Our verdict: MagicaVoxel is the go-to free tool for voxel art and renders that look far better than the simple models behind them. It is fast and fun to use. It is closed source, still labeled beta after years, and updates arrive rarely.
About MagicaVoxel
MagicaVoxel is made by a single developer known as ephtracy. It is free to use for any project, including commercial ones; credit is appreciated, but selling or redistributing the program is not allowed.
You build models from colored cubes with brush, box, line and face tools, then switch to the render view, where a GPU path tracer adds realistic lighting, materials and depth of field. Models are saved in the .vox format, which is publicly documented and supported by many games and tools, including Goxel.
What it does well
- Voxel editing. Brush, box, line and face tools for drawing with colored cubes.
- Path tracing renderer. GPU rendering with realistic light, materials and depth of field.
- World editor. Arrange several voxel models into a larger scene.
- Open .vox format. A documented format read by many games, engines and tools.
- Portable. Runs from a folder without installation.
Who it is for
Good fit
Voxel artists, indie game developers and anyone making stylized 3D renders.
Look elsewhere
Users who need open-source software, an installer or regular updates.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free for commercial projects
- Beautiful built-in renderer
- Fast and lightweight
- Widely supported file format
Cons
- Closed source with releases still labeled beta
- Rare updates from a single developer
- No installer, only a zip archive
How to install MagicaVoxel
The download is a zip archive: extract it to a folder and run MagicaVoxel.exe. If it does not start, install the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime linked on the official site. A separate denoiser plugin is offered on the same page.
Questions about MagicaVoxel
Is MagicaVoxel free?
Yes. It is free to use for any project. Selling or redistributing the program is not allowed.
Can I use MagicaVoxel models in games?
Yes. The .vox format is documented, and models can be exported for game engines.
