external MTL and texture files are included with OBJ. In either workflow, verify scale, axes, materials, and animation in the receiving tool.
- glTF is designed for web delivery.
- OBJ is a simple geometry exchange format.
- OBJ does not generally carry the same scene and animation features as glTF.
Frequently asked questions
Will an OBJ file include its materials?
Not always. Material definitions may be stored separately in MTL files, and textures may also be external.