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3D-Coat vs ARKit

3D-Coat logo

3D-Coat

Software

Digital sculpting for game artists

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ARKit logo

ARKit

Software

Apple's framework for iOS AR development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ARKit 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; ARKit iOS-only platform, not available for Android or other operating systems
  • They diverge on capability: 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, ARKit covers World tracking.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where 3D-Coat and ARKit differ
Attribute3D-CoatARKit
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxiOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS
Founded20071976

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 ARKit

  • World tracking
  • Face tracking
  • Body tracking
  • LiDAR support
  • RealityKit
  • Reality Composer
  • SceneKit
  • Ar support

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 ARKit
  • Retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshesnot ARKit
  • UV mapping and PBR texturingnot ARKit
  • Preparing print-ready models for 3D printingnot ARKit
  • Node-based material authoring on the GPUnot ARKit

ARKit

  • 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

ARKit

  • iOS-only platform, not available for Android or other operating systems
  • Location-based AR accuracy limited to 3-5 meters, insufficient for precise applications
  • Cannot handle very fast motion capture
  • Accuracy varies with lighting conditions and surface characteristics
  • Requires iOS 11 or later and specific device hardware

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

ARKit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Documentation
    • Sample code

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 ARKit if

  • You need world tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS.
  • You also want face tracking.
ARKit review

Questions people ask

Is 3D-Coat or ARKit better?
Neither clearly leads. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and ARKit at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3D-Coat or ARKit?
ARKit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for 3D-Coat and Free for ARKit.
Does 3D-Coat or ARKit run on more platforms?
3D-Coat runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. ARKit runs on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS.
Can I use ARKit for free?
Yes. ARKit 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 ARKit is typically brought in for.
What can 3D-Coat do that ARKit cannot?
3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Surface sculpting, Retopology, UV mapping. ARKit covers World tracking, Face tracking, Body tracking, LiDAR support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ARKit: Is ARKit free to use?

Yes, ARKit is free to use. It is included in Apple's iOS SDK and requires only Xcode and a Mac to start building AR apps. There are no licensing fees or subscription costs.

Source
ARKit: What iOS devices support ARKit?

ARKit is supported on iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro models, and the latest iPad models. It requires iOS 11 or later. Apple Vision Pro also supports ARKit with enhanced capabilities through visionOS.

Source
ARKit: Can ARKit work offline?

ARKit can function offline for tracking and scene understanding since these operations run locally on the device. However, multiplayer AR features and cloud-based object detection require internet connectivity.

Source
ARKit: Does ARKit integrate with game engines?

Yes, ARKit integrates with Unity through the Unity ARKit Plugin and with Unreal Engine. Developers can also use it with Metal, SceneKit, and Apple's RealityKit framework.

Source
ARKit: What are ARKit's limitations with location-based AR?

ARKit's location-based positioning has accuracy limitations. Image-based positioning is primarily useful in urban areas, and beacon-based navigation provides accuracy of 3-5 meters, which is insufficient for precise AR applications requiring 1-meter accuracy or better.

Source
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