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3D-Coat vs ARCore

3D-Coat logo

3D-Coat

Software

Digital sculpting for game artists

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ARCore logo

ARCore

Software

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ARCore has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 3D-Coat split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence; ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices
  • They diverge on capability: 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, ARCore covers Motion tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3D-Coat and ARCore actually diverge.

Attributes where 3D-Coat and ARCore differ
Attribute3D-CoatARCore
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxAndroid, iOS, Web
Founded20071998

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting
  • Surface sculpting
  • Retopology
  • UV mapping
  • Texture painting
  • PBR materials
  • Smart materials
  • Baking

Only in ARCore

  • Motion tracking
  • Environmental understanding
  • Light estimation
  • Depth API
  • Android Studio
  • Ar support
  • Android support
  • Ios support

Both cover

  • Unity
  • Unreal

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting from a digital clay blocknot ARCore
  • Retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshesnot ARCore
  • UV mapping and PBR texturingnot ARCore
  • Preparing print-ready models for 3D printingnot ARCore
  • Node-based material authoring on the GPUnot ARCore

ARCore

  • VR Gamingnot 3D-Coat
  • AR Marketingnot 3D-Coat
  • Virtual Trainingnot 3D-Coat
  • 3D Visualizationnot 3D-Coat
  • Immersive Experiencesnot 3D-Coat

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3D-Coat

  • Split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence
  • Pricing is not published on the product pages
  • Licences are sold node-locked or floating, so moving a seat between machines depends on which was bought

ARCore

  • ARCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices
  • Requires integration with game engines or frameworks for most applications
  • Cloud anchors rely on internet connectivity for shared AR experiences
  • Performance varies significantly across different Android device capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

3D-Coat

$29/month
  • Amateur$99/month
    • Non-commercial use
  • Professional$379/month
    • Full commercial license
  • Floating$568/month
    • Network licensing

ARCore

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Cloud Anchors
    • Geospatial API

Which should you pick?

Choose 3D-Coat if

  • You need voxel sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want surface sculpting.
3D-Coat review

Choose ARCore if

  • You need motion tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android, iOS, Web.
  • You also want environmental understanding.
ARCore review

Questions people ask

Is 3D-Coat or ARCore better?
Neither clearly leads. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and ARCore at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3D-Coat or ARCore?
ARCore has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for 3D-Coat and Free for ARCore.
Does 3D-Coat or ARCore run on more platforms?
3D-Coat runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web.
Can I use ARCore for free?
Yes. ARCore has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month.
What is 3D-Coat best used for?
3D-Coat is most often used for voxel sculpting from a digital clay block, retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes, uv mapping and pbr texturing, preparing print-ready models for 3d printing. Of those, voxel sculpting from a digital clay block and retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes are not what ARCore is typically brought in for.
What can 3D-Coat do that ARCore cannot?
3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Surface sculpting, Retopology, UV mapping. ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Both handle Unity, Unreal.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ARCore: What platforms does ARCore support?

ARCore supports Android 7.0 (Nougat) and later on qualified Android phones. SDKs are also available for iOS, Unity, Unreal Engine, and Web (WebXR).

Source
ARCore: What are the three core capabilities of ARCore?

ARCore provides motion tracking to monitor device position, environmental understanding to detect surfaces like floors and walls, and light estimation to analyze surrounding lighting conditions.

Source
ARCore: Can developers build shared AR experiences with ARCore?

Yes, ARCore supports cloud anchors enabling multiple users to see the same virtual objects in the real world, enabling shared AR experiences.

Source
ARCore: What programming languages does ARCore support?

ARCore supports Kotlin and Java for Android, C through Android NDK, and provides APIs for Unity, Unreal Engine, iOS, and Web platforms.

Source
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