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Niantic Lightship vs Procreate

Niantic Lightship logo

Niantic Lightship

Software

Build real-world AR experiences at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Procreate logo

Procreate

Software

Digital illustration app made for iPad

From
$12.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Niantic Lightship has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Niantic Lightship platform migration in 2026 requires developers to move projects to new infrastructure; Procreate iPad-only application with no desktop version for Windows or macOS
  • They diverge on capability: Niantic Lightship covers Visual Positioning System, Procreate covers Digital painting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Niantic Lightship and Procreate actually diverge.

Attributes where Niantic Lightship and Procreate differ
AttributeNiantic LightshipProcreate
Starting priceFree$12.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, UnityiPad

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2010).

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 Niantic Lightship

  • Visual Positioning System
  • Semantic segmentation
  • Meshing
  • Multiplayer
  • Unity
  • 8th Wall
  • Niantic games
  • Ar support

Only in Procreate

  • Digital painting
  • Brush library
  • Layer management
  • Selection tools
  • Time-lapse recording
  • Apple Pencil
  • iPad Pro
  • Cloud services

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Niantic Lightship

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

Procreate

  • Digital illustrationnot Niantic Lightship
  • Concept artnot Niantic Lightship
  • Character designnot Niantic Lightship
  • Educational artnot Niantic Lightship
  • Hobby drawingnot Niantic Lightship

Where each one falls short

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

Niantic Lightship

  • Platform migration in 2026 requires developers to move projects to new infrastructure
  • VPS (Visual Positioning) requires online connectivity unlike ARKit/ARCore
  • Smaller developer community compared to Apple ARKit and Google ARCore
  • Location-based features limit use cases compared to device-only AR systems
  • Less mature ecosystem of third-party tools and assets compared to Unity AR Foundation

Procreate

  • iPad-only application with no desktop version for Windows or macOS
  • Requires Apple hardware investment (iPad and Apple Pencil)
  • Cannot export to cloud storage natively, limiting cross-device workflows
  • High upfront cost when accounting for required iPad hardware

Pricing, plan by plan

Niantic Lightship

Free
  • FreeFree
    • ARDK access
    • VPS
    • Semantic segmentation

Procreate

$12.99/one-time
  • Procreate$12.99/one-time
    • 200+ brushes
    • Unlimited layers
    • Advanced blending modes
  • Procreate Pocket$5.99/one-time
    • iPhone version
    • Touch-optimized interface
  • Procreate Dreams$19.99/one-time
    • Animation tool
    • Frame-by-frame animation

Which should you pick?

Choose Niantic Lightship if

  • You need visual positioning system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Unity.
  • You also want semantic segmentation.
Niantic Lightship review

Choose Procreate if

  • You need digital painting.
  • You work on iPad.
  • You also want brush library.
Procreate review

Questions people ask

Is Niantic Lightship or Procreate better?
Neither clearly leads. Niantic Lightship starts at Free and Procreate at $12.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Niantic Lightship or Procreate?
Niantic Lightship has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Niantic Lightship and $12.99/one-time for Procreate.
Does Niantic Lightship or Procreate run on more platforms?
Niantic Lightship runs on iOS, Android, Unity. Procreate runs on iPad.
Can I use Niantic Lightship for free?
Yes. Niantic Lightship has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Procreate starts at $12.99/one-time.
What is Niantic Lightship best used for?
Niantic Lightship is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Procreate is typically brought in for.
What can Niantic Lightship do that Procreate cannot?
Niantic Lightship covers Visual Positioning System, Semantic segmentation, Meshing, Multiplayer. Procreate covers Digital painting, Brush library, Layer management, Selection tools. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Niantic Lightship: What does Niantic Lightship provide for AR developers?

Niantic Lightship includes tools for visual positioning (VPS) for real-world location-based AR, depth sensing, occlusion, mesh generation, semantic segmentation, and shared multiplayer AR experiences across Unity, Swift, and Kotlin.

Source
Procreate: Does Procreate work on desktop or only iPad?

Procreate is iPad-only. There is no desktop version for Windows or macOS, requiring users to purchase iPad hardware and Apple Pencil for use.

Source
Niantic Lightship: What is the Niantic Spatial Platform transition in 2026?

Lightship.dev is being decommissioned as of February 27, 2026. Projects must migrate to scaniverse.nianticspatial.com starting February 20, 2026.

Source
Procreate: What companion apps are available for Procreate?

Procreate Pocket is an iPhone version at $5.99, and Procreate Dreams is an animation tool at $19.99, both one-time purchases.

Source
Niantic Lightship: Does Niantic provide maps for developers?

Yes. Lightship Maps for Unity allows developers to utilize the same base maps that Niantic uses for its own games like Pokemon Go, enabling real-world mapping integration.

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