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AR/VR & Metaverse · head to head

ARCore vs ShapesXR

ARCore logo

ARCore

AR/VR & Metaverse

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ShapesXR logo

ShapesXR

AR/VR & Metaverse

Collaborative XR prototyping platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices; ShapesXR the free Starter plan allows only 1 editable Space, 10 Frames per Space and 1 Viewpoint
  • They diverge on capability: ARCore covers Motion tracking, ShapesXR covers XR prototyping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARCore and ShapesXR actually diverge.

Attributes where ARCore and ShapesXR differ
AttributeARCoreShapesXR
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, WebVr, Ar, Quest, Web
Founded19982019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (AR/VR & Metaverse).

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
  • Android support

Only in ShapesXR

  • XR prototyping
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Interactions
  • Asset library
  • Figma
  • Sketch
  • Adobe XD
  • Vr support

Both cover

  • Ar support

What people use each for

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

ARCore

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

ShapesXR

  • Designing and prototyping spatial and XR interfaces in a headsetnot ARCore
  • Reviewing 3D product designs in context with a distributed teamnot ARCore
  • Bringing Figma designs into VR for spatial layoutnot 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

ShapesXR

  • The free Starter plan allows only 1 editable Space, 10 Frames per Space and 1 Viewpoint
  • The free Starter plan caps imports at 20MB and the canvas at 100 square metres
  • The Figma plugin, playable Figma prototypes and 200MB imports require a paid plan
  • Roles, permissions, presentation tools and a shared team asset library require the Business plan
  • Single sign on, multi-factor authentication and premium support are Enterprise only
  • No prices are published for the Professional, Business or Enterprise plans; each is Get a quote
  • The Business trial is 14 days

Pricing, plan by plan

ARCore

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

ShapesXR

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 projects
    • Collaboration
    • Basic 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 ShapesXR if

  • You need xr prototyping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Vr, Ar, Quest, Web.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
ShapesXR review

Questions people ask

Is ARCore or ShapesXR better?
Neither clearly leads. ARCore starts at Free and ShapesXR at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARCore or ShapesXR?
ARCore starts at Free and ShapesXR at Free.
Does ARCore or ShapesXR run on more platforms?
ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web. ShapesXR runs on Vr, Ar, Quest, 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 ShapesXR is typically brought in for.
What can ARCore do that ShapesXR cannot?
ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. ShapesXR covers XR prototyping, Real-time collaboration, Interactions, Asset library. Both handle Ar support.

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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