Client-Side vs Server-Side GLB Compression: Privacy & Performance Comparison

Explore the tradeoffs between client-side and server-side GLB compression with a focus on privacy, speed, and cost.

Client-side and server-side tools differ in where the asset is processed, which device supplies the compute, and how automation or collaboration works. Teams handling proprietary assets should review model-upload requirements and each provider's current data policy.

Client-side compression

  • The model can be processed without a model-file upload.
  • There is no upload step before processing begins.
  • Device memory and browser performance set practical limits.

Server-side compression

  • Can use managed compute independent of the user's device.
  • Requires uploading models to a third party.
  • May introduce queueing or throttling.

Which should you choose?

Choose local processing when keeping the model on the device and using an interactive browser workflow are the priorities. Choose a hosted service when a documented API, shared queue, or managed compute is more important and the asset is approved for upload.

OptimizeGLB provides free client-side compression for model files, with downloads created directly in the browser. Usage analytics and voluntary feedback are separate from model processing and are described in the Privacy Policy. See the workflow comparison on the comparison page.