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Mural vs Spark AR Studio

Mural logo

Mural

Software

The digital workspace for visual collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spark AR Studio logo

Spark AR Studio

Software

Professional AR effect creation for Meta platforms

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mural the free plan allows 3 editable murals at a time, so working on a fourth means archiving one; Spark AR Studio 4MB file size limit compared to Lens Studio's 8MB
  • They diverge on capability: Mural covers Infinite canvas, Spark AR Studio covers Visual programming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mural and Spark AR Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Mural and Spark AR Studio differ
AttributeMuralSpark AR Studio
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidDesktop
Founded20112004

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 Mural

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

Only in Spark AR Studio

  • Visual programming
  • Face tracking
  • World effects
  • Scripting API
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Messenger
  • Meta Quest

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Mural

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

Spark AR Studio

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

Spark AR Studio

  • 4MB file size limit compared to Lens Studio's 8MB
  • No 3D body tracking capability unlike competing platforms
  • Limited to Instagram and Facebook ecosystem

Pricing, plan by plan

Mural

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

Spark AR Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Spark AR Studio review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Spark AR Studio if

  • You need visual programming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop.
  • You also want face tracking.
Spark AR Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Mural or Spark AR Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Mural starts at Free and Spark AR Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mural or Spark AR Studio?
Mural starts at Free and Spark AR Studio at Free.
Does Mural or Spark AR Studio run on more platforms?
Mural runs on Web, Ios, Android. Spark AR Studio runs on Desktop.
Can I use Mural for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mural best used for?
Mural is most often used for running collaborative workshops and retrospectives on a shared whiteboard, mapping journeys and diagrams with a distributed team. Of those, running collaborative workshops and retrospectives on a shared whiteboard and mapping journeys and diagrams with a distributed team are not what Spark AR Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Mural do that Spark AR Studio cannot?
Mural covers Infinite canvas, Sticky notes, Shapes & connectors, Image uploads. Spark AR Studio covers Visual programming, Face tracking, World effects, Scripting API. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Spark AR Studio: Is Spark AR Studio still available?

No. Meta announced it would shutter Spark AR at the start of 2026, ending support for new effect submissions.

Source
Spark AR Studio: Was Spark AR Studio free?

Yes. Meta Spark Studio was available as a free download for creating AR effects.

Spark AR Studio: What platforms did Spark AR support?

Spark AR Studio enabled building AR effects for Instagram and Facebook with optional code-based scripting.

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