Quick verdict
Choose ThinkInsideTheBox if
Choose the other tool if
Side by side
| Feature | ThinkInsideTheBox | Shadertoy |
|---|---|---|
| Main idea | A 3D physics scene you script | Shaders written in GLSL, shared with a community |
| GLSL shaders | Vertex and fragment shaders on objects | Yes |
| Multipass buffers | No | Yes |
| Physics engine | Rapier rigid bodies, Verlet cloth | Not listed |
| JavaScript scripting | Per-frame scripts with a physics API | Not listed |
| Inputs | Live sliders in scripts (scripts don't read mouse or keyboard) | Mouse, keyboard, mic, webcam, video, music, VR headsets |
| Sharing | Scene in a link, no sign-up to open | Permanent URLs, embeds, private sharing |
| Public gallery | Curated demos only, no user publishing | Public gallery, online since 2013 |
| Learning material | 14 interactive lessons on graphics and physics | Huge library of public shaders to read |
Shadertoy details are from its Wikipedia article, checked November 2026. "Not listed" means its listed features don't include it.
Where Shadertoy is stronger
Shadertoy has been the center of real-time shader art since 2013. Its multipass buffers, audio and webcam inputs and VR support go far beyond our shader editor, and its public library is one of the best ways to learn GLSL by reading other people's work. If your project is the shader itself, start there.
Where ThinkInsideTheBox is different
Here a shader is one part of a scene. Objects have mass and collide, cloth hangs and blows in the wind, and a few lines of JavaScript can spawn bodies, push them or flip gravity every frame. You can watch a shader react as its object tumbles. See the scripting guide for what that looks like.