Software · head to head
Bigscreen vs ARKit
The short version
- They diverge on capability: Bigscreen covers Virtual theaters, ARKit covers World tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bigscreen and ARKit actually diverge.
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 Bigscreen
- Virtual theaters
- Social viewing
- Desktop streaming
- 3D movies
- Pluto TV
- Paramount+
- Desktop apps
- Vr support
Only in ARKit
- World tracking
- Face tracking
- Body tracking
- LiDAR support
- RealityKit
- Reality Composer
- SceneKit
- Ar support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Bigscreen
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
ARKit
- 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.
Bigscreen
Nothing recorded yet. See the Bigscreen review.
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Bigscreen
Free- FreeFree
- Social viewing
- Private rooms
- Desktop streaming
ARKit
Free- FreeFree
- Full SDK
- Documentation
- Sample code
Which should you pick?
Choose Bigscreen if
- You need virtual theaters.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Vr, Pc, Quest, Psvr.
- You also want social viewing.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Bigscreen or ARKit better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bigscreen starts at Free and ARKit at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bigscreen or ARKit?
- Bigscreen starts at Free and ARKit at Free.
- Does Bigscreen or ARKit run on more platforms?
- Bigscreen runs on Vr, Pc, Quest, Psvr. ARKit runs on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS.
- Can I use Bigscreen for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Bigscreen best used for?
- Bigscreen is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization.
- What can Bigscreen do that ARKit cannot?
- Bigscreen covers Virtual theaters, Social viewing, Desktop streaming, 3D movies. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Source