Rooms vs Polycam
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | Rooms | Polycam |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Type | Browser-based 3D creation & scripting | Mobile & desktop 3D scanning & floor plans |
| Core Technology | Visual editor + JavaScript-like API + AI characters | AI photogrammetry, LiDAR, drone, Gaussian splatting |
| Output Capabilities | Interactive 3D rooms shared via link (desktop/iOS) | 3D models, floor plans, point clouds; 15+ export formats |
| Target User | Creative makers, educators, hobbyists, social devs | Architects, engineers, forensics, product designers, media pros |
| Recent Update | No recent news | HDRI lighting toggle (5 presets) on iOS/Web (Feb 2026); Library UI compacted (Mar 2026) |
If you want to create interactive 3D rooms in your browser for free, Rooms is unbeatable. If you need to capture real-world spaces and objects with photogrammetry, LiDAR, or drones, Polycam is the professional-grade choice—especially with its recent HDRI lighting and UI improvements. Choose based on your creative goal: virtual worlds vs. reality capture.

Free browser-based 3D world builder with AI characters, physics, and a JavaScript-like scripting API.
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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: Rooms 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.
Rooms
43 mentions across 2 sources · 43% positive — mixed (averaged across 2 sources)
Hacker News, Lemmy
What users praise
- • Free to use with no premium tiers announced yet.
- • Browser-based, no installation required — easy to start.
- • Visual scripting with JavaScript API for advanced customization.
- • Remix any existing room to accelerate creation.
What frustrates them
- • No direct community feedback confirms quality or usability.
- • Limited platforms — desktop browser and iOS only.
- • No integrations with popular tools like Slack or Zapier.
- • Support channels are unknown or nonexistent.
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
- Educator teaching programming through game designPick: Rooms
Rooms provides a free, browser-based environment with visual scripting and AI characters, ideal for teaching coding concepts interactively without installation.
- Architect needing on-site floor plans and 3D capturesPick: Polycam
Polycam generates automatic floor plans with measurements from LiDAR or photos, exports in AEC-friendly formats, and recent updates improved the floor plan editor.
- Hobbyist creating interactive 3D art galleries for webPick: Rooms
Rooms allows remixing and scripting of 3D spaces with particle effects, sound, and multiplayer—perfect for immersive browser-based galleries at zero cost.
- Forensics investigator requiring accurate scene documentationPick: Polycam
Polycam’s LiDAR and photogrammetry produce high-fidelity 3D models with measurements, exportable to point clouds (LAS/PLY) for analysis in CloudCompare.
- Product designer scanning prototypes for digital reviewPick: Polycam
Polycam captures detailed object scans from photos or LiDAR, with AI-assisted processing and export to GLTF/USDZ for CAD or AR review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rooms vs Polycam: which should you choose?
If you want to create interactive 3D rooms in your browser for free, Rooms is unbeatable. If you need to capture real-world spaces and objects with photogrammetry, LiDAR, or drones, Polycam is the professional-grade choice—especially with its recent HDRI lighting and UI improvements. Choose based on your creative goal: virtual worlds vs. reality capture.
Can I use Rooms offline?
No, Rooms is entirely browser-based and requires an internet connection.
Does Polycam support Android devices?
Yes, Polycam uses ARCore for LiDAR-like scanning on Android, but iOS offers native LiDAR for higher detail.
Can I export a Rooms project as a 3D file (OBJ/GLTF)?
No, Rooms only shares via a link for playback in browser or iOS app; no standard 3D model export.
What file formats does Polycam export?
GLTF, OBJ, FBX, USDZ, PLY, LAS, STL, DAE, ESX, DXF, and more (15+ total).
Is Polycam free for unlimited scanning?
No, free tier has limited exports (low resolution) and processing; pay for unlimited high-res exports.
Does Rooms have a multiplayer feature?
Yes, Rooms supports multiplayer messaging and go-to-room/user linking for shared experiences.
Can Polycam generate floor plans?
Yes, it automatically generates floor plans with measurements from spatial captures, and you can edit them (drag overlap fix added March 2026).
Which tool is better for beginners?
Rooms is easier for beginners interested in 3D creation, while Polycam requires some learning for reality capture; both have free options.
More Rooms 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