Open Design vs Polycam

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

Analysis reviewed Live tool data as of 2026-08-23
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At a glance

DimensionOpen DesignPolycam
PricingFreemium (Pro ~$19/mo)Freemium (Pro ~$79/mo)
Primary UseAI-powered visual design3D scanning & floor plans
PlatformDesktop (local-first)iOS, Android, Web
Output FormatsHTML, PDF, PPTX, MP415+ 3D formats (GLTF, OBJ, FBX, etc.)
AI ModelsBYOK to 21+ agents (Claude, Codex, etc.)Proprietary AI for photogrammetry & generation
Open SourceYes, Apache-2.0No

Choose Polycam if you need professional 3D scanning, floor plans, or LiDAR capture with robust export options. Choose Open Design if you want a local-first, open-source design tool powered by your choice of coding agents. They serve different domains: real-world capture versus digital design generation.

Try Open DesignTry Polycam
Open Design
Open Design

Open-source, local-first design workspace that turns your coding agent into a design engine

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Polycam
Polycam

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

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Pricing
Freemium
Freemium
Plans
$0/mo
$20/mo (first month $16)
$100/mo (first month $70)
$200/mo (first month $120)
$105/seat/mo (first year 40% off, min 3 seats)
Custom
$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
23 views
7.5k views
Skill Level
Beginner-friendly
Beginner-friendly
API Available
Platforms
DesktopCLIPlugin
WebMobileAPI
Categories
🚀 AI App & Website Builders🎭 Design & UI💻 Code & Development
🧊 3D Generation & Scanning🏠 Interior Design & Architecture👷 Construction & Field Service
Features
Local-first desktop app and daemon
Plug in 17+ coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, etc.)
BYOK (bring your own API keys)
Generate prototypes, landing pages, dashboards, slides, images, HTML video
Composable design systems via portable DESIGN.md
Live preview and edit in sandbox
Export to HTML, PDF, PPTX, MP4
162+ Skills workflows
152+ Design Systems
447+ plugin marketplace
Zero-config professional design agent
Hosted model credits for premium models
Self-hostable daemon (Node 24)
Session resilience and clarifying questions (v0.15.1)
Shared team workspace (v0.18.0)
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
Claude Code
Codex
Cursor
Gemini CLI
GitHub Copilot CLI
Grok
Hermes
Kimi
Devin for Terminal
OpenCode
Qwen
DeepSeek
Pi
Mistral Vibe
Kiro
Xactimate
SketchUp
Apple Vision Pro

Who should pick which

  • Architect
    Pick: Polycam

    Needs on-site floor plans and 3D scanning with measurements and export to BIM formats. Polycam's floor plan generation and drone photogrammetry fit this workflow.

  • Solo founder building a landing page
    Pick: Open Design

    Can generate prototypes, landing pages, and slides from prompts using any coding agent. Local-first and open-source. Saves hiring a designer.

  • Product designer scanning physical prototypes
    Pick: Polycam

    Polycam's LiDAR and photogrammetry quickly digitize objects for digital review and export to GLTF/OBJ.

  • Marketing manager creating video ads
    Pick: Open Design

    Open Design can produce HTML video (MP4) from prompts, directly usable for social media. Also generates slides and landing pages.

  • Forensics team documenting scenes
    Pick: Polycam

    Fast, accurate LiDAR scans and photogrammetry with point cloud exports (LAS, PLY). Used by professionals for reliable scene capture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Open Design vs Polycam: which should you choose?

Choose Polycam if you need professional 3D scanning, floor plans, or LiDAR capture with robust export options. Choose Open Design if you want a local-first, open-source design tool powered by your choice of coding agents. They serve different domains: real-world capture versus digital design generation.

Do I need an internet connection to use Polycam?

Partly. Capture can be offline, but processing and AI features require cloud upload.

Can Open Design run fully offline?

Yes, it's local-first. However, you need internet to download the app initially and to use API keys for AI models (unless you run a local model).

What file formats does Polycam export?

GLTF, OBJ, FBX, USDZ, PLY, LAS, STL, DAE, ESX, DXF, and more—15+ formats.

What file formats can Open Design export?

HTML, PDF, PPTX, MP4. Also real files that you can run or edit.

Is Open Design free? I don't want to pay for AI.

The software is free and open-source. You only pay if you use a paid API key (e.g., Claude, OpenAI) or upgrade to Pro plan for extra features.

Does Polycam have a free tier? What are the limits?

Yes, a free tier exists but is limited. Likely watermarked exports, lower resolution, and fewer captures per month.

Which tool is better for 3D modeling from scratch?

Neither is a full 3D modeling tool. Polycam captures real objects; Open Design generates 2D designs and prototypes. Consider Blender for 3D modeling.

Can I use my own AI model with Open Design?

Yes, it supports BYOK and can plug in 21+ coding agents including Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, and more.

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Explore each tool further

Open Design
View Open Design reviewOpen Design alternatives
Polycam
View Polycam reviewPolycam alternatives

Browse these categories

Best AI AI App & Website Builders toolsBest AI 3D Generation & Scanning toolsBest AI Design & UI toolsBest AI Interior Design & Architecture tools
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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026