What is TurboSquid? Put simply, it’s a platform that makes it easier than ever to buy or sell stock 3D assets. TurboSquid features more than a million stock assets, which are all available to download and use in your own projects at the click of a button.
Whether you already know the basics of TurboSquid and want to expand your knowledge, or you’re entirely new to our platform, we’ve written this handy guide to fill you in on everything you need to know. We’ll cover TurboSquid’s background and core missions, what you can find in our asset library, how you can start selling your own 3D creations on TurboSquid, and why you should definitely download our artist’s stock assets.
By the end of this article, you’ll understand why TurboSquid is so much more than just a cool name. So read on for a full guide to TurboSquid and how you can use it to level up your 3D art.
What is TurboSquid?
TurboSquid is the world’s best collection of professional 3D assets. Founded by a team of 3D artists in 2000, TurboSquid now has millions of active members and customers, with tens of thousands of contributing artists.
Over a million models are available to purchase and download on the marketplace, meaning you can mix and match to bring any idea you have to life. These days, our models are used by game developers, news agencies, architects, visual effects studios, advertisers, and all kinds of creatives around the world. In fact, it’s more than likely that you’ve seen TurboSquid assets hundreds of times without realizing it.
Why should I download TurboSquid stock models?
To always reach deadlines
Using 3D stock models can save you an average of 27 hours per model, as you don’t have to build your scenes from scratch. That can make all the difference under a tight deadline. You simply search for a model, you buy it, and you drop it into your project.
To enhance your creativity
Even if you’re not under a strict deadline, using stock models will give you more time to focus on the most important elements of your project. What’s more, you can modify or kitbash our assets to make them unique and ensure they fit in with your vision.
To prepare for the metaverse
Remember, it’s not just movies and games that are in need of stock assets. As we move into the metaverse era, brands around the globe will all require CG models. Downloading TurboSquid’s stock assets will help you populate your virtual experiences quickly, so you never have to start at square one.
How do I sell models on TurboSquid?
Selling your 3D assets on TurboSquid couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is quickly set up your account and upload the work you want to sell with our upload feature. You can use the product manager to make your work more marketable by adding descriptive keywords, price, and other information or files. Once you’re finished, simply click the Publish Product button, and in just a few minutes your work is online and ready to sell.
Uploading your work to the TurboSquid marketplace is free and there’s no catch, we only make money if you make money as we collect a small percentage of every sale. While exclusivity isn’t required to sell assets on TurboSquid, if you become an exclusive member, you can join our SquidGuild and earn extra royalties.
Artists will earn money on a monthly basis. Royalty payments on all assets you sell over the course of each month will be processed by the first business day of the subsequent month. Currently, there are two payment method options: PayPal or Payoneer. But if you can’t receive payment by either of these methods, you can contact our support team for help.
Want to give back to the 3D art community?
If you don’t feel the need to profit from your work, our upload feature also allows you to put products on the marketplace for free. Over 75,000 3D artists have contributed to our asset library already, so you’d be joining a vibrant and talented community of creatives, as well as giving your work a platform to be seen and used by fellow artists and companies.
What other services does TurboSquid offer?
3D Digital Asset Management – TurboSquid offers a unique digital asset management system built to help companies organize their 3D models. It makes marketing easier and helps ensure product teams always know what assets are available, and where to find them. It is fueled by the same technology powering Shutterstock Catalog; a free digital asset management tool for all of your images and videos.
StemCell – StemCell is a specification for 3D models that ensures a frictionless experience for customers and access to new markets and more income for artists. Creating a model for StemCell requires clean, unwrapped geometry and texture-based materials for both standard specular and metallic PBR workflows. This allows us to handle automated conversions to multiple DCC applications and game engines, meaning StemCell will work seamlessly between your different software.
Shutterstock Studios – Even those in need of a tailored asset but who don’t have the resources to build it themselves can find what they need on TurboSquid, thanks to Shutterstock Studios, a team of artists that can create any asset you want – including unique custom 3D models.
Ready to get started? Download your first model today!