8th Wallvs
Unity AR Foundation
Unity AR Foundation: Cross-platform AR development using Unity engine with native and web deployment options
8th Wall
WebAR platform for browser-based AR experiences
As of 30 August 2026, 8th Wall is free to use. 8th Wall is the leading web-based augmented reality platform that enables AR experiences directly in mobile browsers without app downloads. Softwr lists it under AR VR. 8th Wall is made by Niantic, launched in 2010, available on VR and AR, Web, Self-hosted.
Overview
What 8th Wall does
8th Wall is the leading web-based augmented reality platform that enables AR experiences directly in mobile browsers without app downloads. Used by major brands for marketing campaigns, product visualization, and interactive experiences.
What people use it for
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Related searches
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about 8th Wall.
- Platform shutdown as of February 2026, with hosted services ending
- WebAR performance limitations compared to native app AR experiences
- Requires internet connection for all AR experiences to function
- Limited browser support; Firefox and Safari do not support WebXR on desktop and mobile
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of 8th Wall
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
- 8th WallvsSpark AR Studio
Spark AR Studio: Meta's AR creation tool for building effects on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp
- 8th WallvsLens Studio
Lens Studio: Snapchat's AR lens development platform with web-based and desktop applications
Capabilities
Features
SLAM tracking
Image targets
Face effects
World tracking
Three.js
Integration with Three.js
A-Frame
Integration with A-Frame
Babylon.js
Integration with Babylon.js
PlayCanvas
Integration with PlayCanvas
Webar support
Available on webar
Ios support
Available on ios
Android support
Available on android
Web support
Available on web
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
What is 8th Wall and how does it work?
8th Wall was a WebAR platform enabling AR experiences in web browsers without native app installation. As of February 2026, it transitioned to open source at 8thwall.org with free MIT-licensed technology.
SourceIs 8th Wall still available?
The paid hosted platform shut down February 28, 2026. The core technology was released as open source at 8thwall.org. Existing published projects remain online until February 28, 2027, when all hosted content will be permanently deleted.
SourceWhat licensing is available for 8th Wall?
8th Wall is now released under the MIT open source license at no cost for commercial use. Previously, commercial licensing started at $700 per month per project.
SourceBehind it
Who makes 8th Wall
- Company
- Niantic
- Based in
- San Francisco, California
- Founders
- Erik Murphy-Chutorian
Timeline
8th Wall over time
- Licence change2026-02-28
8th Wall transitions to open source MIT license, hosted platform shuts down
Source - Acquisition2022-03-10
Niantic acquires 8th Wall for undisclosed amount
Source - Launch2020-05-26
8th Wall launches augmented reality face effects for the web
Source - Launch2017-08-01
8th Wall launches cross-platform tools for mobile AR
Source
Keep looking
Where to go from 8th Wall
- 8th Wall alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- 8th Wall pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- 8th Wall badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All AR VR softwareThe full category
- Best AR VR softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best AR VR software for
Compare 8th Wall with
- Unity AR Foundation
- Lens Studio
- Spark AR Studio
- ARCore
- Frame VR
- Unreal Engine VR
- Wikitude
- WebXR Device API
- ARKit
- Vuforia
- Microsoft HoloLens 2
- Virbela
- Gravity Sketch
- Magic Leap 2
- Masterpiece VR
- Medium by Adobe
- Instagram AR Effects
- Apple Vision Pro
Other AR VR software
Enterprise mixed reality for the modern workplace
From $3,500/one-time12 researched notes
Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for 8th Wall, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on 8th Wall
8th Wall alternatives
What people switch to, and what they give up
8th Wall pricing
Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
Compare 8th Wall
Put it head to head with anything we hold
8th Wall badge
Its rating, and an embed for your own site
Best AR VR software alternatives
Powerful 3D engine for the web with WebXR