Charios vs Polycam
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | Charios | Polycam |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | 2D character animation with mocap | 3D scanning and reality capture |
| Pricing Model | Freemium (free tier + paid plans) | Freemium (free tier + paid plans) |
| Key Technology | Auto alpha-island detection, 87 bundled mocap clips, BVH/FBX retargeting | AI-assisted photogrammetry, LiDAR scanning, Gaussian splatting, floor plan generation |
| Export Formats | Unity prefab, Godot scene, Unreal Paper2D, GIF, PNG sequence, JSON | GLTF, OBJ, FBX, USDZ, PLY, LAS, STL, DAE, ESX, DXF |
| Best For | Indie game devs, solo artists, game jam teams | Architects, engineers, forensics, product designers |
| Latest News Impact | New tutorials on game animation workflows (Godot, Unreal mobile, horror, sports) | HDRI lighting on iOS/Web; MeshLab/CloudCompare/Blender optimization tutorials |
Charios and Polycam serve completely different needs: one animates 2D characters, the other captures 3D reality. If you're a game developer needing fast, rig-free 2D animation from static art, Charios is a perfect fit with its massive mocap library and direct engine exports. For architects, engineers, or anyone scanning real-world objects and spaces, Polycam offers powerful AI photogrammetry and floor plan generation. Your choice depends purely on whether your workflow is 2D character animation or 3D reality capture.
Browser-based 2D character animation that turns layered PNGs into rigged, playable humanoids in minutes
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Polycam turns phone LiDAR, photos, and drone footage into 3D models, floor plans, and point clouds.
Visit WebsiteWhat real users say: Charios 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.
Charios
3 mentions across 2 sources · 88% positive (averaged across 2 sources)
Product Hunt, Bluesky
What users praise
- • No rigging needed — drag layered PNG into browser and animate.
- • Supports BVH and FBX mocap import with automatic retargeting.
- • 87 bundled motion clips cover common game actions like walk, run, jump.
- • Exports to Unity, Godot, Unreal Paper2D, GIF, and JSON.
What frustrates them
- • Very few community reviews to validate real-world performance.
- • No independent benchmarks or comparisons to Spine/DragonBones.
- • Pricing plans beyond free tier are not detailed in available data.
- • Limited integration information — no specific tool integrations listed.
Researched Jul 3, 2026
Polycam
68 mentions across 5 sources · 42% positive — mixed (weighted across 5 sources)
Reddit, Hacker News, YouTube, Product Hunt, App Store
What users praise
- • Produces usable point clouds and meshes from a plain iPhone in a single site visit
- • Genuinely fast — users report scan-to-model turnaround in minutes, not days
- • Broad export coverage: seven mesh formats plus six point cloud formats
- • Fire investigators use it for measurements, 3D models, and Meta Quest walkthrough training
What frustrates them
- • Aggressive trial auto-billing: multiple users report $400/yr charges after 7-day trials
- • Long-standing Pro users report older scans reverting to unprocessable Draft status
- • Measurements and dimensions sit behind an expensive tier above the monthly plan
- • Floor plans described as poor and measurements 'very inaccurate' by paying users
Researched Oct 7, 2026
Who should pick which
- Indie game developer creating 2D charactersPick: Charios
Charios eliminates rigging and provides instant mocap-driven animation with direct exports to Unity, Godot, and Unreal Engine.
- Architect needing on-site floor plansPick: Polycam
Polycam generates automatic floor plans with measurements from LiDAR or photogrammetry, perfect for quick documentation.
- Solo artist turning static art into animated charactersPick: Charios
Charios auto-detects layers and lets you drag them to bones with live preview, no rigging skills required.
- Forensics team documenting a crime scenePick: Polycam
Polycam's fast LiDAR capture and photogrammetry provide accurate 3D models and measurements for documentation.
- Game jam team needing multiple animated characters quicklyPick: Charios
Charios allows uploading layered PNGs and applying mocap clips in minutes, saving hours of manual animation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Charios vs Polycam: which should you choose?
Charios and Polycam serve completely different needs: one animates 2D characters, the other captures 3D reality. If you're a game developer needing fast, rig-free 2D animation from static art, Charios is a perfect fit with its massive mocap library and direct engine exports. For architects, engineers, or anyone scanning real-world objects and spaces, Polycam offers powerful AI photogrammetry and floor plan generation. Your choice depends purely on whether your workflow is 2D character animation or 3D reality capture.
Can Charios animate 3D characters?
No, Charios is designed exclusively for 2D characters with a 17-bone humanoid skeleton.
Can Polycam scan objects for 3D printing?
Yes, Polycam exports to STL and other formats suitable for 3D printing.
Does Charios require internet?
Yes, Charios is a browser-based tool and requires internet access.
Does Polycam work with drone footage?
Yes, Polycam supports drone photogrammetry processing.
What integrations does Charios have?
Charios integrates with Unity, Godot, Unreal Engine 5, Rokoko, Mixamo, Truebones, CMU Motion Capture, Supabase, Vercel, Cloudflare R2, and Polar.
What integrations does Polycam have?
Polycam does not list specific integrations, but exports to 15+ formats for use in various software.
Which tool is better for game development?
Charios is tailored for 2D game animation; Polycam can be used to create 3D assets but requires additional workflow steps.
Are there free tiers for both?
Yes, both offer freemium models with limited features or usage.
More Charios or Polycam comparisons
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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026