Once you have a 3D model of a product, the first practical question is not how it looks but which file format to ship. A great model exported in the wrong format will not open on an iPhone, will lose its textures along the way, or will add tens of megabytes to your product page. This guide covers the three formats you will meet most often in e-commerce: GLB, USDZ and OBJ.
GLB: the standard for the web
GLB is the binary form of glTF 2.0, an open standard maintained by the Khronos Group. Its biggest advantage is that everything lives in one file: geometry, PBR materials (base color, metallic, roughness, normal map) and textures are packed together, so nothing goes missing in transit.
- Where it works: web browsers (through viewers such as
<model-viewer>or Three.js), Android AR through Scene Viewer, and Shopify product media. - Materials: physically based, so the object reacts to light realistically.
- Compression: supports extensions such as Draco and meshopt for geometry, plus compressed texture formats.
If you can only pick one format for your website, pick GLB.
USDZ: Apple's format for AR Quick Look
USDZ is an uncompressed zip package built on USD, the scene format created by Pixar and adopted by Apple. On iPhone and iPad a USDZ file opens directly in AR Quick Look: the shopper taps the AR button and sees the product on their own table, with no app to install.
- Where it works: Safari on iOS and iPadOS, Apple apps such as Files, Messages and Mail, and macOS.
- Materials: PBR, comparable to GLB.
- Limitation: far less common on the web outside Apple's ecosystem.
In practice a complete AR experience needs both: GLB for Android and the browser, USDZ for iPhone. Our guide to augmented reality for online stores covers the AR side in more detail.
OBJ: old, but understood everywhere
OBJ dates back to the late 1980s and almost every 3D program can open it. That makes it a handy exchange format, but it has clear limits on the web:
- Geometry is in the
.objfile, materials in a separate.mtlfile and textures in separate images. Send only the OBJ and the model arrives grey. - No modern PBR materials, only a basic color and shininess model.
- It is a text format, so files are large and there is no standard compression.
Use OBJ when you hand the model to a designer, a CAD tool or a 3D printing service that explicitly asks for it.
Quick comparison
| Criterion | GLB | USDZ | OBJ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single file | Yes | Yes (package) | No (OBJ + MTL + textures) |
| PBR materials | Yes | Yes | No |
| Web and Android | Standard | Rare | Only after conversion |
| AR on iPhone | Not directly | Yes, AR Quick Look | No |
| Compression | Draco, meshopt | Limited | None |
| Best for | Websites, Shopify, viewers | iOS AR | Exchange with other software |
Converting between formats in Blender
Blender is free and reads all three formats. The basic workflow:
- Open Blender and delete the default cube.
- Use File → Import and choose the source format (glTF 2.0, Wavefront OBJ or Universal Scene Description, depending on your version).
- Check the scale. A 30 cm product should measure about 0.3 m. glTF uses meters and AR shows objects at real size, so a wrong scale gives you a sofa the size of a matchbox.
- Switch to material preview and confirm the textures are applied.
- Use File → Export, choose glTF 2.0 and the glTF Binary (.glb) option. USD export is available in recent versions; option names change between releases, so check the documentation for your version.
If your model comes from 3DView.ai you can skip conversion entirely: GLB, USDZ and OBJ downloads are available directly.
Keeping files small
1. Texture resolution
Textures usually weigh more than geometry. For a product viewed on a phone, a 2048 × 2048 texture is normally enough; 4096 is only worth it for fine detail seen up close. Use JPEG for color maps and PNG only where you need transparency.
2. Geometry compression
GLB supports Draco and meshopt compression, which can shrink geometry considerably. Blender's glTF exporter has a Draco option, and command-line tools such as gltf-transform can apply either. After compressing, confirm that your viewer supports the extension you used.
3. Polygon count
A model for mobile does not need millions of triangles. Reducing polygons (the Decimate modifier in Blender) keeps the silhouette while fine detail stays in the normal map. Always test on an average phone, not just on a desktop workstation.
Which format, in short
- Product page and Shopify: GLB.
- AR button on iPhone: USDZ, alongside GLB.
- Sending to a designer or CAD tool: OBJ (or GLB if the tool accepts it).
Format matters, but model quality matters more. For the most faithful result, scan the real product with your phone: upload 30–80 photos or a slow video, and after 3D processing you get a textured GLB and USDZ model. If you just need a quick preview, you can generate a model with AI from a photo or a text prompt. Capture tips are in our guide to scanning products in 3D with your phone, store integration is covered in adding 3D models to Shopify and WooCommerce, and plans are listed on the pricing page.