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ARKit vs Gravity Sketch

ARKit logo

ARKit

Software

Apple's framework for iOS AR development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gravity Sketch logo

Gravity Sketch

Software

VR 3D design tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ARKit iOS-only platform, not available for Android or other operating systems; Gravity Sketch free plan limited to 150MB cloud storage and 3 simultaneous users per room
  • They diverge on capability: ARKit covers World tracking, Gravity Sketch covers VR design.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARKit and Gravity Sketch actually diverge.

Attributes where ARKit and Gravity Sketch differ
AttributeARKitGravity Sketch
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsiOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOSVR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web)
Founded19762014

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 ARKit

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

Only in Gravity Sketch

  • VR design
  • Desktop app
  • Surface modeling
  • Collaboration
  • Import/export
  • Presentation mode
  • Rhino
  • Alias

What people use each for

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

ARKit

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

Gravity Sketch

  • Spatial 3D design and conceptualisation in VRnot ARKit
  • Collaborative product design sessionsnot ARKit
  • Conceptual model generationnot ARKit
  • Engineering and design team collaboration in immersive environmentnot 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

Gravity Sketch

  • Free plan limited to 150MB cloud storage and 3 simultaneous users per room
  • File format support limited to OBJ and STL on free plan; other formats require paid plan
  • Evaluation tools (surface contours, viewpoints, section tool) not available on free tier
  • VR access requires Meta Quest, Steam, or web app; limited to specific platforms
  • Data localisation only available on Enterprise plan

Pricing, plan by plan

ARKit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Documentation
    • Sample code

Gravity Sketch

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Gravity Sketch review.

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 Gravity Sketch if

  • You need vr design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on VR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web).
  • You also want desktop app.
Gravity Sketch review

Questions people ask

Is ARKit or Gravity Sketch better?
Neither clearly leads. ARKit starts at Free and Gravity Sketch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARKit or Gravity Sketch?
ARKit starts at Free and Gravity Sketch at Free.
Does ARKit or Gravity Sketch run on more platforms?
ARKit runs on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS. Gravity Sketch runs on VR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web).
Can I use ARKit for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Gravity Sketch is typically brought in for.
What can ARKit do that Gravity Sketch cannot?
ARKit covers World tracking, Face tracking, Body tracking, LiDAR support. Gravity Sketch covers VR design, Desktop app, Surface modeling, Collaboration.

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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Related pages

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