GLB vs FBX
Both carry meshes, PBR-style materials, textures and animation. GLB is an open Khronos standard designed for fast loading, and it is the default for the web, AR and Godot. FBX is Autodesk's proprietary format and remains the most common interchange format in Unity, Unreal and traditional animation pipelines. Choose by destination: web and real-time sharing favour GLB, studio pipelines often still expect FBX.
Side by side
| GLB | FBX | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | binary glTF | Autodesk Filmbox |
| Created by | Khronos Group | Kaydara, now Autodesk |
| Introduced | 2017 (glTF 2.0) | 1996 (as Filmbox) |
| Encoding | binary, one file | proprietary binary or ASCII |
| File size | small; textures stored compressed | medium; can embed textures |
| Materials | Yes | Yes |
| Textures | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | Yes | Yes |
| Colour | PBR materials and embedded textures | materials and textures (often referenced externally) |
| Units | metres by convention | usually centimetres |
| Best for | the web, Godot, three.js, Android AR and general sharing | Maya, 3ds Max, Unity and Unreal pipelines |
Choose GLB when
- •The model goes on a website, into AR or into Godot.
- •You want an open format with a public specification.
- •You need a compact single file with embedded textures.
Choose FBX when
- •Your studio pipeline or engine import presets are built around FBX.
- •You're moving rigs and animation between Autodesk tools.
- •A marketplace or client asks for FBX specifically.
Which apps open them
Of the 15 3D apps in our software guides, 9 open GLB without conversion and 10 open FBX. Only GLB opens directly in Shopify. Only FBX opens directly in Maya, 3ds Max.
Questions
- Is GLB better than FBX?
- Neither is better everywhere. The model goes on a website, into AR or into Godot: choose GLB. Your studio pipeline or engine import presets are built around FBX: choose FBX.
- Can I convert GLB to FBX?
- We convert FBX to GLB, but not the other way yet. Export FBX from the app that made the GLB file instead.
- Which file is smaller, GLB or FBX?
- GLB: small; textures stored compressed. FBX: medium; can embed textures. Actual size depends mostly on polygon count and texture resolution.
Written with AI assistance by the Renderlyst team in October 2026. Format support reflects each app's current release as we understand it, and we link the official documentation so you can confirm it for your version. Spotted something out of date? Email alishbakhalid766@gmail.com.