Artifact vs Polycam

Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings

Analysis reviewed Live tool data as of 2026-10-18
Cross-checked through our multi-step verification ·
Saved

At a glance

DimensionArtifactPolycam
Target UsersAerospace/defense hardware engineers, electrical system designersArchitects, AEC professionals, media creators, product designers, forensics
Core FunctionVersion‑controlled, collaborative electrical schematic design with auto‑generated harness drawingsAI‑assisted 3D scanning and photogrammetry from photos, LiDAR, drone imagery
Key FeaturesReal‑time collaboration, branching/snapshots/release freezing, net tracing, ITAR‑compliant GovCloud, bidirectional 3D CAD linkGaussian splatting, HDRI lighting, floor plan editor, AI mesh & texture generator (beta), 15+ export formats
PlatformWeb‑based (SaaS), GovCloud deployment availableiOS LiDAR, Android ARCore, web, desktop for drone/photos
DevicesAny web browseriOS (LiDAR), Android (ARCore), drone, photo/video upload
Try ArtifactTry Polycam
Artifact
Artifact

Collaborative, version-controlled ECAD for electrical systems, wire harnesses, and hardware teams.

Visit Website
Polycam
Polycam

Polycam turns phone LiDAR, photos and drone footage into 3D models, floor plans and point clouds for AEC and real estate teams.

Visit Website
Pricing
Contact Sales
Freemium
Plans
—
$0
$150/year ($12.50/mo billed yearly; $30/mo billed monthly)
$400/year per user ($33/mo per user billed yearly)
$1200/year per user (3 users minimum, billed yearly)
Popularity
5 views
7.5k views
Skill Level
Advanced
Beginner-friendly
API Available
Platforms
WebAPI
WebMobile
Categories
💻 Code & Development
🧊 3D Generation & Scanning🏠 Interior Design & Architecture👷 Construction & Field Service
Features
Real-time multi-user collaborative electrical schematic design
Version control with branching, snapshots, and release freezing
Auto-generated harness drawings from system schematics
Electrical rules checks plus project rules checks across multiple systems
Multi-layered Navigation Map with nested Design Blocks
Net tracing across mated connectors and cross-system
Export BOMs, pinout tables, and harness drawings that stay synced
Bidirectional link to 3D CAD systems
Parts library with new parts, bulk CSV upload, and public library
Upload PCB pinouts and add COTS components
Custom annotations and treatments like zipties and overbraid
Advanced parameter management for components
Update from Library button flags diagram-vs-library drift in the Properties Pane
Unlimited viewer licenses for read-only stakeholders
ITAR/CUI-compliant GovCloud and customer-cloud deployment options
LiDAR and non-LiDAR space capture of rooms, buildings and interiors
360 photosphere capture with an in-app 360 image viewer
Object capture turning phone photos into shareable 3D models
AI Capture generating 3D models from low photo counts
Instant 3D and editable 2D floor plans with auto fixture and furniture detection
Advanced measure tools: interior measure, pen measure and auto measure
Automated measurements, floor area, blueprints, room labels and compass
Editable wall thickness and custom color themes on floor plans
Drone and aerial photogrammetry processed into site-scale 3D models
Photogrammetry up to 2000 images and 30-minute videos per capture on Business and Enterprise
Gaussian splatting with unlimited splats on Basic and up
AI generated reports on all tiers
Virtual walkthroughs and shared team library on Business and up
Mesh exports: GLTF, OBJ, FBX, DAE, STL, USDZ, ESX
Point cloud exports: PLY, LAS, Geo-LAS, PTS, XYZ, DXF
Integrations
Xactimate
SketchUp
Unity
Blender
Unreal Engine
Maya
3ds Max
Rhino
Three.js
Apple Vision Pro

What real users say: Artifact vs Polycam

Not marketing copy and not our opinion — a structured sweep of public discussion (reviews, forums, communities and video comments), showing what people praise and what they complain about for each tool.

Artifact

63 mentions across 6 sources · 0% positive — critical (averaged across 6 sources)

Reddit, Hacker News, Product Hunt, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Lemmy

What users praise

  • • Web-based ECAD with real-time collaboration across teams.
  • • Version control with branching, snapshots, and release freezing.
  • • Automatic harness drawing, pin-tables, and BOM generation.
  • • ITAR/CUI-compliant GovCloud deployment for defense projects.

What frustrates them

  • • No pricing transparency—only 'contact us' available.
  • • Advertised as advanced, likely steep learning curve.
  • • Limited community support due to niche focus.
  • • Dependency on network for web-based design work.

Researched Jul 30, 2026

Polycam

64 mentions across 5 sources · 49% positive — mixed (weighted across 5 sources)

Reddit, Hacker News, YouTube, Product Hunt, App Store

What users praise

  • • Fast one-visit site capture with phone LiDAR — no dedicated scanner hardware required
  • • Floor plan generation with editable walls, fixtures, and room labels is genuinely useful for AEC walkthroughs
  • • Wide export coverage: seven mesh formats plus six point cloud formats including LAS and Geo-LAS
  • • Cross-platform (iOS, Android, web) means teams can scan on the phone they already carry

What frustrates them

  • • Auto-renew after the 7-day trial has produced multiple 1-star 'scam' App Store reviews
  • • Support is 'slow' and 'the worst' per Reddit — no phone line, weeks of silence on billing issues
  • • Measurement accuracy is inconsistent — one App Store reviewer calls results 'very inaccurate'
  • • Free tier feels like adware: 3 AI captures, 150 images, features that used to be free are paywalled

Researched Oct 14, 2026

Who should pick which

  • Architect needing floor plans
    Pick: Polycam

    Polycam generates automatic floor plans with measurements from LiDAR or photos, and the floor plan editor lets you fix overlaps.

  • Aerospace harness engineer
    Pick: Artifact

    Artifact provides version control, automatic harness drawing generation, and ITAR‑compliant GovCloud, essential for defense work.

  • Product designer scanning prototypes
    Pick: Polycam

    Polycam’s LiDAR and photo‑based scanning creates detailed meshes for digital review, with export to CAD formats.

  • Electrical system team needing collaboration
    Pick: Artifact

    Artifact’s real‑time collaboration, branching, and net tracing enable multi‑engineer design of complex harnesses.

  • Media creator for VFX sets
    Pick: Polycam

    Polycam supports Gaussian splatting and HDRI lighting for immersive virtual walkthroughs and 3D props.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Polycam be used for ITAR‑compliant work?

No. Polycam does not offer ITAR compliance. Artifact provides GovCloud deployment for CUI/ITAR compliance.

Does Artifact create 3D models or floor plans?

No. Artifact is an ECAD tool for electrical schematic design and harness drawings, not for 3D scanning or photogrammetry.

What export formats does Polycam support?

GLTF, OBJ, FBX, USDZ, PLY, LAS, STL, DAE, ESX, DXF, plus point cloud formats.

Does Artifact have a free tier?

Artifact pricing is contact‑based; there is no publicly known free tier. The company targets enterprise teams.

Can I use Polycam for drone photogrammetry?

Yes. Polycam processes drone imagery for 3D models and surveys, used in AEC site surveys.

Does Artifact integrate with 3D CAD?

Yes. It offers bidirectional linking to 3D CAD systems to keep electrical and mechanical designs in sync.

Which tool has a mobile app?

Polycam has iOS and Android apps for on‑site capture. Artifact is web‑only (desktop browser).

Which tool is better for a solo hobbyist?

Polycam's free tier is suitable for hobbyist 3D scanning. Artifact is overkill and likely too expensive for hobbyists.

More Artifact or Polycam comparisons

Airtable vs Polycam comparison

Don't cross-shop these. Polycam is a capture tool that turns the physical world — rooms, prototypes, job sites — into 3D models, floor plans, and point clouds you export to SketchUp, Blender, or Unity

Notion vs Polycam comparison

These are not competitors and you should never be choosing between them — Polycam is a capture tool that turns a phone, drone, or LiDAR scan into a 3D model, floor plan, or point cloud, and Notion is

Miro vs Polycam comparison

These two don't compete — a buyer almost never chooses between them. Polycam is a capture tool: you point a phone, drone or LiDAR at a physical space and get floor plans, meshes and point clouds you c

Linear vs Polycam comparison

These two products never meet in a buying decision, and treating them as rivals would mislead you. If your problem is documenting a physical site — rooms, buildings, props, a claims scene — Polycam is

LM Studio vs Polycam comparison

These tools don't compete — they solve unrelated problems, and no buyer shortlists both. If your problem is running open models locally (GLM, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen3.8) for private agentic work, LM Stud

Sketch vs Polycam comparison

You are not choosing between these. Polycam and Sketch solve different problems for different people, and no buyer with one budget and one job shortlists both. Pick Polycam if you need to digitise a p

Explore each tool further

Artifact
View Artifact reviewArtifact alternatives
Polycam
View Polycam reviewPolycam alternatives

Browse these categories

Best AI Code & Development toolsBest AI 3D Generation & Scanning toolsBest AI Interior Design & Architecture toolsBest AI Construction & Field Service tools
Still deciding? Get the weekly AI tools brief

One email a week — new tools, honest comparisons, no spam.

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026