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AR/VR & Metaverse · head to head

ARCore vs Construct 3

ARCore logo

ARCore

AR/VR & Metaverse

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Construct 3 logo

Construct 3

Game Development

Create games without coding. Powered by the Scirra engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices; Construct 3 the free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account
  • They diverge on capability: ARCore covers Motion tracking, Construct 3 covers Visual event system.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARCore and Construct 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where ARCore and Construct 3 differ
AttributeARCoreConstruct 3
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, WebWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
CategoryAR/VR & MetaverseGame Development
Founded19982007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Construct 3

  • Visual event system
  • Drag-and-drop editor
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite editor
  • Particle effects
  • Sound effects
  • Web-based
  • HTML5 support

What people use each for

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

ARCore

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

Construct 3

  • Building 2D browser games without writing codenot ARCore
  • Publishing HTML5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one projectnot 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

Construct 3

  • The free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account
  • Free projects are limited to 2 layers, 2 special effects, 1 timeline animation of up to 5 seconds and 1 web font
  • The free version can only publish to HTML5 and the Construct Arcade, so desktop, Android, iOS and Facebook Instant Games all need a paid plan
  • Licences are per seat and annual, at $129.99 for Personal, $168.99 for Startup Business and $468.99 for Business

Pricing, plan by plan

ARCore

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

Construct 3

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Web-based editor
    • HTML5 export
    • Asset library
  • Personal$99/year
    • All Free features
    • Offline editor
    • Advanced export

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 Construct 3 if

  • You need visual event system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want drag-and-drop editor.
Construct 3 review

Questions people ask

Is ARCore or Construct 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. ARCore starts at Free and Construct 3 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARCore or Construct 3?
ARCore starts at Free and Construct 3 at Free.
Does ARCore or Construct 3 run on more platforms?
ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web. Construct 3 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
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 Construct 3 is typically brought in for.
What can ARCore do that Construct 3 cannot?
ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Construct 3 covers Visual event system, Drag-and-drop editor, Physics engine, Sprite editor.

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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