Softwr

AR/VR & Metaverse · head to head

ARKit vs Procreate Dreams

ARKit logo

ARKit

AR/VR & Metaverse

Apple's framework for iOS AR development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Procreate Dreams logo

Procreate Dreams

Art

Edit. Animate. Create.

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; Procreate Dreams requires iPadOS 16.3 and is exclusive to iPad; track capacity varies by device, with the base iPad (A16) limited to 1 track at up to 4K

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARKit and Procreate Dreams actually diverge.

Attributes where ARKit and Procreate Dreams differ
AttributeARKitProcreate Dreams
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreeone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOSWeb
CategoryAR/VR & MetaverseArt
Founded1976Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Procreate Dreams

Nothing recorded that ARKit does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

ARKit

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

Procreate Dreams

No use cases recorded yet. See the Procreate Dreams review.

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

Procreate Dreams

  • Requires iPadOS 16.3 and is exclusive to iPad; track capacity varies by device, with the base iPad (A16) limited to 1 track at up to 4K
  • 8K video support is not yet available and is listed as coming in a future release

Pricing, plan by plan

ARKit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Documentation
    • Sample code

Procreate Dreams

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Procreate Dreams 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 Procreate Dreams if

Nothing in the data separates Procreate Dreams from ARKit on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Procreate Dreams review

Questions people ask

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

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
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on ARKit

More on Procreate Dreams

Keep looking

Other head to heads