Convert STL to PLY
Convert a STL file to PLY in your browser. Free, no upload, no sign-up.
Convert STL files to PLY directly in your browser. The converter parses the STL mesh, rebuilds it in memory and writes it out as PLY, keeping every triangle. 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 STL to PLY
- 1Drop your STL file
Drag a .stl file onto the box above or click to choose one.
- 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 is a STL file?
STL is the oldest and most widely supported 3D printing format. It stores nothing but a list of triangles, with no color, texture, unit or scale information. Every slicer and almost every 3D tool can read it, which is why it is still the default exchange format for printable models.
Commonly used by: 3D printer slicers (Cura, PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio), CAD export, Thingiverse / Printables
What is a PLY file?
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.
STL vs PLY
| STL | PLY | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stereolithography | Polygon File Format |
| Encoding | Text or binary | Text or binary |
| Geometry type | Triangle mesh | Triangle mesh |
| Colors | No | Yes |
| Textures | No | No |
| Materials | No | No |
| Stores units | No | No |
| Multiple objects | No | No |
| Typical use | 3D printer slicers (Cura, PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio), CAD export, Thingiverse / Printables | 3D scanners, photogrammetry (Meshroom, RealityCapture), MeshLab |