Software · head to head
ARCore vs Unity AR Foundation
Unity AR Foundation
Software
Unified AR development framework for Unity
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: ARCore aRCore limited to Android 7.0+, excluding older Android devices; Unity AR Foundation requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
- They diverge on capability: ARCore covers Motion tracking, Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ARCore and Unity AR Foundation actually diverge.
| Attribute | ARCore | Unity AR Foundation |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | Unknown |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Web | iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor |
| Founded | 1998 | 2004 |
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
Only in Unity AR Foundation
- Plane detection
- Image tracking
- Face tracking
- Point clouds
- ARKit
- ARCore
- OpenXR
- Magic Leap
Both cover
- Ar support
- Android support
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
ARCore
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Unity AR Foundation
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Both are used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization, immersive experiences, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
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
Unity AR Foundation
- Requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
- Performance varies significantly by device, with battery drain and heat generation on mobile
- Emulators cannot accurately test AR experiences due to missing camera and sensor data
- No WebXR support for browser-based AR experiences
- Occlusion features show lower performance at 25-40 FPS compared to other features at 40-60 FPS
- Limited access to latest platform-specific features compared to native ARKit or ARCore
Pricing, plan by plan
ARCore
Free- FreeFree
- Full SDK
- Cloud Anchors
- Geospatial API
Unity AR Foundation
Free- Included with Unity PersonalFree
- Free for individuals and small teams with under $200K revenue/funding
- AR Foundation package included
- Access to all core AR features
- Included with Unity Pro$185/month
- Professional tier licensing
- AR Foundation package included
- All core AR features plus Pro-level support
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.
Choose Unity AR Foundation if
- You need plane detection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
- You also want image tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is ARCore or Unity AR Foundation better?
- Neither clearly leads. ARCore starts at Free and Unity AR Foundation at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ARCore or Unity AR Foundation?
- ARCore starts at Free and Unity AR Foundation at Free.
- Does ARCore or Unity AR Foundation run on more platforms?
- ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web. Unity AR Foundation runs on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
- 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.
- What can ARCore do that Unity AR Foundation cannot?
- ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection, Image tracking, Face tracking, Point clouds. Both handle Ar support, Android support, Ios 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).
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Is Unity AR Foundation free?
Yes, AR Foundation is free and included with Unity. It is a package within the Unity engine, though you need a Unity license (available free for personal use with under $200K revenue).
SourceARCore: 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: What platforms does AR Foundation support?
AR Foundation supports iOS (via ARKit), Android (via ARCore), visionOS, HoloLens 2 (via OpenXR), and Meta Quest (via OpenXR). Testing in the Unity Editor is available through XR Simulation.
SourceARCore: 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Do I need additional plugins to use AR Foundation?
Yes. AR Foundation is an abstraction layer and requires platform-specific plugins: ARCore XR Plugin for Android and ARKit XR Plugin for iOS. These plugins implement actual AR features using native SDKs.
SourceARCore: 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Can I test AR experiences in the Unity Editor?
AR Foundation supports XR Simulation in the Editor for early testing, but accurate AR testing requires real devices because emulators cannot replicate camera and sensor data accurately.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Does AR Foundation support web-based AR?
No, AR Foundation does not support WebXR. Unity has stated there are no current plans to add WebXR support to AR Foundation. Web AR requires alternative solutions like 8th Wall.
Source