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Lens Studio vs Mural

Lens Studio logo

Lens Studio

Software

Create AR experiences for Snapchat and beyond

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mural logo

Mural

Software

The digital workspace for visual collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lens Studio performance limited to 10,000 triangles maximum for reliable cross-device rendering; Mural the free plan allows 3 editable murals at a time, so working on a fourth means archiving one
  • They diverge on capability: Lens Studio covers Visual scripting, Mural covers Infinite canvas.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lens Studio and Mural actually diverge.

Attributes where Lens Studio and Mural differ
AttributeLens StudioMural
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glassesWeb, Ios, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2011).

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 Lens Studio

  • Visual scripting
  • ML templates
  • 3D tracking
  • Hand tracking
  • Snapchat
  • Spectacles
  • Camera Kit
  • Ar support

Only in Mural

  • Infinite canvas
  • Sticky notes
  • Shapes & connectors
  • Image uploads
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Templates
  • Voting & feedback
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Lens Studio

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

Mural

  • Running collaborative workshops and retrospectives on a shared whiteboardnot Lens Studio
  • Mapping journeys and diagrams with a distributed teamnot Lens Studio

Where each one falls short

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

Lens Studio

  • Performance limited to 10,000 triangles maximum for reliable cross-device rendering
  • File size capped at 8 MB restricting content complexity and asset quantity
  • Lens activation time must stay under 650 ms for ad deployment on Snapchat
  • Memory constraints limit number of segmentation and ML effects per Lens
  • Particle effects and scripts using Update Event require careful optimization to avoid exceeding device capabilities

Mural

  • The free plan allows 3 editable murals at a time, so working on a fourth means archiving one
  • Mural AI and the Zoom and Webex integrations require Team+ at $9.99 per member per month billed annually
  • SSO and the Okta, Azure and GitHub integrations are Business only at $17.99 per member per month
  • Multiple workspaces, SCIM, audit logs and enforced 2FA are Enterprise only with no published price

Pricing, plan by plan

Lens Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Lens Studio review.

Mural

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 mural
    • Basic shapes
    • File uploads
  • Team$16/month
    • Unlimited murals
    • Advanced templates
    • Team collaboration

Which should you pick?

Choose Lens Studio if

  • You need visual scripting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glasses.
  • You also want ml templates.
Lens Studio review

Choose Mural if

  • You need infinite canvas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want sticky notes.
Mural review

Questions people ask

Is Lens Studio or Mural better?
Neither clearly leads. Lens Studio starts at Free and Mural at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lens Studio or Mural?
Lens Studio starts at Free and Mural at Free.
Does Lens Studio or Mural run on more platforms?
Lens Studio runs on Web (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glasses. Mural runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Lens Studio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lens Studio best used for?
Lens Studio is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Mural is typically brought in for.
What can Lens Studio do that Mural cannot?
Lens Studio covers Visual scripting, ML templates, 3D tracking, Hand tracking. Mural covers Infinite canvas, Sticky notes, Shapes & connectors, Image uploads.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lens Studio: Is Lens Studio free to download and use?

Yes, Lens Studio is completely free to download and use for creating and publishing Lenses on Snapchat. Creators can distribute Lenses via Snapcode with no payment required. Paid advertising options are available starting at $50 per day for promoted distribution.

Source
Lens Studio: What platforms can Lens Studio Lenses be deployed to?

Lens Studio supports deployment to Snapchat mobile apps on iOS and Android, web and third-party apps via the Camera Kit SDK, and AR glasses via Spectacles. Developers build once and deploy to all platforms from the same project.

Source
Lens Studio: Does Lens Studio support AI and generative features?

Yes, Lens Studio 5.0 includes the GenAI Suite for generating 2D and 3D assets from text or image prompts. It also supports SnapML for running custom machine learning models directly in AR experiences without additional coding.

Source
Lens Studio: What are Lens Studio's technical performance requirements?

Lens Studio recommends maximum 10,000 triangles rendered for best cross-device performance, Lens files must be under 8 MB, and Lens activation time must be under 650 ms for ads on Snapchat.

Source
Lens Studio: Does Lens Studio support version control and collaboration?

Yes, Lens Studio 5.0 Beta supports Git version control tools, enabling multiple developers to work on projects simultaneously.

Source
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