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8th Wall vs Wikitude

8

8th Wall

Software

WebAR platform for browser-based AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wikitude logo

Wikitude

Software

Cross-platform AR SDK for mobile applications

From
€2490/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only 8th Wall has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 8th Wall platform shutdown as of February 2026, with hosted services ending; Wikitude service discontinued September 21, 2024 - no longer available for purchase or use
  • They diverge on capability: 8th Wall covers SLAM tracking, Wikitude covers Image tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 8th Wall and Wikitude actually diverge.

Attributes where 8th Wall and Wikitude differ
Attribute8th WallWikitude
Starting priceFree€2490/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb (WebXR), Mobile browsers, Open source (local deployment)Ar, Ios, Android, Smart-glasses
Founded20162008

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 8th Wall

  • SLAM tracking
  • Image targets
  • Face effects
  • World tracking
  • Three.js
  • A-Frame
  • Babylon.js
  • PlayCanvas

Only in Wikitude

  • Image tracking
  • Instant tracking
  • Object recognition
  • Geo AR
  • Unity
  • Cordova
  • Xamarin
  • Flutter

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

Wikitude

  • 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

Wikitude

  • Service discontinued September 21, 2024 - no longer available for purchase or use
  • All developer and cloud services shut down permanently
  • Apps built with Wikitude lost backend functionality after shutdown
  • No migration path provided to successor platform

Pricing, plan by plan

8th Wall

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the 8th Wall review.

Wikitude

€2490/year
  • Pro$2490/year
    • All tracking features
    • Cloud recognition
    • Support

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.
8th Wall review

Choose Wikitude if

  • You need image tracking.
  • You work on Ar, Ios, Android, Smart-glasses.
  • You also want instant tracking.
Wikitude review

Questions people ask

Is 8th Wall or Wikitude better?
Neither clearly leads. 8th Wall starts at Free and Wikitude at €2490/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 8th Wall or Wikitude?
8th Wall has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for 8th Wall and €2490/year for Wikitude.
Does 8th Wall or Wikitude run on more platforms?
8th Wall runs on Web (WebXR), Mobile browsers, Open source (local deployment). Wikitude runs on Ar, Ios, Android, Smart-glasses.
Can I use 8th Wall for free?
Yes. 8th Wall has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Wikitude starts at €2490/year.
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 Wikitude cannot?
8th Wall covers SLAM tracking, Image targets, Face effects, World tracking. Wikitude covers Image tracking, Instant tracking, Object recognition, Geo AR. 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.

Source
Wikitude: Is Wikitude AR SDK still available?

No. Wikitude services were permanently shut down on September 21, 2024. All Wikitude mobile SDK, Studio, Cloud, and API services are no longer available, and stored data became inaccessible.

Source
8th 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.

Source
Wikitude: Why did Wikitude shut down?

Qualcomm, which acquired Wikitude in 2021, decided to retire the Wikitude brand and consolidate AR development into Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform, focusing exclusively on headworn AR experiences.

Source
8th 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.

Source
Wikitude: What happened to apps built with Wikitude?

More than 40,000 mobile apps were created using Wikitude SDK and delivered to millions of users. After the September 2024 shutdown, these apps no longer have access to Wikitude backend services, though the apps themselves may continue functioning with local features.

Source
Wikitude: When was Wikitude acquired by Qualcomm?

Qualcomm acquired Wikitude in 2021. The acquisition consolidated Qualcomm's AR strategy, leading to the 2024 decision to discontinue mobile AR services.

Source
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