Software · head to head
ARKit vs Unity AR Foundation
Unity AR Foundation
Software
Unified AR development framework for Unity
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: ARKit iOS-only platform, not available for Android or other operating systems; Unity AR Foundation requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
- They diverge on capability: ARKit covers World tracking, Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ARKit and Unity AR Foundation actually diverge.
| Attribute | ARKit | Unity AR Foundation |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | Unknown |
| Platforms | iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS | iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor |
| Founded | 1976 | 2004 |
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
- Body tracking
- LiDAR support
- RealityKit
- Reality Composer
- SceneKit
- Ipados support
- Visionos support
Only in Unity AR Foundation
- Plane detection
- Image tracking
- Point clouds
- ARKit
- ARCore
- OpenXR
- Magic Leap
- Android support
Both cover
- Face tracking
- Ar support
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
ARKit
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Unity AR Foundation
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Both are used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization, immersive experiences, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
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
Unity AR Foundation
- Requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
- Performance varies significantly by device, with battery drain and heat generation on mobile
- Emulators cannot accurately test AR experiences due to missing camera and sensor data
- No WebXR support for browser-based AR experiences
- Occlusion features show lower performance at 25-40 FPS compared to other features at 40-60 FPS
- Limited access to latest platform-specific features compared to native ARKit or ARCore
Pricing, plan by plan
ARKit
Free- FreeFree
- Full SDK
- Documentation
- Sample code
Unity AR Foundation
Free- Included with Unity PersonalFree
- Free for individuals and small teams with under $200K revenue/funding
- AR Foundation package included
- Access to all core AR features
- Included with Unity Pro$185/month
- Professional tier licensing
- AR Foundation package included
- All core AR features plus Pro-level support
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 body tracking.
Choose Unity AR Foundation if
- You need plane detection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
- You also want image tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is ARKit or Unity AR Foundation better?
- Neither clearly leads. ARKit starts at Free and Unity AR Foundation at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ARKit or Unity AR Foundation?
- ARKit starts at Free and Unity AR Foundation at Free.
- Does ARKit or Unity AR Foundation run on more platforms?
- ARKit runs on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS. Unity AR Foundation runs on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
- 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.
- What can ARKit do that Unity AR Foundation cannot?
- ARKit covers World tracking, Body tracking, LiDAR support, RealityKit. Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection, Image tracking, Point clouds, ARKit. Both handle Face tracking, Ar support, Ios 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Is Unity AR Foundation free?
Yes, AR Foundation is free and included with Unity. It is a package within the Unity engine, though you need a Unity license (available free for personal use with under $200K revenue).
SourceARKit: 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: What platforms does AR Foundation support?
AR Foundation supports iOS (via ARKit), Android (via ARCore), visionOS, HoloLens 2 (via OpenXR), and Meta Quest (via OpenXR). Testing in the Unity Editor is available through XR Simulation.
SourceARKit: 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Do I need additional plugins to use AR Foundation?
Yes. AR Foundation is an abstraction layer and requires platform-specific plugins: ARCore XR Plugin for Android and ARKit XR Plugin for iOS. These plugins implement actual AR features using native SDKs.
SourceARKit: 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Can I test AR experiences in the Unity Editor?
AR Foundation supports XR Simulation in the Editor for early testing, but accurate AR testing requires real devices because emulators cannot replicate camera and sensor data accurately.
SourceARKit: 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.
SourceUnity AR Foundation: Does AR Foundation support web-based AR?
No, AR Foundation does not support WebXR. Unity has stated there are no current plans to add WebXR support to AR Foundation. Web AR requires alternative solutions like 8th Wall.
Source