PLY to OBJ Converter

PLY is what scanners and photogrammetry pipelines write. OBJ is what modelling tools want. This is the bridge.

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Where PLY files come from, and what that implies

PLY is the native output of most 3D scanners, photogrammetry software and point-cloud tools — RealityCapture, Meshroom, Polycam, structured-light scanners. It handles per-vertex colour, which is exactly what a scanner captures and exactly what STL cannot store.

Converting to OBJ gets you into Blender, ZBrush, Maya and 3ds Max. Note that vertex colours do not survive the trip: OBJ carries colour through a separate .mtl material file and texture images, not per vertex. If the colour matters, keep the PLY alongside and bake it to a texture in your modelling tool.

Scan meshes are messy by nature

Scanned geometry arrives with holes where the scanner could not see, stray floating fragments and inconsistent normals. We merge duplicate vertices on the way through, but we deliberately do not silently reshape your scan.

If you need it watertight for printing rather than editing, run it through STL repair or convert straight to a printable mesh.

Frequently asked questions

Will vertex colours come across?
No. PLY stores colour per vertex; OBJ stores it through a material file and textures. The geometry converts exactly, but the colour does not — bake it to a texture in Blender if you need it.
Does it handle both ASCII and binary PLY?
Yes, both variants are read automatically. Binary PLY files are much smaller, which matters when you are near the 25 MB free limit.
Is this converter free?
Yes — up to 10 conversions a day and files up to 25 MB, no account needed. Larger files (up to 60 MB) and high-detail STEP output use credits ($9 for 20). Everything runs server-side on real geometry kernels, and failed jobs auto-refund.
What happens to my files?
Files are uploaded only to run your conversion and stored briefly so you can download the result. We don't share them, mine them or train on them. See our privacy policy.

Related converters

PLY → STLSTL → OBJGLB → OBJglTF → OBJ

Every converter runs the same geometry engine — see all 20 conversions.