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3D-Coat vs Unity AR Foundation

3D-Coat logo

3D-Coat

Software

Digital sculpting for game artists

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unity AR Foundation logo

Unity AR Foundation

Software

Unified AR development framework for Unity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Unity AR Foundation 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; Unity AR Foundation requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
  • They diverge on capability: 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3D-Coat and Unity AR Foundation actually diverge.

Attributes where 3D-Coat and Unity AR Foundation differ
Attribute3D-CoatUnity AR Foundation
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxiOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor
Founded20072004

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 Unity AR Foundation

  • Plane detection
  • Image tracking
  • Face tracking
  • Point clouds
  • ARKit
  • ARCore
  • OpenXR
  • Magic Leap

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

Unity AR Foundation

  • 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

Unity AR Foundation

  • Requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
  • Performance varies significantly by device, with battery drain and heat generation on mobile
  • Emulators cannot accurately test AR experiences due to missing camera and sensor data
  • No WebXR support for browser-based AR experiences
  • Occlusion features show lower performance at 25-40 FPS compared to other features at 40-60 FPS
  • Limited access to latest platform-specific features compared to native ARKit or ARCore

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

Unity AR Foundation

Free
  • Included with Unity PersonalFree
    • Free for individuals and small teams with under $200K revenue/funding
    • AR Foundation package included
    • Access to all core AR features
  • Included with Unity Pro$185/month
    • Professional tier licensing
    • AR Foundation package included
    • All core AR features plus Pro-level support

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 Unity AR Foundation if

  • You need plane detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
  • You also want image tracking.
Unity AR Foundation review

Questions people ask

Is 3D-Coat or Unity AR Foundation better?
Neither clearly leads. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and Unity AR Foundation at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3D-Coat or Unity AR Foundation?
Unity AR Foundation has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for 3D-Coat and Free for Unity AR Foundation.
Does 3D-Coat or Unity AR Foundation run on more platforms?
3D-Coat runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Unity AR Foundation runs on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
Can I use Unity AR Foundation for free?
Yes. Unity AR Foundation 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 Unity AR Foundation is typically brought in for.
What can 3D-Coat do that Unity AR Foundation cannot?
3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Surface sculpting, Retopology, UV mapping. Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection, Image tracking, Face tracking, Point clouds.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unity AR Foundation: Is Unity AR Foundation free?

Yes, AR Foundation is free and included with Unity. It is a package within the Unity engine, though you need a Unity license (available free for personal use with under $200K revenue).

Source
Unity AR Foundation: What platforms does AR Foundation support?

AR Foundation supports iOS (via ARKit), Android (via ARCore), visionOS, HoloLens 2 (via OpenXR), and Meta Quest (via OpenXR). Testing in the Unity Editor is available through XR Simulation.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Do I need additional plugins to use AR Foundation?

Yes. AR Foundation is an abstraction layer and requires platform-specific plugins: ARCore XR Plugin for Android and ARKit XR Plugin for iOS. These plugins implement actual AR features using native SDKs.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Can I test AR experiences in the Unity Editor?

AR Foundation supports XR Simulation in the Editor for early testing, but accurate AR testing requires real devices because emulators cannot replicate camera and sensor data accurately.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Does AR Foundation support web-based AR?

No, AR Foundation does not support WebXR. Unity has stated there are no current plans to add WebXR support to AR Foundation. Web AR requires alternative solutions like 8th Wall.

Source
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