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ARCore vs Varjo

ARCore logo

ARCore

Software

Google's platform for building AR experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Varjo logo

Varjo

Software

Human-eye resolution VR/XR headsets

From
$2495/one-time
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; Varjo high cost enterprise XR solutions
  • They diverge on capability: ARCore covers Motion tracking, Varjo covers Human-eye resolution.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARCore and Varjo actually diverge.

Attributes where ARCore and Varjo differ
AttributeARCoreVarjo
Starting priceFree$2495/one-time
Pricing modelfreeone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, WebXR headsets, Windows
Founded19982016

Identical on both: 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
  • Android Studio
  • Ar support
  • Android support
  • Ios support

Only in Varjo

  • Human-eye resolution
  • Mixed reality
  • Eye tracking
  • Hand tracking
  • OpenXR
  • SteamVR
  • Vr support
  • Xr support

Both cover

  • Unity
  • Unreal

What people use each for

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

ARCore

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

Varjo

  • Military flight simulation and pilot trainingnot ARCore
  • Vehicle operation and weapons trainingnot ARCore
  • Maritime navigation trainingnot ARCore
  • High-fidelity professional VR simulationnot 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

Varjo

  • High cost enterprise XR solutions
  • Specialized for military and simulation training use cases only

Pricing, plan by plan

ARCore

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

Varjo

$2495/one-time
  • Varjo XR-4$3990/one-time
    • Human-eye resolution
    • Mixed reality
    • Eye tracking

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 Varjo if

  • You need human-eye resolution.
  • You work on XR headsets, Windows.
  • You also want mixed reality.
Varjo review

Questions people ask

Is ARCore or Varjo better?
Neither clearly leads. ARCore starts at Free and Varjo at $2495/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARCore or Varjo?
ARCore has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ARCore and $2495/one-time for Varjo.
Does ARCore or Varjo run on more platforms?
ARCore runs on Android, iOS, Web. Varjo runs on XR headsets, Windows.
Can I use ARCore for free?
Yes. ARCore has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Varjo starts at $2495/one-time.
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 Varjo is typically brought in for.
What can ARCore do that Varjo cannot?
ARCore covers Motion tracking, Environmental understanding, Light estimation, Depth API. Varjo covers Human-eye resolution, Mixed reality, Eye tracking, Hand tracking. Both handle Unity, Unreal.

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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