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ARCore vs Bevy

ARCore logo

ARCore

Software

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bevy logo

Bevy

Software

A refreshingly simple data-driven game engine built in Rust

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices; Bevy rust only, so it assumes a language most game teams do not already use
  • They diverge on capability: ARCore covers Motion tracking, Bevy covers Entity Component System.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARCore and Bevy actually diverge.

Attributes where ARCore and Bevy differ
AttributeARCoreBevy
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, WebWindows, Macos, Linux, Webgl
Founded19982020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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 ARCore

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

Only in Bevy

  • Entity Component System
  • 2D/3D rendering
  • Audio system
  • Asset pipeline
  • Hot reloading
  • Cross-platform
  • Modular architecture
  • Parallel systems

What people use each for

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

ARCore

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

Bevy

  • 2D and 3D game development in Rustnot ARCore
  • Data-driven design using an entity component systemnot ARCore
  • Shipping to Windows, macOS, Linux, web, iOS and Android from one codebasenot ARCore
  • Projects wanting a permissive licence with no royalties or feesnot ARCore

Where each one falls short

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

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

Bevy

  • Rust only, so it assumes a language most game teams do not already use
  • No visual editor of the kind Unity or Godot provide, so scenes and logic are written in code
  • Built around ECS, which is a different mental model from the scene-graph engines most developers come from

Pricing, plan by plan

ARCore

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

Bevy

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full engine access
    • ECS architecture
    • Hot reloading

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Bevy if

  • You need entity component system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Webgl.
  • You also want 2d/3d rendering.
Bevy review

Questions people ask

Is ARCore or Bevy better?
Neither clearly leads. ARCore starts at Free and Bevy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARCore or Bevy?
ARCore starts at Free and Bevy at Free.
Does ARCore or Bevy run on more platforms?
ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web. Bevy runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Webgl.
Can I use ARCore for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ARCore best used for?
ARCore is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Bevy is typically brought in for.
What can ARCore do that Bevy cannot?
ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Bevy covers Entity Component System, 2D/3D rendering, Audio system, Asset pipeline.

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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