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AR/VR & Metaverse · head to head

Niantic Lightship vs ShapesXR

Niantic Lightship logo

Niantic Lightship

AR/VR & Metaverse

Build real-world AR experiences at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ShapesXR logo

ShapesXR

AR/VR & Metaverse

Collaborative XR prototyping platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Niantic Lightship platform migration in 2026 requires developers to move projects to new infrastructure; ShapesXR the free Starter plan allows only 1 editable Space, 10 Frames per Space and 1 Viewpoint
  • They diverge on capability: Niantic Lightship covers Visual Positioning System, ShapesXR covers XR prototyping.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Niantic Lightship and ShapesXR differ
AttributeNiantic LightshipShapesXR
PlatformsiOS, Android, UnityVr, Ar, Quest, Web
Founded20102019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (AR/VR & Metaverse).

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
  • Ios support

Only in ShapesXR

  • XR prototyping
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Interactions
  • Asset library
  • Figma
  • Sketch
  • Adobe XD
  • Vr support

Both cover

  • Ar support

What people use each for

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

Niantic Lightship

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

ShapesXR

  • Designing and prototyping spatial and XR interfaces in a headsetnot Niantic Lightship
  • Reviewing 3D product designs in context with a distributed teamnot Niantic Lightship
  • Bringing Figma designs into VR for spatial layoutnot 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

ShapesXR

  • The free Starter plan allows only 1 editable Space, 10 Frames per Space and 1 Viewpoint
  • The free Starter plan caps imports at 20MB and the canvas at 100 square metres
  • The Figma plugin, playable Figma prototypes and 200MB imports require a paid plan
  • Roles, permissions, presentation tools and a shared team asset library require the Business plan
  • Single sign on, multi-factor authentication and premium support are Enterprise only
  • No prices are published for the Professional, Business or Enterprise plans; each is Get a quote
  • The Business trial is 14 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Niantic Lightship

Free
  • FreeFree
    • ARDK access
    • VPS
    • Semantic segmentation

ShapesXR

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 projects
    • Collaboration
    • Basic export

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 ShapesXR if

  • You need xr prototyping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Vr, Ar, Quest, Web.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
ShapesXR review

Questions people ask

Is Niantic Lightship or ShapesXR better?
Neither clearly leads. Niantic Lightship starts at Free and ShapesXR at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Niantic Lightship or ShapesXR?
Niantic Lightship starts at Free and ShapesXR at Free.
Does Niantic Lightship or ShapesXR run on more platforms?
Niantic Lightship runs on iOS, Android, Unity. ShapesXR runs on Vr, Ar, Quest, Web.
Can I use Niantic Lightship for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 ShapesXR is typically brought in for.
What can Niantic Lightship do that ShapesXR cannot?
Niantic Lightship covers Visual Positioning System, Semantic segmentation, Meshing, Multiplayer. ShapesXR covers XR prototyping, Real-time collaboration, Interactions, Asset library. Both handle Ar 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
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
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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