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CryEngine vs Vuforia

CryEngine logo

CryEngine

Software

Build worlds, break limits. Professional game development engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vuforia logo

Vuforia

Software

Enterprise AR platform for industrial applications

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CryEngine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CryEngine a royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE; Vuforia image target recognition requires training images and performs poorly with low lighting
  • They diverge on capability: CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, Vuforia covers Image recognition.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CryEngine and Vuforia actually diverge.

Attributes where CryEngine and Vuforia differ
AttributeCryEngineVuforia
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Playstation, Xbox, LinuxAndroid, iOS, Magic Leap, UWP, HoloLens
Founded19991985

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 CryEngine

  • Advanced graphics
  • Physics engine
  • AI system
  • Animation tools
  • Flow Graph visual scripting
  • C++ and Lua support
  • Entity component system
  • Sandbox editor

Only in Vuforia

  • Image recognition
  • Model targets
  • Area targets
  • Cloud recognition
  • Unity
  • ThingWorx
  • Creo
  • Ar support

What people use each for

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

CryEngine

  • Building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illuminationnot Vuforia
  • Developing with full engine source code accessnot Vuforia
  • Sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get exportnot Vuforia

Vuforia

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CryEngine

  • A royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE
  • Royalties are waived only on the first USD 5,000.00 of Gross Receipts per year per game
  • Royalties are calculated at source on gross receipts before any publisher or platform deductions, so a developer receiving 70% of USD 100,000 still owes USD 4,750
  • Military projects, gambling, simulation, science, architecture and serious games are excluded from the standard licence and are not covered as Games
  • The licence forbids combining CRYENGINE with code from other game engine providers
  • Supported platforms are limited to those Crytek announces at its sole discretion, listed in the agreement as Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
  • Support is only provided against payment of a separate Support Fee that Crytek may change at its sole discretion
  • Crytek may modify the licence agreement at any time, with the only remedy for disagreement being to stop using CRYENGINE

Vuforia

  • Image target recognition requires training images and performs poorly with low lighting
  • Commercial licensing can be expensive for enterprise deployments
  • Image tracking performance degrades with poor lighting or reflective surfaces
  • Requires integration with Unity or native development environments

Pricing, plan by plan

CryEngine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine access
    • Source code
    • Asset library

Vuforia

$99/month
  • Basic$99/month
    • Image targets
    • Model targets
    • Cloud recognition

Which should you pick?

Choose CryEngine if

  • You need advanced graphics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
  • You also want physics engine.
CryEngine review

Choose Vuforia if

  • You need image recognition.
  • You work on Android, iOS, Magic Leap, UWP, HoloLens.
  • You also want model targets.
Vuforia review

Questions people ask

Is CryEngine or Vuforia better?
Neither clearly leads. CryEngine starts at Free and Vuforia at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CryEngine or Vuforia?
CryEngine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CryEngine and $99/month for Vuforia.
Does CryEngine or Vuforia run on more platforms?
CryEngine runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. Vuforia runs on Android, iOS, Magic Leap, UWP, HoloLens.
Can I use CryEngine for free?
Yes. CryEngine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Vuforia starts at $99/month.
What is CryEngine best used for?
CryEngine is most often used for building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illumination, developing with full engine source code access, sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get export. Of those, building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illumination and developing with full engine source code access are not what Vuforia is typically brought in for.
What can CryEngine do that Vuforia cannot?
CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, Physics engine, AI system, Animation tools. Vuforia covers Image recognition, Model targets, Area targets, Cloud recognition.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Vuforia: What platforms does Vuforia support?

Vuforia Engine supports AR development for Android, iOS, Magic Leap, and UWP devices. Applications can run on mobile phones, tablets, head-worn AR devices, and mixed reality headsets like HoloLens.

Source
Vuforia: What AR tracking capabilities does Vuforia provide?

Vuforia offers Image Targets for recognizing images, Model Targets for precise 3D object tracking, Area Targets for persistent AR experiences using 3D scans, VuMarks for QR-code-like identification, and Cylinder Targets for tracking cylindrical objects.

Source
Vuforia: Is Vuforia a free or paid product?

Vuforia offers both free development licenses and commercial licensing. The free tier allows development and testing, while commercial use requires appropriate licensing from PTC.

Source
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