Why your current platform can't protect you
Most 3D model marketplaces — including CGTrader, Cults3D, and MyMiniFactory — have no mechanism to trace a pirated file back to the buyer who leaked it. Once a download leaves the platform, there is no chain of custody. You get no fingerprint, no purchase ID in the file, no way to identify the source.
The CGTrader piracy problem
CGTrader processes thousands of purchases daily. When a model you sold there shows up on a free forum, CGTrader support will acknowledge the DMCA request — but they cannot tell you which of your buyers leaked it, because no purchase ID is embedded in the file. The platform changed its fee structure in June 2025, but built-in piracy protection remains absent. Creators are left with no forensic trail.
This isn't specific to CGTrader — it's a structural gap across the industry. The solution has to be at the file level.
Protection methods that don't work
Preview image watermarks
Easy to crop or replace. Protects the thumbnail, not the downloadable file.
Metadata tags (author, copyright fields)
Stripped instantly when anyone opens the file in Blender, Meshmixer, or any slicer and re-exports it.
Password-protected ZIPs
The buyer who purchased legitimately gets the password. Once shared, the password is public.
DRM / encrypted containers
Not supported by any slicer or 3D viewer. Files must be decrypted to be usable — the decrypted version can be freely redistributed.
What actually works: mesh watermarking
Steganographic mesh watermarking encodes data directly into the vertex geometry of the 3D model — not metadata, not a texture, not a visible mark. The code lives in the mathematical coordinates of the mesh, surviving:
- ✓Format conversion: STL → OBJ → GLB → 3MF
- ✓Re-export from Blender, Meshmixer, or any 3D editor
- ✓Slicing (the code is inside the volume, not on the surface)
- ✓Compression and partial remeshing in most cases
How HiddenMark™ works on Proofly
- At purchase time — a unique code is generated for this buyer and this transaction.
- Embedding — the code is written into the STL header and embedded as a tiny 3D text shape inside the mesh interior (signed-distance field analysis finds the thickest region, invisible on the surface and in prints).
- Delivery — the uniquely marked file is sent to the buyer. The original is never altered.
- Verification — if the file surfaces on a piracy forum, upload it to proofly.store/hiddenmark to see the buyer's username and purchase date in under a second.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use HiddenMark for models I currently sell on CGTrader?
Yes — you can upload any of your models to Proofly alongside or instead of CGTrader. Each Proofly sale automatically applies HiddenMark. Models sold elsewhere are not covered unless the buyer purchased through Proofly.
Does watermarking change the model or affect slicing?
No. The code is embedded in the interior volume of the mesh. The printable surface is unchanged, slicers ignore the interior text, and prints are indistinguishable from unmarked files.
What if the pirated file has been reformatted or converted?
HiddenMark embeds in both the STL header and the geometric interior. The header code survives most conversions via Proofly's verifier. The geometric embedding survives format conversion even when headers are stripped.
How does Proofly's revenue model compare to CGTrader?
CGTrader takes 40% from new sellers (creators earn 60% as of June 2025). Proofly takes 0% from creators — buyers pay a flat $1 (≈4 zł) service fee instead. You keep 100% of the price you set, every sale.
Protect your models automatically
HiddenMark is built into every download on Proofly. Upload, set your price, and every sale gets a uniquely watermarked copy — traceable to the buyer, no setup required. Creators keep 100%.