SuperSplat: The Free, Open-Source 3D Gaussian Splatting Editor That Runs Entirely in Your Browser

Have you ever opened a Gaussian Splatting file and thought, “This looks amazing, but it’s 700 MB and full of floating artifacts — I just want to clean it up quickly”?

That used to be a painful process. Then I discovered SuperSplat — a completely free, open-source editor that lets you inspect, edit, optimize, and export 3D Gaussian Splats without installing anything. Everything happens in the browser.

The live editor is ready right now:
https://superspl.at/editor

Just drag your .ply or .splat file in and start working.

SuperSplat Editor Interface

Why SuperSplat Became My Go-To Tool (and Probably Will Become Yours)

After testing dozens of Gaussian Splatting tools over the past two years, SuperSplat is the only one I still open every single day. Here’s why:

  1. Zero installation – Works on any device with a modern browser
  2. Real editing power – Not just viewing; you can select, delete, crop, adjust opacity, scale, colors, and more
  3. Dramatic file size reduction – Many models shrink 70-90 % while looking better than the original
  4. Fully open source & free – MIT license, no feature gates, no subscriptions
  5. Active community – Maintained by PlayCanvas and hundreds of contributors

Whether I’m cleaning up a scan from Polycam, Luma AI, or Nerfstudio, SuperSplat is always step one.

Want to Run It Locally or Modify the Code? Three Commands Is All It Takes

A lot of people ask: “The online version is great, but can I run it offline or hack on the source?”

Yes — and it’s ridiculously easy.

Requirements: Node.js 18 or newer (which you almost certainly have in 2025).

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/playcanvas/supersplat.git
cd supersplat

# 2. Install dependencies
npm install

# 3. Start the development server
npm run develop

Open http://localhost:3000 and you’re done.

The dev server watches for changes and rebuilds automatically — just refresh the browser to see your updates.

Critical Tip: Disable Caching During Development

This is the #1 gotcha for new contributors (I fell into it too).

If browser cache is enabled, your code changes won’t appear and you’ll waste hours debugging nothing.

Do this instead:

  • Chrome → DevTools → Network → check “Disable cache”
  • Safari → Cmd+Option+E or Develop → Empty Caches
  • Also go to Application → Service Workers and enable “Update on reload” + “Bypass for network”

Correct Chrome settings shown here:

Chrome service worker settings for development

Once that’s done, you have your own fully customizable SuperSplat instance.

Frequently Asked Questions (Everything I Get Asked All the Time)

Q: Will SuperSplat open any Gaussian Splatting file?
A: Pretty much everything current tools produce — .ply and .splat files from Nerfstudio, Luma AI, Polycam, Postshot, Instant-NGP, etc. I’ve thrown hundreds of models at it and never found one it couldn’t load.

Q: What’s the difference between the online editor and running it locally?
A: Feature-wise, nothing. The online version (https://superspl.at/editor) always has the latest commits. Local is perfect when you want to modify the code, work offline, or process huge files without upload limits.

Q: How much can you actually shrink files?
A: It varies, but 70-90 % reduction is common. I’ve seen an 800 MB model drop to 47 MB with higher FPS and no visible quality loss.

Q: Is it safe for commercial projects?
A: Absolutely. MIT license means you can use and modify it freely in commercial work — just keep the copyright notice.

Q: What editing features are available right now (November 2025)?
A: Plenty:

  • Select/deselect/delete Gaussians by error, position, or manual lasso
  • Crop with box or sphere
  • Remove floaters and isolated points automatically
  • Adjust opacity, scale, rotation thresholds
  • Full color grading (exposure, contrast, saturation, curves)
  • Compression levels 1-8
  • Export as .splat or .ply
  • One-click shareable links

Q: Does it work on iPad or phone?
A: Yes! Runs beautifully on iPad Pro. iPhone works too, though very large models will be slow. I often do quick clean-ups on my iPad while traveling.

How to Get Productive with SuperSplat in Under 10 Minutes (Step-by-Step)

Here’s the exact workflow I use every day:

  1. Go to https://superspl.at/editor
  2. Drag your .ply or .splat file onto the page
  3. Wait for loading (progress in top-right)
  4. Press Space or click “Edit” to enter edit mode
  5. Left-click and drag to lasso unwanted areas → press Delete
  6. Click “Remove Floaters” for automatic cleanup
  7. Use Crop tool if you only need part of the scene
  8. In the right panel, set Compression Level (5-6 is usually perfect)
  9. Hit Export → choose format → download
  10. Done.

New users are comfortable in ~10 minutes; experienced users finish a model in under two.

Final Thoughts

Among all the Gaussian Splatting tools released in the last couple of years, SuperSplat is the one that actually feels made by people who use this technology daily.

No bloat, no paywalls, no “pro” features locked away — just a fast, powerful editor that gets out of your way.

If you work with 3D Gaussian Splatting at all — whether you’re a professional VFX artist, indie developer, researcher, or hobbyist — do yourself a favor and bookmark https://superspl.at/editor today.

Try it on your next model and let me know in the comments how much you managed to shrink the file. I’m always curious to hear real-world numbers.