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ARCore vs Lumion

ARCore logo

ARCore

Software

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lumion logo

Lumion

Software

Architectural visualization made easy

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ARCore has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices; Lumion enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures
  • They diverge on capability: ARCore covers Motion tracking, Lumion covers Real-time rendering.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARCore and Lumion actually diverge.

Attributes where ARCore and Lumion differ
AttributeARCoreLumion
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, WebWindows

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (1998).

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 Lumion

  • Real-time rendering
  • Content library
  • Effects
  • Video animation
  • VR export
  • LiveSync
  • Revit
  • SketchUp

What people use each for

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

ARCore

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

Lumion

  • Architectural visualizationnot ARCore
  • Client presentationsnot 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

Lumion

  • Enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures

Pricing, plan by plan

ARCore

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

Lumion

$29/month
  • Standard$1499/month
    • Core features
  • Pro$2999/month
    • Full features
    • More content

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 Lumion if

  • You need real-time rendering.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want content library.
Lumion review

Questions people ask

Is ARCore or Lumion better?
Neither clearly leads. ARCore starts at Free and Lumion at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARCore or Lumion?
ARCore has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ARCore and $29/month for Lumion.
Does ARCore or Lumion run on more platforms?
ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web. Lumion runs on Windows.
Can I use ARCore for free?
Yes. ARCore has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lumion starts at $29/month.
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 Lumion is typically brought in for.
What can ARCore do that Lumion cannot?
ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Lumion covers Real-time rendering, Content library, Effects, Video animation.

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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