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AR/VR & Metaverse · head to head

ShapesXR vs Unity AR Foundation

ShapesXR logo

ShapesXR

AR/VR & Metaverse

Collaborative XR prototyping platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unity AR Foundation logo

Unity AR Foundation

AR/VR & Metaverse

Unified AR development framework for Unity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ShapesXR the free Starter plan allows only 1 editable Space, 10 Frames per Space and 1 Viewpoint; Unity AR Foundation requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
  • They diverge on capability: ShapesXR covers XR prototyping, Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ShapesXR and Unity AR Foundation actually diverge.

Attributes where ShapesXR and Unity AR Foundation differ
AttributeShapesXRUnity AR Foundation
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsVr, Ar, Quest, WebiOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor
Founded20192004

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 ShapesXR

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

Only in Unity AR Foundation

  • Plane detection
  • Image tracking
  • Face tracking
  • Point clouds
  • ARKit
  • ARCore
  • OpenXR
  • Magic Leap

Both cover

  • Ar support

What people use each for

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

ShapesXR

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

Unity AR Foundation

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

Unity AR Foundation

  • Requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
  • Performance varies significantly by device, with battery drain and heat generation on mobile
  • Emulators cannot accurately test AR experiences due to missing camera and sensor data
  • No WebXR support for browser-based AR experiences
  • Occlusion features show lower performance at 25-40 FPS compared to other features at 40-60 FPS
  • Limited access to latest platform-specific features compared to native ARKit or ARCore

Pricing, plan by plan

ShapesXR

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 projects
    • Collaboration
    • Basic export

Unity AR Foundation

Free
  • Included with Unity PersonalFree
    • Free for individuals and small teams with under $200K revenue/funding
    • AR Foundation package included
    • Access to all core AR features
  • Included with Unity Pro$185/month
    • Professional tier licensing
    • AR Foundation package included
    • All core AR features plus Pro-level support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Unity AR Foundation if

  • You need plane detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
  • You also want image tracking.
Unity AR Foundation review

Questions people ask

Is ShapesXR or Unity AR Foundation better?
Neither clearly leads. ShapesXR starts at Free and Unity AR Foundation at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ShapesXR or Unity AR Foundation?
ShapesXR starts at Free and Unity AR Foundation at Free.
Does ShapesXR or Unity AR Foundation run on more platforms?
ShapesXR runs on Vr, Ar, Quest, Web. Unity AR Foundation runs on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
Can I use ShapesXR for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ShapesXR best used for?
ShapesXR is most often used for designing and prototyping spatial and xr interfaces in a headset, reviewing 3d product designs in context with a distributed team, bringing figma designs into vr for spatial layout. Of those, designing and prototyping spatial and xr interfaces in a headset and reviewing 3d product designs in context with a distributed team are not what Unity AR Foundation is typically brought in for.
What can ShapesXR do that Unity AR Foundation cannot?
ShapesXR covers XR prototyping, Real-time collaboration, Interactions, Asset library. Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection, Image tracking, Face tracking, Point clouds. Both handle Ar support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unity AR Foundation: Is Unity AR Foundation free?

Yes, AR Foundation is free and included with Unity. It is a package within the Unity engine, though you need a Unity license (available free for personal use with under $200K revenue).

Source
Unity AR Foundation: What platforms does AR Foundation support?

AR Foundation supports iOS (via ARKit), Android (via ARCore), visionOS, HoloLens 2 (via OpenXR), and Meta Quest (via OpenXR). Testing in the Unity Editor is available through XR Simulation.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Do I need additional plugins to use AR Foundation?

Yes. AR Foundation is an abstraction layer and requires platform-specific plugins: ARCore XR Plugin for Android and ARKit XR Plugin for iOS. These plugins implement actual AR features using native SDKs.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Can I test AR experiences in the Unity Editor?

AR Foundation supports XR Simulation in the Editor for early testing, but accurate AR testing requires real devices because emulators cannot replicate camera and sensor data accurately.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Does AR Foundation support web-based AR?

No, AR Foundation does not support WebXR. Unity has stated there are no current plans to add WebXR support to AR Foundation. Web AR requires alternative solutions like 8th Wall.

Source
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