Free 3D model libraries compared: Poly Haven, Kenney, Quaternius, Sketchfab and ours
The best free 3D model libraries in 2026, honestly compared: licences (CC0 or not), style, formats, animation and what each is best for, checked 31 October 2026.
There is a lot of good free 3D content, made by people who chose to give it away. The differences that matter are the licence, the style, the formats and whether things move. This post compares the free libraries we think are worth your time, including ours, and says plainly where ours is not the best choice.
Checked on 31 October 2026, on each library's own pages.
At a glance
| Library | Licence | Style | Formats | Moving parts | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poly Haven | CC0 | realistic | Blend, glTF, USD, FBX; textures from 1K to 8K | no | realistic props, plus HDRIs and materials |
| Kenney | CC0 | simple, stylised game art | FBX, GLB, OBJ | varies by pack | prototypes and stylised games |
| Quaternius | CC0 | stylised low-poly | FBX, Blend | animated people, animals and creatures | stylised games with characters |
| ambientCG | CC0 | realistic | PBR material sets, HDRIs, some models | no | materials and lighting |
| Sketchfab (free downloads) | per model: CC0, CC BY, CC BY-NC and others | everything | original, plus glTF, GLB and USDZ | some models | finding one specific thing |
| Sleipner | own licence (below) | realistic, true scale | GLB, glTF, FBX, USDZ, Blend, OBJ; up to three detail levels | rigged horses, carts, doors, drawers | consistent realistic sets that move |
Poly Haven
Poly Haven gives away HDRIs, textures and models under CC0: you can use them for anything, with no credit needed (licence). Models come as Blend, glTF, USD and FBX with textures from 1K up to 8K, and the project is funded mainly by Patreon and sponsors (about). It is the best free source for realistic, high-resolution props and the place to get the lighting and materials for a whole scene.
Limits: a smaller model catalogue than the big marketplaces, and static models only.
Kenney
Kenney has made thousands of free game assets, all CC0 with attribution optional (support), in clean, simple, stylised sets that match each other. The 3D packs come as FBX, GLB and OBJ. For a prototype or a stylised game, it is hard to beat: download a pack and you have a consistent world in minutes.
Limits: stylised by design, so not for realistic work.
Quaternius
Quaternius releases low-poly packs under CC0 ("all models are under the CC0 License", in its own words), with animated people, dinosaurs, fish and farm animals among them (FAQ, site). Files come as FBX and Blend. Our own draft horse's skeleton and clips are based on Quaternius's CC0 horse; we credit it even though CC0 doesn't require it.
Limits: stylised low-poly, not realistic.
ambientCG and Sketchfab
ambientCG is a CC0 library of PBR materials, HDRIs and some models: the place to get a realistic wood, plaster or fabric for your own geometry.
Sketchfab hosts a large catalogue of free downloads, each with its own licence: CC0, CC BY (credit needed), CC BY-NC (no commercial use), CC BY-ND, CC BY-SA or Standard. Every download includes converted glTF, GLB and USDZ, which is handy (help). Check the licence on every model; mixing CC BY-NC into a commercial project is the most common mistake.
Our library, honestly
The Sleipner library has 85 models in three packs: Medieval Village, Mid-Century Home and Modern Home & Products. What it does well:
- Realistic and consistent. Each pack is one style at one scale, so the models sit together in one scene.
- True scale, in metres with the base on the ground.
- Things move. Five rigged horses with eight clips each, carts whose wheels roll, an oven door that opens, a sideboard whose doors slide.
- Six formats and detail levels for every model, plus a whole-pack download.
- More on demand. If a piece is missing, make it in the same style, or change a library model's colour or material for 50 credits.
Where the CC0 libraries are better today:
- The licence. CC0 lets you do anything. Our library licence allows free use in personal and commercial projects with no credit needed, but it has three rules: don't resell or re-share the models as models, don't claim you made them, and don't train AI on them. If you need no rules at all, CC0 wins.
- No account. Poly Haven, Kenney and Quaternius need no sign-up; we ask for an email to download (viewing is open).
- Size. We publish slowly, so there are fewer models than in the bigger libraries.
- Stylised art. We are realistic only, for now.
How to choose
- Stylised game, any budget: Kenney or Quaternius.
- Realistic render, a few props: Poly Haven, plus ambientCG for materials.
- Realistic game or AR scene where models must match and move: our packs, plus the CC0 libraries for anything we don't have.
- One specific object: search Sketchfab's free downloads, check the licence, or have it made.
Questions
What does CC0 mean?
CC0 is a public-domain dedication: the creator gives up their rights as far as the law allows. You can use, change and sell the work, commercially or not, with no credit required.
Are Sleipner's free models CC0?
No. They are free to download, under our own licence. It allows commercial use with no credit, with three rules: don't resell or re-share the models as models, don't claim you made them, and don't train AI on them.
Can I use free 3D models in a commercial game?
CC0 models, yes. CC BY models, yes, with credit. CC BY-NC models, no. For ours, yes, under the three rules of our licence.
Where can I find free realistic furniture models?
Poly Haven for individual realistic pieces, and our Mid-Century Home and Modern Home packs for furniture sets at true scale.
