How Much Does a 3D Configurator Cost?
All in, the average upfront cost of an end-to-end full configurator project ranges from $15,000 to $50,000, including model creation, Sketchfab license, and custom website development. Read on for more details.
It is probably our most commonly-asked question: how much will it cost to build a 3D configurator?
The answer: it depends 😉 … but there are some details to consider that may help you estimate.
Sketchfab powers configurators – or customizers – that span from the world’s most iconic brands to small upstarts; from eCommerce to marketing to programmatic banner ads to in-person presentations tools to manufacturing design tools; from automotive to apparel to footwear to jewelry to journalism.
So, there is broad and growing use of 3D configuration, and projects range from very simple to very complex.
22 Factor uses the Sketchfab Viewer API to offer a configurator where you can easily change color and stitch type
3D Configurators are essentially custom applications powered by the Sketchfab Viewer via API. For example, the custom web app will tell the Sketchfab viewer to toggle on or off elements of a 3D model and apply different textures or colors to component parts while, perhaps, modifying camera angles to highlight key features of a product.
The process to build a 3D configurator is pretty straightforward:
Step 1: Determine the specific functionality and user flow for the configurator
Step 2: Create or optimize 3D models of the products you will make configurable
Step 3: Develop the custom application
So how can you estimate your costs? There are three main components to consider:
3D model development and/or optimization
Do you have existing 3D models that can be configured? If not, talented 3D artists, like those in the Sketchfab community, can usually build high-quality models from a few product images within hours… You can also license a royalty-free 3D asset on the Sketchfab store or reach out to one of our vetted partners.
Creating a 3D model from scratch will usually cost in the range of $50 to $1000 per asset depending upon the complexity and quality of the asset.
If you do have existing 3D assets, you’ll want to break it into component (configurable) parts and update to ensure optimal performance on the Sketchfab player.
The Sketchfab license
At its core, Sketchfab is in the business of licensing 3D visualization software. All of our paid plans outlined here include access to our Viewer API.
Web development
Custom web development costs depend heavily upon the complexity of a project. By way of example, a skilled web developer will usually charge between $50 and $250 dollars an hour, and a simple configurator like the one below would take an experienced developer roughly 25 hours.
Click and drag with your mouse or move with your finger on mobile. Use the options to change colors.
All in, the average upfront cost of a standard configurator ranges from $15,000 to $55,000 including model development, licensing, and custom website development.
