i23d API vs Tripo: Image-to-3D Model API

A production image-to-3D API that converts any product photo or object image into a textured 3D model — GLB and OBJ — in approximately 45 seconds. One POST call. $0.01 per model, half the price of Meshy. Comparing i23d API options? PixelAPI gives you transparent per-model pricing with 500 free credits and no credit card required.

Quick start — one API call, one 3D model

Sign up, grab your key, and POST a product photo. The endpoint returns the completed output_url and files object directly — no polling loop needed on your side. Generation takes roughly 45 seconds; the request blocks until the model is ready.

# Generate a 3D model from an image (synchronous — waits ~45s)
curl -X POST https://api.pixelapi.dev/v1/3d/generate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -F "format=all" \
  -F "texture_size=1024"

# Response (200 OK, ~45s later):
# {
#   "id": "uuid",
#   "status": "completed",
#   "output_url": "https://cdn.pixelapi.dev/...",
#   "files": {
#     "glb": "https://cdn.pixelapi.dev/....glb",
#     "obj": "https://cdn.pixelapi.dev/....obj"
#   },
#   "credits_used": 10,
#   "generation_time": 42.3
# }

pip install pixelapi
---
from pixelapi import PixelAPI

client = PixelAPI(api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")
result = client.image_to_3d(
    image="product.jpg",
    format="all",        # glb, obj, or all
    texture_size=1024    # 512, 1024, or 2048
)
print(result.files["glb"])   # CDN URL to .glb file
print(result.files["obj"])   # CDN URL to .obj file
result.download("product.glb")

npm install pixelapi
---
import { PixelAPI } from "pixelapi";

const client = new PixelAPI({ apiKey: process.env.PIXELAPI_KEY });
const result = await client.imageTo3d({
  image: "./product.jpg",
  format: "all",
  textureSize: 1024,
});
console.log(result.files.glb); // CDN URL to .glb
await result.download("product.glb");

composer require pixelapi/pixelapi
---
<?php
use PixelAPI\Client;

$client = new Client(getenv("PIXELAPI_KEY"));
$result = $client->imageTo3d([
    "image"        => "product.jpg",
    "format"       => "all",
    "texture_size" => 1024,
]);
file_put_contents("product.glb", $result->downloadGlb());
echo $result->files["glb"]; // CDN URL

gem install pixelapi
---
require "pixelapi"

client = PixelAPI::Client.new(api_key: ENV["PIXELAPI_KEY"])
result = client.image_to_3d(
  image: "product.jpg",
  format: "all",
  texture_size: 1024
)
puts result.files["glb"]
File.binwrite("product.glb", result.download_glb)

go get github.com/pixelapi/pixelapi-go
---
import "github.com/pixelapi/pixelapi-go"

client := pixelapi.New("YOUR_API_KEY")
result, err := client.ImageTo3D(&pixelapi.ThreeDRequest{
    Image:       "product.jpg",
    Format:      "all",
    TextureSize: 1024,
})
if err != nil { panic(err) }
fmt.Println(result.Files["glb"]) // CDN URL

Pricing comparison — i23d API vs Tripo, Meshy, CSM, Rodin

Per Om's pricing rule, PixelAPI's per-model cost is set at exactly half the cheapest verified competitor price. Meshy's API is the publicly audited floor at $0.020/model — so PixelAPI is $0.010. For rivals whose per-API prices are not publicly listed, see their pricing pages directly.

Meshy pricing verified from meshy.ai public pricing page, May 2026. PixelAPI's per-model price is set at exactly half the cheapest verified rival per our pricing principle. Rivals without publicly-listed API prices are linked to their own pricing pages.

What you get back

A single POST to /v1/3d/generate returns all of the following — no second request needed:

Common workflows

The image-to-3D API is the foundation for these production workflows. Each links to a full setup guide:

More use-case guides: all industries →

Integrations & SDKs

Comparison vs alternatives

Rate limits & error handling

Free tier: 10 concurrent 3D jobs at once. Paid tiers: up to 60 concurrent jobs. Because each generation runs for ~45 seconds, you rarely hit concurrency limits in practice. Exceeding limits returns HTTP 429 with a Retry-After header.

If a generation fails (malformed input, server error), the API returns HTTP 500 with an error message and credits are automatically refunded. If the job times out after 5 minutes, you receive HTTP 504 and credits are also refunded — you never pay for a failed result.

# Python SDK with auto-retry on 429
from pixelapi import PixelAPI
client = PixelAPI(api_key="...", max_retries=3)
result = client.image_to_3d(image="product.jpg")  # auto-retries on 429

# Check job status independently (if you stored the job ID)
# GET https://api.pixelapi.dev/v1/3d/status/{job_id}
import requests
status = requests.get(
    "https://api.pixelapi.dev/v1/3d/status/YOUR_JOB_ID",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"}
).json()
print(status["status"])  # queued | completed | failed

Frequently asked questions