Convert DAE to PLY
Convert DAE files to PLY in your browser. Free, no upload, no sign-up.
Convert DAE files to PLY directly in your browser. The converter parses the DAE mesh, rebuilds it in memory and writes it out as PLY, triangle for triangle. PLY records shape and nothing else, so the textures, materials, the unit definition and separate objects (they are merged into one mesh) in the DAE file do not come across. The DAE format also fixes its own axes and scale — Y-up, measured in metres — so the model is rotated and rescaled to land the way PLY tools expect it. Nothing is uploaded, there is no file size limit beyond your computer's memory, and the result downloads instantly. PLY preserves per-vertex colors from scans and is the native format of MeshLab and most scanning pipelines.
How to convert DAE to PLY
- 1Drop your DAE file
Drag a .dae file onto the box above or click to choose one. Geometry and node transforms are read; external textures are ignored.
- 2Check the preview
The model renders in 3D so you can confirm it loaded correctly. Dimensions, volume and triangle count are shown next to it; open edges are flagged if the mesh is not watertight.
- 3Download the PLY
Adjust the export options if needed and click download. Per-vertex colors are kept when the source has them; textures are not.
What are DAE files?
COLLADA (.dae) is an XML-based interchange format standardised by the Khronos Group in the 2000s. It was the default export of SketchUp and many older tools; today it has largely been replaced by glTF, but a lot of existing models are still distributed as .dae.
Commonly used by: SketchUp, Google Earth, older game pipelines, Blender
Geometry and node transforms are read; external textures are ignored.
What are PLY files?
PLY was designed at Stanford to store 3D scanner output. It supports per-vertex colors and arbitrary custom properties, in either ASCII or binary encoding, which is why scanning and photogrammetry software prefers it over STL.
Commonly used by: 3D scanners, photogrammetry (Meshroom, RealityCapture), MeshLab, research tools
PLY preserves per-vertex colors from scans and is the native format of MeshLab and most scanning pipelines.
DAE vs PLY
| DAE | PLY | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | COLLADA | Polygon File Format |
| Encoding | Text | Text or binary |
| Geometry type | Triangle mesh | Triangle mesh |
| Colors | Yes | Yes |
| Textures | Yes | No |
| Materials | Yes | No |
| Stores units | Yes | No |
| Multiple objects | Yes | No |
| Typical use | SketchUp, Google Earth, older game pipelines | 3D scanners, photogrammetry (Meshroom, RealityCapture), MeshLab |