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AR/VR & Metaverse · head to head

ARKit vs Splashtop

ARKit logo

ARKit

AR/VR & Metaverse

Apple's framework for iOS AR development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Splashtop

Remote Work

Secure remote access and remote support software

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; Splashtop solo plan is $72 per year for a single user; Pro and Performance are priced per user per year on top at $99 and $149

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARKit and Splashtop actually diverge.

Attributes where ARKit and Splashtop differ
AttributeARKitSplashtop
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOSWeb
CategoryAR/VR & MetaverseRemote Work
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 Splashtop

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 Splashtop
  • AR Marketingnot Splashtop
  • Virtual Trainingnot Splashtop
  • 3D Visualizationnot Splashtop
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Splashtop

Splashtop

No use cases recorded yet. See the Splashtop 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

Splashtop

  • Solo plan is $72 per year for a single user; Pro and Performance are priced per user per year on top at $99 and $149
  • Remote Support SOS plan starts at $259 to $399 per concurrent user per year, separate from the remote access plans

Pricing, plan by plan

ARKit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full SDK
    • Documentation
    • Sample code

Splashtop

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Splashtop 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 Splashtop if

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

Splashtop review

Questions people ask

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