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ARKit vs Mmhmm

ARKit logo

ARKit

Software

Apple's framework for iOS AR development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mmhmm logo

Mmhmm

Software

Presentation platform for video calls

From
On request
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; Mmhmm renamed to Airtime and split into four separate tools, Camera, Recorder, Creator and Stacks, rather than the single app the mmhmm name refers to
  • They diverge on capability: ARKit covers World tracking, Mmhmm covers Custom layouts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARKit and Mmhmm actually diverge.

Attributes where ARKit and Mmhmm differ
AttributeARKitMmhmm
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOSDesktop Mac, Desktop Windows
Founded19762020

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 Mmhmm

  • Custom layouts
  • Screen sharing
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Picture-in-picture
  • Recording
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet
  • Microsoft Teams

What people use each for

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

ARKit

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

Mmhmm

  • Putting a presenter on screen over slides during a video callnot ARKit
  • Recording a screen walkthrough up to an hournot ARKit
  • Adding effects and reactions to a webcam feednot ARKit
  • Collecting materials for a meeting in a shared stacknot 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

Mmhmm

  • Renamed to Airtime and split into four separate tools, Camera, Recorder, Creator and Stacks, rather than the single app the mmhmm name refers to
  • Screen recordings are capped at one hour
  • Windows support requires Windows 10 or 11
  • Pricing is not shown on the product pages

Pricing, plan by plan

ARKit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Documentation
    • Sample code

Mmhmm

On request
  • Standard$9.99/month
    • Unlimited presentations
    • Custom layouts
    • Recording

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 Mmhmm if

  • You need custom layouts.
  • You work on Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows.
  • You also want screen sharing.
Mmhmm review

Questions people ask

Is ARKit or Mmhmm better?
Neither clearly leads. ARKit starts at Free and Mmhmm at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARKit or Mmhmm?
ARKit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ARKit and On request for Mmhmm.
Does ARKit or Mmhmm run on more platforms?
ARKit runs on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS. Mmhmm runs on Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows.
Can I use ARKit for free?
Yes. ARKit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mmhmm starts at On request.
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 Mmhmm is typically brought in for.
What can ARKit do that Mmhmm cannot?
ARKit covers World tracking, Face tracking, Body tracking, LiDAR support. Mmhmm covers Custom layouts, Screen sharing, Virtual backgrounds, Picture-in-picture.

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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