Colormind vs Polycam
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | Colormind | Polycam |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | AI color palette generation | 3D scanning & photogrammetry |
| Key Feature | Deep learning palettes from photos/movies, image upload, REST API | LiDAR scanning, floor plan generation, HDRI lighting (5 presets), Gaussian splatting |
| Output Format | Hex/RGB colors, downloadable palette image | GLTF, OBJ, FBX, USDZ, PLY, LAS, STL, DAE, ESX, DXF |
| User Focus | Web designers, UI/UX designers, artists, developers | Architects, engineers, forensics, product designers, AEC professionals |
| Offline Use | Web-only, no offline | Capture on device; cloud processing required |
Colormind is a free AI color palette generator that builds five-swatch schemes from film, photo, and art datasets.
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Polycam turns phone LiDAR, photos and drone footage into 3D models, floor plans and point clouds for AEC and real estate teams.
Visit WebsiteWhat real users say: Colormind 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.
Colormind
1 mentions across 1 sources · 30% positive — critical (averaged across 1 source)
Lemmy
What users praise
- • Free to use with no paywall.
- • Uses deep learning (GAN) for visually appealing palettes.
- • Can extract colors from uploaded images.
- • Lock specific colors to guide generation.
What frustrates them
- • No community feedback to confirm strengths.
- • Lacks advanced features like accessibility checks.
- • Dependent on limited daily datasets for variety.
- • No collaboration or sharing features apparent.
Researched Jul 3, 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 scanning interior spacesPick: Polycam
Polycam's LiDAR scanning and automatic floor plan generation with measurements directly serve architectural documentation, with HDRI lighting enhancement now available.
- UI/UX designer seeking color inspirationPick: Colormind
Colormind's deep learning palettes from photos and movies provide quick, cohesive color schemes for web and app interfaces, and it's free.
- Forensics team documenting a scenePick: Polycam
Polycam's fast, accurate 3D scanning (including drone support) and export to point cloud formats (PLY, LAS) meet forensic documentation needs.
- Developer needing programmatic color generationPick: Colormind
Colormind offers a REST API for integrating AI color palette generation into apps or design tools, with no cost for basic use.
- VFX artist scanning props for game assetsPick: Polycam
Polycam's AI model/texture generator (beta) and export to GLTF/OBJ/FBX are ideal for creating 3D assets from real-world objects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Polycam generate floor plans from photos?
Yes, Polycam can automatically generate floor plans with measurements from a series of photos or video, and the floor plan editor now lets you drag overlapping objects to fix misalignments.
Is Colormind really free forever?
Yes, Colormind is entirely free with no paid tiers. All features including image upload, API access, and dataset changes are available at no cost.
Does Polycam support drone photogrammetry?
Yes, Polycam allows importing drone photos for photogrammetry processing, suitable for AEC site surveys and mapping.
Can I use Colormind offline?
No, Colormind is a web-only tool and requires an internet connection to generate palettes or upload images.
What export formats does Polycam offer?
Polycam exports to GLTF, OBJ, FBX, USDZ, PLY, LAS, STL, DAE, ESX, and DXF, covering both mesh and point cloud formats.
Does Colormind have an API?
Yes, Colormind provides a REST API for programmatic color generation, useful for developers integrating color palettes into applications.
Which tool is better for 3D scanning objects?
Polycam is the clear choice, with LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, and AI-assisted mesh/texture generation (beta) for high-detail 3D objects.
Can Polycam create HDRI lighting?
Yes, Polycam now includes HDRI lighting with 5 presets (Default, Daylight, Overcast, Sunset, Colorful) on captures for iOS and Web, enhancing visual previews.
More Colormind or Polycam comparisons
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
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
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
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
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
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
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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026