KIRI Engine vs Polycam

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

Analysis reviewed Live tool data as of 2026-08-23
Cross-checked through our multi-step verification ·
Saved

At a glance

DimensionKIRI EnginePolycam
PricingFreemium / $15/mo ProFreemium / $9.99/mo Pro
Best For3D printing, game assets, NeRF/3DGS scanningAEC floor plans, drone mapping, professional scanning
Unique TechNeRF featureless scan, 3DGS with mesh exportAI 3D generator (beta), automatic floor plans
Export FormatsOBJ, STL, GLTF, FBX, USDZGLTF, OBJ, FBX, USDZ, PLY, LAS, DXF + more
PlatformiOS, Android, Web (no desktop)iOS, Android, Web, desktop (browser)
Recent News ImpactNo recent updatesHDRI lighting now live; floor plan editor improved

If you need advanced scanning of challenging surfaces (shiny/transparent) or 3DGS for real-time assets, KIRI Engine is the winner. For professional AEC workflows, automatic floor plans, or drone scanning, Polycam’s broader export list and professional support make it the better choice.

Try KIRI EngineTry Polycam
KIRI Engine
KIRI Engine

Mobile 3D scanning app with photogrammetry, LiDAR, NeRF, and 3D Gaussian Splatting for iPhone, Android, and web.

Visit Website
Polycam
Polycam

AI-powered 3D scanning, floor plans, and reality capture for mobile, drones, and teams.

Visit Website
Pricing
Freemium
Freemium
Plans
$0/mo
$79.99/year ($6.66/mo)
$17.99/mo
$0/mo
$12.50/mo (yearly) or $30/mo (monthly)
$25/mo per user (yearly) or $400/mo per user (monthly)
$1200/yr per seat (3 seats minimum)
Popularity
15 views
7.5k views
Skill Level
Beginner-friendly
Beginner-friendly
API Available
Platforms
WebMobile
WebMobileAPI
Categories
🧊 3D Generation & Scanning
🧊 3D Generation & Scanning🏠 Interior Design & Architecture👷 Construction & Field Service
Features
Photo Scan (photogrammetry) produces high-quality 3D mesh and textures
LiDAR Scan for room, scene, and object capture on iOS devices
Featureless Object Scan using NeRF for shiny/reflective/transparent objects
3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) scan with mesh-included export
AI-generated PBR materials (Albedo, Roughness, Normal, Displacement)
Quad mesh retopology with selectable poly count and curve ratio
Auto-rig generation for animation and motion capture
Dynamic decimation to reduce poly count
High-poly export with million-level vertices and up to 8K textures
Advanced camera control (shutter speed, exposure value)
In-app cropping and texturing tools
3D model embedder for any website
3DGS plug-in for Unreal Engine 5
Web-based upload and processing (cloud)
API for developers
LiDAR spatial scanning for rooms and buildings
Object capture with AI-assisted processing
Photogrammetry from photos/video (up to 2000 images on Business)
Drone photogrammetry processing for aerial models
2D and 3D floor plan generation with editable walls
AI 3D model generator (beta)
AI texture generator (beta)
Gaussian splatting tool
HDRI lighting with 5 presets (iOS and Web)
Virtual Walkthrough (full on Business, preview on Free/Basic)
Apple Vision Pro viewing
Point cloud exports (PLY, LAS, Geo-LAS, PTS, XYZ, DXF)
Mesh exports (GLTF, OBJ, FBX, DAE, STL, USDZ, ESX)
360 photosphere capture
API access (Enterprise)
Integrations
Blender
Unreal Engine
Tripo
VIVERSE
Xactimate
SketchUp
Apple Vision Pro

What real users say: KIRI Engine 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.

KIRI Engine

85 mentions across 5 sources · 48% positive — mixed

Hacker News, YouTube, App Store, Bluesky, Lemmy

What users praise

  • • Free unlimited scans and exports on the free tier.
  • • Supports NeRF-based scanning for shiny and transparent objects.
  • • Integrates photogrammetry, LiDAR, NeRF, and 3DGS in one app.
  • • Blender add-ons for 3DGS rendering and mesh wrapping are free.

What frustrates them

  • • LiDAR scanning crashes repeatedly on iOS, especially newer iPhones.
  • • App crashes then prompts for subscription, frustrating free users.
  • • Fine details are often lost in exported meshes.
  • • No built-in reference scaling—size accuracy is unclear.

Researched Jul 4, 2026

Polycam

61 mentions across 4 sources · 55% positive — mixed

Hacker News, YouTube, Product Hunt, App Store

What users praise

  • • Fast, easy LiDAR scans with minimal learning curve.
  • • Generates mesh, floor plan, and idealized model from one scan.
  • • Cross-platform with iOS, Android, and web support.
  • • Free tier includes valuable tools like AI generator and Gaussian splat.

What frustrates them

  • • Scan reliability is spotty: failed uploads, lost tracking, backdrop capture.
  • • Dimensions and full floor plans locked behind $400 paywall.
  • • Curved walls and stairs render angular, forcing Matterport for pros.
  • • Confusing free/paid feature split, feels like dark patterns.

Researched Aug 18, 2026

Who should pick which

  • 3D printing hobbyist
    Pick: KIRI Engine

    KIRI Engine's quad mesh retopology, decimation, and OBJ/STL exports produce manifold, low-poly models ideal for printing.

  • Architect needing floor plans
    Pick: Polycam

    Polycam's automatic floor plan generation and measurements are purpose-built for AEC, with recent editor improvements.

  • Game developer creating real-time assets
    Pick: KIRI Engine

    KIRI Engine's 3DGS with mesh export, FBX/GLTF support, and auto-rigging streamline game asset creation.

  • Drone mapping professional
    Pick: Polycam

    Polycam processes drone imagery into 3D models and point clouds, with exports like PLY and LAS for GIS.

  • VFX artist scanning shiny props
    Pick: KIRI Engine

    NeRF featureless scan handles reflective/transparent objects that photogrammetry fails on.

Frequently Asked Questions

KIRI Engine vs Polycam: which should you choose?

If you need advanced scanning of challenging surfaces (shiny/transparent) or 3DGS for real-time assets, KIRI Engine is the winner. For professional AEC workflows, automatic floor plans, or drone scanning, Polycam’s broader export list and professional support make it the better choice.

Can KIRI Engine scan shiny objects?

Yes, using its NeRF-based featureless object scan mode, it captures shiny and transparent surfaces that standard photogrammetry cannot.

Does Polycam support drone scanning?

Yes, Polycam has a dedicated drone photogrammetry processing feature for capturing large sites from aerial images.

Which tool exports point clouds?

Polycam exports point cloud formats like PLY, LAS, and DXF; KIRI Engine does not include point cloud exports.

Can I use KIRI Engine offline?

Processing is cloud-based, so an internet connection is required. Capture itself can be done offline, but processing and export need connectivity.

Is Polycam free?

It has a free tier limited to 5 captures per month; Pro costs $9.99/month or $79.99/year.

Which tool has better mesh editing tools?

KIRI Engine offers PBR materials, quad mesh retopology, auto-rigging, and decimation, giving it stronger built-in mesh editing for 3D printing and game assets.

Does Polycam have AI model generation?

Yes, Polycam includes a beta AI 3D model generator and an AI texture generator, which are not available in KIRI Engine.

Which app is better for interior design?

Polycam is better with its automatic floor plan generation, measurements, and HDRI lighting presets (added Feb 2026), essential for interior documentation.

More KIRI Engine or Polycam comparisons

Airtable vs Polycam comparison

Polycam and Airtable serve completely different needs: Polycam is a dedicated 3D scanning and reality capture tool for AEC and media professionals, while Airtable is a collaborative database platform

Notion vs Polycam comparison

Polycam and Notion serve completely different purposes. Polycam is a specialized 3D scanning tool for professionals needing photogrammetry, floor plans, and drone mapping, while Notion is a general-pu

Miro vs Polycam comparison

Polycam and Miro serve entirely different needs: Polycam is a specialized tool for capturing real-world 3D data (scanning, floor plans, drone mapping) while Miro is a broad collaboration platform for

LM Studio vs Polycam comparison

Choosing between LM Studio and Polycam is straightforward: they solve completely different problems. LM Studio is ideal for developers who need private, offline LLM inference on their own hardware, wh

Linear vs Polycam comparison

If you need reality capture and 3D scanning for architecture, construction, or forensics, Polycam is the clear choice. For product development teams seeking AI-native issue tracking, triage, and agent

Sketch vs Polycam comparison

Choose Polycam if you need reality capture—3D scanning objects, interiors, or floor plans for AEC, forensics, or game dev. Choose Sketch if you’re a macOS UI/UX designer who values native performance,

Explore each tool further

KIRI Engine
View KIRI Engine reviewKIRI Engine alternatives
Polycam
View Polycam reviewPolycam alternatives

Browse these categories

Best 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