COLLADA (DAE) is the older Khronos XML standard for 3D exchange, glTF is its modern successor. glTF is more compact, faster, and better supported on the web.
| Criteria | COLLADA | glTF |
|---|---|---|
| Web 3D | ✗ | ✓ |
| File size | Large (XML) | Compact (binary) |
| Load speed | ✗ | ✓ |
| Software support | Mature | Growing |
| AR/VR | ✗ | ✓ |
For legacy software compatibility, SketchUp, complex scenes.
For web 3D, Three.js, AR/VR, mobile applications.