Software · head to head
Medium by Adobe vs Lens Studio
The short version
- Only Lens Studio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: Medium by Adobe covers VR sculpting, Lens Studio covers Visual scripting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Medium by Adobe and Lens Studio actually diverge.
| Attribute | Medium by Adobe | Lens Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9.99/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Vr, Quest | Web (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glasses |
| Founded | 1982 | 2011 |
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 Medium by Adobe
- VR sculpting
- Layer system
- Stamps
- Move tool
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Substance
- FBX export
- Vr support
Only in Lens Studio
- Visual scripting
- ML templates
- 3D tracking
- Hand tracking
- Snapchat
- Spectacles
- Camera Kit
- Ar support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Medium by Adobe
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Lens Studio
- 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.
Medium by Adobe
Nothing recorded yet. See the Medium by Adobe review.
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Medium by Adobe
$9.99/month- Medium$9.99/month
- Full sculpting tools
- Export
- Adobe integration
Lens Studio
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Lens Studio review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Medium by Adobe if
- You need vr sculpting.
- You work on Vr, Quest.
- You also want layer system.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Medium by Adobe or Lens Studio better?
- Neither clearly leads. Medium by Adobe starts at $9.99/month and Lens Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Medium by Adobe or Lens Studio?
- Lens Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9.99/month for Medium by Adobe and Free for Lens Studio.
- Does Medium by Adobe or Lens Studio run on more platforms?
- Medium by Adobe runs on Vr, Quest. Lens Studio runs on Web (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glasses.
- Can I use Lens Studio for free?
- Yes. Lens Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Medium by Adobe starts at $9.99/month.
- What is Medium by Adobe best used for?
- Medium by Adobe is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization.
- What can Medium by Adobe do that Lens Studio cannot?
- Medium by Adobe covers VR sculpting, Layer system, Stamps, Move tool. Lens Studio covers Visual scripting, ML templates, 3D tracking, Hand tracking.
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.
SourceLens 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.
SourceLens 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.
SourceLens 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.
SourceLens 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Medium by Adobe
More on Lens Studio
Keep looking
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