Best Itch.io Alternative for Selling 3D Models & STL Files in 2026

Itch.io vs Proofly: at a glance

Revenue model: how much do you actually keep?

Itch.io's commission structure is more nuanced than it first appears. The platform uses an "open revenue sharing" model — creators choose what percentage of each sale to contribute back to itch.io, with 10% as the suggested default. On top of that, payment processor fees (Stripe or PayPal) take approximately 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

On a $10 STL pack on itch.io:

• — Suggested 10% to itch.io: −$1.00
• — Stripe fee (2.9% + $0.30): −$0.59
• — You receive: ~$8.41

Creators can set their itch.io revenue share to 0%, which eliminates that portion — but payment processor fees still apply to every transaction.

On Proofly, the model is different: you list your price and keep 100% of it. The buyer pays a flat $1.00 service fee on top. On a $10 model, the buyer pays $11 total — you receive $10 minus Stripe's standard processing fee (~$0.59). There is no percentage taken from your earnings, no minimum balance, and payouts go directly to your bank account via Stripe Connect.

The 3D viewer problem: buyers purchase blind on itch.io

Itch.io was built for indie video games, and its product page infrastructure reflects that. For 3D model creators, the single biggest limitation is the complete absence of an in-browser 3D viewer.

On itch.io, a buyer looking at your STL pack sees: your uploaded screenshots, your description, and a download button. They cannot inspect the mesh, check topology, verify that supports are adequate, confirm the poly count, or view the model from any angle other than what your screenshots show. They are purchasing entirely on trust.

This has two measurable consequences:

• Higher refund rate. Buyers who discover print quality issues after downloading (unsupported overhangs, non-manifold geometry, scale issues) have fewer ways to resolve disappointment — leading to disputes or refund requests.
• Lower conversion. Hesitant buyers who cannot preview the geometry directly often abandon rather than purchase.

Proofly's native WebGL viewer lets buyers orbit, zoom, and pan directly in the browser. Wireframe mode shows mesh topology. The manifold checker flags non-watertight geometry. The dimension overlay shows exact print dimensions in mm/cm/in before purchase. Buyers can also measure point-to-point distances on the model, check FPS performance, and preview animations for GLB/FBX files — all without downloading anything.

Piracy tracing: the gap itch.io cannot fill

STL and 3D print file piracy is a real and growing problem for creators. Miniature STL packs routinely appear in Discord servers, Telegram groups, and piracy forums — sometimes within hours of launch. The question every creator asks after a leak is: who shared this?

On itch.io, that question has no answer. Every buyer who downloads your file gets the same binary — byte-for-byte identical. There is no way to distinguish one buyer's download from another's. If a file leaks, you know your content was shared but you have no way to identify the source purchase, no evidence for a DMCA case against a specific person, and no leverage beyond removing the leaked links one by one.

Proofly solves this with HiddenMark™ — a steganographic watermarking system that embeds a unique, invisible fingerprint per buyer directly into the mesh geometry at download time. The modification is imperceptible to the eye, does not affect printability, and survives format conversion and basic mesh editing. When a file appears on a piracy forum:

1. Upload the leaked file to proofly.store/hiddenmark
2. The verification tool reads the embedded code and returns the buyer's purchase ID
3. You have proof: which purchase, which transaction, which account

This proof is usable in DMCA takedown notices and, where applicable, legal action. It also acts as a deterrent — buyers who know files are traceable are significantly less likely to share them.

Discoverability: itch.io is built for game discovery, not 3D models

Itch.io's category and filter system is optimized for games: genre (platformer, RPG, horror), platform (Windows, macOS, Android), and game jam status. For 3D model creators, the browsing experience is mismatched.

A buyer looking for a print-ready tabletop miniature on itch.io must:

• — Search free-text with no format filters
• — Browse without being able to filter for STL vs GLB vs FBX
• — Find no polygon count, manifold status, or print-profile metadata
• — Navigate a catalog where most products are indie games, not 3D models

Proofly's marketplace is built exclusively for 3D model buyers. Filters include file format (STL / GLB / OBJ / FBX / 3MF), polygon range, rigged status, animation status, model style (realistic / cartoon / low-poly / miniature), and price range. Every buyer on Proofly is already looking for a 3D model — the audience is pre-qualified in a way that itch.io's general creative market is not.

Format support and mesh metadata

Itch.io accepts any file as a downloadable attachment — it places no restriction on format. However, it provides zero format-aware infrastructure: no viewer, no metadata extraction, no format tags on product pages.

Payouts: PayPal minimum vs direct bank transfer

Itch.io processes payouts exclusively via PayPal. The minimum payout threshold is $30, which means newer creators or those with lower-volume months may wait weeks or months before their first withdrawal. PayPal is also unavailable or significantly restricted in certain countries — creators in affected regions cannot receive payouts at all.

Proofly uses Stripe Connect. Creators connect a Stripe account during onboarding and payouts go directly to a linked bank account in the creator's local currency. There is no minimum payout threshold — funds are transferred on Stripe's standard schedule (typically 2–7 business days depending on country). Bank transfers avoid PayPal's conversion fees for international creators and are available in substantially more countries than PayPal business payouts.

When itch.io is still the right choice

Itch.io is a genuinely strong platform for specific use cases. If your primary product is a game (even a game that includes a 3D asset pack as DLC), itch.io's community and discovery are unmatched in the indie space. Game jams, community ratings, and devlog features are built in. The "pay what you want" pricing model works particularly well for games where players want to support developers.

For creators whose primary output is 3D models — miniature STL files, print-ready props, game-ready GLB assets, VTuber models — Proofly is a better fit: dedicated discovery, a 3D viewer that converts browser visitors into paying buyers, and piracy protection that itch.io structurally cannot provide.

Dual-listing strategy: keep itch.io, add Proofly

Itch.io does not require exclusivity. You can list the same 3D models on both platforms simultaneously. The dual-listing strategy is straightforward:

• Itch.io: maintain your existing page, community followers, and game-adjacent audience.
• Proofly: capture dedicated 3D model buyers with a WebGL viewer and HiddenMark protection; earn 0% commission on every sale routed through the marketplace.

Revenue comparison on a $10 STL pack (same model, both listed):

The revenue difference is small when itch.io's share is set to 0%. The real differentiation is the viewer (converts more browsers to buyers) and HiddenMark (identifies leak sources that itch.io cannot).

5-step migration guide: add Proofly alongside itch.io

1. Create a Proofly account at proofly.store/register — no application required, no waiting period.
2. Upload your first model. Proofly accepts STL, GLB/GLTF, OBJ, FBX, 3MF, and ZIP bundles. The uploader extracts poly count, dimensions, and manifold status automatically.
3. Enable HiddenMark. Toggle HiddenMark™ on during upload. Each buyer's download will carry a unique steganographic fingerprint — invisible to end users, traceable to the exact purchase if leaked.
4. Set your price. Use the same price as your itch.io listing or adjust. The $1 buyer service fee is shown separately to buyers — your listed price is your revenue.
5. Update your itch.io bio and social links to include your Proofly store page. Existing itch.io buyers who want a tracked copy of their purchase can rebuy via Proofly for HiddenMark protection.

Frequently asked questions