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ARKit vs Glue

ARKit logo

ARKit

Software

Apple's framework for iOS AR development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Glue logo

Glue

Software

VR collaboration platform for enterprise teams

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ARKit has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ARKit iOS-only platform, not available for Android or other operating systems; Glue glue has been acquired, and the pricing page carries a Glue Has Been Acquired notice
  • They diverge on capability: ARKit covers World tracking, Glue covers VR meetings.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARKit and Glue actually diverge.

Attributes where ARKit and Glue differ
AttributeARKitGlue
Starting priceFree$25/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOSVr, Pc, Quest
Founded19762017

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 ARKit

  • World tracking
  • Face tracking
  • Body tracking
  • LiDAR support
  • RealityKit
  • Reality Composer
  • SceneKit
  • Ar support

Only in Glue

  • VR meetings
  • Realistic avatars
  • Spatial tools
  • 3D visualization
  • Microsoft 365
  • Slack
  • Enterprise SSO
  • Vr support

What people use each for

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

ARKit

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

Glue

  • Virtual reality team collaboration spaces for distributed teamsnot ARKit
  • Immersive training and workshops in shared 3D environmentsnot ARKit
  • Reviewing 3D content together in VRnot ARKit

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ARKit

  • iOS-only platform, not available for Android or other operating systems
  • Location-based AR accuracy limited to 3-5 meters, insufficient for precise applications
  • Cannot handle very fast motion capture
  • Accuracy varies with lighting conditions and surface characteristics
  • Requires iOS 11 or later and specific device hardware

Glue

  • Glue has been acquired, and the pricing page carries a Glue Has Been Acquired notice
  • The free tier is limited to 10 team members, 10 team spaces, 30 minutes of session time per session and 2GB of team file storage
  • Professional is EUR 50 per user per month billed yearly and EUR 60 per user per month billed monthly
  • Single sign on, service level agreement, priority support and premium onboarding are Enterprise only
  • Branded and custom team spaces and custom hosting options are Enterprise only
  • Browser only sessions are an Enterprise feature
  • Enterprise pricing is not published and requires contacting sales

Pricing, plan by plan

ARKit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Documentation
    • Sample code

Glue

$25/month
  • Team$25/month
    • VR meetings
    • Collaboration tools
    • 3D content

Which should you pick?

Choose ARKit if

  • You need world tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS.
  • You also want face tracking.
ARKit review

Choose Glue if

  • You need vr meetings.
  • You work on Vr, Pc, Quest.
  • You also want realistic avatars.
Glue review

Questions people ask

Is ARKit or Glue better?
Neither clearly leads. ARKit starts at Free and Glue at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARKit or Glue?
ARKit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ARKit and $25/month for Glue.
Does ARKit or Glue run on more platforms?
ARKit runs on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS. Glue runs on Vr, Pc, Quest.
Can I use ARKit for free?
Yes. ARKit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Glue starts at $25/month.
What is ARKit best used for?
ARKit is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Glue is typically brought in for.
What can ARKit do that Glue cannot?
ARKit covers World tracking, Face tracking, Body tracking, LiDAR support. Glue covers VR meetings, Realistic avatars, Spatial tools, 3D visualization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ARKit: Is ARKit free to use?

Yes, ARKit is free to use. It is included in Apple's iOS SDK and requires only Xcode and a Mac to start building AR apps. There are no licensing fees or subscription costs.

Source
ARKit: What iOS devices support ARKit?

ARKit is supported on iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro models, and the latest iPad models. It requires iOS 11 or later. Apple Vision Pro also supports ARKit with enhanced capabilities through visionOS.

Source
ARKit: Can ARKit work offline?

ARKit can function offline for tracking and scene understanding since these operations run locally on the device. However, multiplayer AR features and cloud-based object detection require internet connectivity.

Source
ARKit: Does ARKit integrate with game engines?

Yes, ARKit integrates with Unity through the Unity ARKit Plugin and with Unreal Engine. Developers can also use it with Metal, SceneKit, and Apple's RealityKit framework.

Source
ARKit: What are ARKit's limitations with location-based AR?

ARKit's location-based positioning has accuracy limitations. Image-based positioning is primarily useful in urban areas, and beacon-based navigation provides accuracy of 3-5 meters, which is insufficient for precise AR applications requiring 1-meter accuracy or better.

Source
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