Software · head to head
Immersed vs ARKit
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Immersed the free Starter Mode is limited to 3 virtual screens; ARKit iOS-only platform, not available for Android or other operating systems
- They diverge on capability: Immersed covers Virtual monitors, ARKit covers World tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Immersed 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 Immersed
- Virtual monitors
- Hand tracking
- Passthrough
- Collaboration
- Mac/Windows
- Video calls
- Keyboard tracking
- 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.
Immersed
- Working with multiple virtual monitors inside a VR or mixed reality headsetnot ARKit
- Remote co-working in a shared virtual officenot ARKit
- Replacing physical monitors for laptop-based worknot ARKit
ARKit
- VR Gamingnot Immersed
- AR Marketingnot Immersed
- Virtual Trainingnot Immersed
- 3D Visualizationnot Immersed
- Immersive Experiencesnot Immersed
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Immersed
- The free Starter Mode is limited to 3 virtual screens
- Free screen resolutions are capped at standard sizes up to 1440x900
- The free tier rotates through only 2 alternating environments each week
- The free tier's 4 collaborator private rooms and offline mode are both marked as limited time only features
- Offline mode still requires a Wi-Fi connection at startup
- Immersed Pro starts at $5.99 per month billed monthly on a pay what you want slider
- A supported headset such as Apple Vision Pro or Quest 3 must be bought separately
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
Immersed
Free- FreeFree
- 2 virtual monitors
- Basic environments
- Solo work
ARKit
Free- FreeFree
- Full SDK
- Documentation
- Sample code
Which should you pick?
Choose Immersed if
- You need virtual monitors.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Vr, Quest, Pc.
- You also want hand tracking.
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 Immersed or ARKit better?
- Neither clearly leads. Immersed 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, Immersed or ARKit?
- Immersed starts at Free and ARKit at Free.
- Does Immersed or ARKit run on more platforms?
- Immersed runs on Vr, Quest, Pc. ARKit runs on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS.
- Can I use Immersed for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Immersed best used for?
- Immersed is most often used for working with multiple virtual monitors inside a vr or mixed reality headset, remote co-working in a shared virtual office, replacing physical monitors for laptop-based work. Of those, working with multiple virtual monitors inside a vr or mixed reality headset and remote co-working in a shared virtual office are not what ARKit is typically brought in for.
- What can Immersed do that ARKit cannot?
- Immersed covers Virtual monitors, Hand tracking, Passthrough, Collaboration. 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