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ARCore vs Immersed

ARCore logo

ARCore

Software

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Immersed logo

Immersed

Software

Work from anywhere in VR

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices; Immersed the free Starter Mode is limited to 3 virtual screens
  • They diverge on capability: ARCore covers Motion tracking, Immersed covers Virtual monitors.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARCore and Immersed actually diverge.

Attributes where ARCore and Immersed differ
AttributeARCoreImmersed
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, WebVr, Quest, Pc
Founded19982017

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 ARCore

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

Only in Immersed

  • Virtual monitors
  • Hand tracking
  • Passthrough
  • Collaboration
  • Mac/Windows
  • Video calls
  • Keyboard tracking
  • Vr support

What people use each for

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

ARCore

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

Immersed

  • Working with multiple virtual monitors inside a VR or mixed reality headsetnot ARCore
  • Remote co-working in a shared virtual officenot ARCore
  • Replacing physical monitors for laptop-based worknot 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

Immersed

  • The free Starter Mode is limited to 3 virtual screens
  • Free screen resolutions are capped at standard sizes up to 1440x900
  • The free tier rotates through only 2 alternating environments each week
  • The free tier's 4 collaborator private rooms and offline mode are both marked as limited time only features
  • Offline mode still requires a Wi-Fi connection at startup
  • Immersed Pro starts at $5.99 per month billed monthly on a pay what you want slider
  • A supported headset such as Apple Vision Pro or Quest 3 must be bought separately

Pricing, plan by plan

ARCore

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

Immersed

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 virtual monitors
    • Basic environments
    • Solo work

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 Immersed if

  • You need virtual monitors.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Vr, Quest, Pc.
  • You also want hand tracking.
Immersed review

Questions people ask

Is ARCore or Immersed better?
Neither clearly leads. ARCore starts at Free and Immersed at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARCore or Immersed?
ARCore starts at Free and Immersed at Free.
Does ARCore or Immersed run on more platforms?
ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web. Immersed runs on Vr, Quest, Pc.
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 Immersed is typically brought in for.
What can ARCore do that Immersed cannot?
ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Immersed covers Virtual monitors, Hand tracking, Passthrough, Collaboration.

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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