Software · head to head
8th Wall vs ARCore
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 8th Wall platform shutdown as of February 2026, with hosted services ending; ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices
- They diverge on capability: 8th Wall covers SLAM tracking, ARCore covers Motion tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 8th Wall and ARCore actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 8th Wall
- SLAM tracking
- Image targets
- Face effects
- World tracking
- Three.js
- A-Frame
- Babylon.js
- PlayCanvas
Only in ARCore
- Motion tracking
- Environmental understanding
- Light estimation
- Depth API
- Unity
- Unreal
- Android Studio
- Ar support
Both cover
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
8th Wall
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
ARCore
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Both are used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization, immersive experiences, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
8th Wall
- Platform shutdown as of February 2026, with hosted services ending
- WebAR performance limitations compared to native app AR experiences
- Requires internet connection for all AR experiences to function
- Limited browser support; Firefox and Safari do not support WebXR on desktop and mobile
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
8th Wall
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the 8th Wall review.
ARCore
Free- FreeFree
- Full SDK
- Cloud Anchors
- Geospatial API
Which should you pick?
Choose 8th Wall if
- You need slam tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web (WebXR), Mobile browsers, Open source (local deployment).
- You also want image targets.
Choose ARCore if
- You need motion tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Android, iOS, Web.
- You also want environmental understanding.
Questions people ask
- Is 8th Wall or ARCore better?
- Neither clearly leads. 8th Wall starts at Free and ARCore at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 8th Wall or ARCore?
- 8th Wall starts at Free and ARCore at Free.
- Does 8th Wall or ARCore run on more platforms?
- 8th Wall runs on Web (WebXR), Mobile browsers, Open source (local deployment). ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web.
- Can I use 8th Wall for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is 8th Wall best used for?
- 8th Wall is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization.
- What can 8th Wall do that ARCore cannot?
- 8th Wall covers SLAM tracking, Image targets, Face effects, World tracking. ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Both handle Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
8th Wall: What is 8th Wall and how does it work?
8th Wall was a WebAR platform enabling AR experiences in web browsers without native app installation. As of February 2026, it transitioned to open source at 8thwall.org with free MIT-licensed technology.
SourceARCore: 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).
Source8th Wall: Is 8th Wall still available?
The paid hosted platform shut down February 28, 2026. The core technology was released as open source at 8thwall.org. Existing published projects remain online until February 28, 2027, when all hosted content will be permanently deleted.
SourceARCore: 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.
Source8th Wall: What licensing is available for 8th Wall?
8th Wall is now released under the MIT open source license at no cost for commercial use. Previously, commercial licensing started at $700 per month per project.
SourceARCore: 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.
SourceARCore: 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