Polycam
AI-powered 3D scanning, floor plans, and reality capture for mobile, drones, and teams.
Polycam is the best mobile-first value in 3D scanning, especially for floor plans and drone processing. The Business plan at $33/user/month (yearly) undercuts Matterport, and the free tier is a useful teaser. For teams needing enterprise SLAs or sub-millimeter accuracy, consider FARO Focus.
Verified 1d ago · liveness 88/100 · cite: rightaichoice.com/tools/polycam
- Architects and engineers generating on-site floor plans
- Forensics teams documenting scenes for faster claims
- Product designers scanning prototypes for manufacturing
- Media creators capturing sets, props, and locations
- Hobbyists wanting unlimited free scanning — free tier has limited captures
- Projects requiring survey-grade accuracy or enterprise SLAs
- Beginners who want fully automated one-click outputs
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Skip Polycam if you need survey-grade accuracy (sub-millimeter) or enterprise-grade SLAs, or if you require offline-only capture — Polycam relies on network processing and doesn't match FARO Focus for precision.
Free tier limits you to 3 AI captures, 10 photogrammetry captures, and 150 images per capture — hit those caps and you'll need to upgrade to Basic.
Polycam's pricing fits freelancers and small AEC teams who need mobile scanning and floor plans—Basic at $12.50/mo yearly undercuts Matterport's $69/mo, and Business at $25/user/mo (yearly) is competitive. Enterprise starts at $1200/yr per seat, cheaper than FARO Focus hardware but lacks survey-grade accuracy.
In short
Polycam — AI-powered 3D scanning, floor plans, and reality capture for mobile, drones, and teams. Best for Architects and engineers generating on-site floor plans, Forensics teams documenting scenes for faster claims, Product designers scanning prototypes for manufacturing. Free to start; paid plans from $12.503/user/mo.
What's new in Polycam
Checked 7 days agoAcross the latest 9 updates: 9 community discussions.
2D to 3D Home Layouts: A Beginner's Guide
Explains how to turn flat floor plans into 3D home layouts using AI digitizers, phone scans, or CAD.
The Complete 3D Scanning Workflow for Architects
Details a five-stage 3D scanning workflow for architects, from capture planning to CAD/BIM handoff.
Affordable Site Mapping Software for Small AEC Teams
Compares budget-friendly site mapping options for small AEC teams, including Polycam and free open-source photogrammetry tools.
Polycam vs. Matterport: Which 3D scanning platform fits your workflow in 2026?
Compares Polycam and Matterport for 3D scanning workflows, aligning tool choice with production pace.
How to Handle Reflective Glass and Mirrors in 3D Scans
Provides practical fixes for reflective surfaces in 3D scans, from matting sprays to capture techniques.
Lightweight Alternatives to Full-Stack Drone Mapping Suites
Compares lighter tools for small AEC firms covering roofs, interiors, and floor plans, versus full-stack drone suites.
Mobile Scanning vs. Drone Mapping for Roof Inspections
Guide on when to use mobile scanning versus drone mapping for roof inspections, highlighting strengths of each.
Reality Capture Workflows for Modern Construction Teams
Explains four reality capture methods—terrestrial LiDAR, mobile LiDAR, photogrammetry, and drone—and their uses.
How to Scan a Building: Interior, Exterior, and Multi-Story Workflows
Covers capture patterns for interiors, multi-story stairwells, exteriors, heritage sites, and stitching sessions.
Viability Score
How well maintained and how widely used is Polycam? Built from what the vendor actually publishes (docs, changelog, tutorials, integrations, pricing), whether the site is live, and how much real users discuss it. How we calculate this
Last calculated: September 2026
How we score →Key Features
- 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
- Instant 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)
About Polycam
Polycam turns photos, video, LiDAR, and drone footage into accurate 3D models, editable floor plans, and immersive walkthroughs. Built for architects, engineers, forensics teams, product designers, and media creators, it runs on iOS, Android, and web—no desktop software or expensive hardware required. Capture spaces, objects, and aerial scenes, then instantly generate shareable 3D models and detailed measurements. The floor plan generator creates instant 2D and 3D plans with automated measurements, wall thickness editing, room labels, and custom color themes, while HDRI lighting presets and Virtual Walkthrough previews make client presentations more accessible. Polycam also offers free tools like an AI 3D model generator, texture generator, Gaussian splat tool, and photogrammetry creator. For professional pipelines, it exports meshes in GLTF, OBJ, FBX, DAE, STL, USDZ, and ESX, and point clouds in PLY, LAS, Geo-LAS, PTS, XYZ, and DXF. Captures are viewable on Apple Vision Pro, and Business plans include point cloud exports and team libraries. Pricing starts free and undercuts traditional scanners like FARO Focus and competitors like Matterport. Choose Polycam when you need a cross-platform, AI-assisted reality capture solution that balances speed and cost for professional workflows.
Behind the Verdict
Most teams don't need a $50,000 laser scanner to document a building. Polycam gets you 80% of the way there for a fraction of the cost, and it fits in your pocket. We've seen construction firms use it to capture as-built conditions before leaving the site, and it's genuinely impressive how fast the floor plan generator turns a LiDAR sweep into an editable 2D plan. Where Polycam shines is the sweet spot between casual photogrammetry and enterprise-grade reality capture. If you're an architect doing quick site surveys, a forensic investigator documenting a crime scene, or a product designer iterating on physical prototypes, the workflow is simple: scan, process, export. The Business tier at $33/user/month (billed yearly) includes features like point cloud exports and virtual walkthroughs that would cost several times more with Matterport. But let's be honest about the limits. Polycam isn't survey-grade—if you need sub-centimeter accuracy for engineering tolerances, you still need a terrestrial LiDAR setup. The free tier is a teaser, not a tool for real work; you're capped at 3 AI captures, 10 photogrammetry captures, and 150 images per capture. And while the app handles reflective surfaces poorly (glass and mirrors), most mobile LiDAR tools do. Compared to Matterport, Polycam is more flexible and cheaper, but Matterport has a stronger ecosystem for real estate listing integration. For AI-generated 3D models from text prompts, Polycam's free tool is a nice bonus, not a core reason to subscribe. Bottom line: if you're a professional who needs to capture reality fast and cheaply, Polycam is the tool to start with. If you need enterprise-grade security, SSO, or regional cloud storage, those are Enterprise add-ons, and you should talk to sales.
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Real-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas Polycam actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
Use Space Capture with LiDAR on iPhone to scan an interior, then generate a 2D/3D floor plan with automated measurements and furniture detection before leaving the site.
Outcome: Instantly have an editable floor plan with measurements, saving hours of manual drafting and improving client communication.
Document an accident scene using Space Capture and LiDAR, then create a virtual walkthrough with annotations for insurance claims.
Outcome: Produce a shareable, accurate 3D record that speeds up claims processing and reduces dispute risks.
Photograph a prototype with Object Capture, process it into a textured 3D model, and export as OBJ for CAD review.
Outcome: Streamline design iteration by sharing 3D captures with team members remotely, reducing the need for physical samples.
Use Cases
- Capture a room and generate a dimensioned 2D floor plan with furniture detection.
- Scan a construction site with Space or Drone mode for progress monitoring.
- Photograph a product and export a textured 3D model for e-commerce or CAD.
- Document an accident scene with LiDAR and generate virtual walkthroughs for insurance.
- Aerial scan a roof using drone footage processed in the cloud.
- Use AI captures to prototype 3D models from minimal photos.
Limitations
- Polycam offers a free plan with limited space, object, and AI captures, GLTF exports and public link sharing.
- Paid tiers (Basic, Business, Enterprise) provide unlimited captures, floor plans, measurement tools, and additional export formats.
- Enterprise adds API access, admin-controlled customization, enhanced data privacy, and custom branding.
as of 2026-08-30
Verification history
We have re-verified Polycam 71 times since . Each pass re-reads the vendor's own pages and re-checks every listed field against that evidence; passes where nothing had changed are marked as such.
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-checked, vendor evidence unchanged
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Showing the 6 most recent of 71 verification passes.
Free to cite with attribution — this page re-verifies continuously.
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Plans compared
For each published Polycam tier: who it actually fits, and what it adds vs. the previous tier. Cross-reference the cost calculator above for projected annual outlay.
Free
$0/mo
Ideal for
Beginners exploring 3D scanning with limited captures and basic exports — perfect for trying object and space scans on a budget.
What this tier adds
Free starting tier with limited captures (3 AI, 10 photogrammetry) and GLTF exports only; no floor plans or private sharing.
Basic
$12.50/mo billed yearly, $30/mo billed monthly
Ideal for
Freelancers and creators needing unlimited captures and private sharing for small projects, without advanced floor plans.
What this tier adds
Unlimited space/object/AI captures, 6 mesh export formats, private link sharing, and 25% off Business — but no floor plans or point clouds.
Business
$33/mo per user billed yearly, $400/yr per user
Ideal for
Professional teams and AEC firms requiring floor plans, measurements, point cloud exports, and team collaboration.
What this tier adds
Adds 2D/3D floor plans, advanced measure tools, point cloud exports, virtual walkthroughs, AI reports, and team library — essential for professional workflows.
Enterprise
$1200/yr per seat, 3 seats minimum
Ideal for
Large organizations needing API access, SSO, GDPR compliance, and custom branding for enterprise deployment.
What this tier adds
All Business features plus content management API, admin customization, enhanced privacy, custom branding — with 3-seat minimum and custom billing.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where Polycam's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
Polycam's pricing fits freelancers and small AEC teams who need mobile scanning and floor plans—Basic at $12.50/mo yearly undercuts Matterport's $69/mo, and Business at $25/user/mo (yearly) is competitive. Enterprise starts at $1200/yr per seat, cheaper than FARO Focus hardware but lacks survey-grade accuracy.
Setup time & first value
How long it actually takes to get something useful out of Polycam — broken out by persona, not the marketing-page minute.
iOS/Android: download app, sign up, and start capturing in under 5 minutes. Web: upload photos or drone footage and process within minutes. Floor plans are generated in seconds after capture. Full workflow from capture to export can be done in under an hour.
Switching to or from Polycam
How to bring data in from common predecessors and how to get it back out — written for the switcher, not the buyer.
- →From Matterport: Import existing scans by exporting point clouds or meshes and uploading to Polycam for processing; re-scan with Polycam for floor plans.
- ↗To Matterport: Export meshes and point clouds from Polycam, then re-upload to Matterport for virtual tours; expect to re-scan for full integration.
Integrations
Resources & Guides
- Resourcepoly.cam
Digital Twin Workflows: Why Floor Plans Are the Anchor
Helpful link from poly.cam
- Resourcepoly.cam
3D Scan to Floor Plan: Streamlining Your Drafting Workflow
Helpful link from poly.cam
- Resourcepoly.cam
Best Matterport Alternatives for Small Teams & Creators in 2026
Helpful link from poly.cam
- Resourcepoly.cam
How to Create As-Built Drawings with Your Phone
Helpful link from poly.cam
Tutorials & Learning
Official links
Tools that pair well with Polycam
Common stack mates teams adopt alongside Polycam, with the specific reason each pairing earns its keep.
Featured Head-to-Head Comparisons
Airtable vs Polycam
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 for building custom workflows and apps. Choose Polycam if you need on-site 3D scans, floor plans, or drone photogrammetry; choose Airtable if you need to organize data, automate processes, and build internal apps.
Notion vs Polycam
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-purpose AI workspace for documentation, project management, and automation. Choose Polycam if your work revolves around capturing physical spaces; choose Notion if you need an integrated productivity suite with AI agents. They are not direct competitors.
Miro vs Polycam
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 brainstorming and planning remotely. Choose Polycam if your workflow demands accurate 3D models from physical spaces; choose Miro if you need a flexible online whiteboard for team ideation and project management.
Lm Studio vs Polycam
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, while Polycam is purpose-built for professionals capturing 3D scans of objects and spaces. Neither can substitute the other; your choice should be driven by whether your primary need is local AI computation or 3D reality capture.
Linear vs Polycam
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 integration, Linear is purpose-built. Choose based on your domain—these tools serve completely different workflows.
Sketch vs Polycam
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, offline work, and robust developer handoff. They serve entirely different workflows.
Figma vs Polycam
Polycam and Figma serve completely different domains: Polycam is for 3D scanning and reality capture, while Figma is for UI/UX design and prototyping. Choose Polycam if you need to generate 3D models, floor plans, or point clouds from real-world captures; choose Figma if you need a collaborative design tool with AI-assisted prototyping. There is no direct overlap, so the decision hinges on whether your primary need is digital design or physical-world scanning.
Penpot vs Polycam
Polycam and Penpot serve completely different needs. Choose Polycam if your work involves capturing real-world 3D spaces or objects for AEC, forensics, or media. Choose Penpot if you need a free, open-source UI/UX design tool with AI agent integration and no per-seat licensing. They are not directly competitive.
Screenmind vs Polycam
Don't pit them head-to-head — they solve completely different problems. If you need high-fidelity 3D scanning of real-world spaces with floor plans and drone support, Polycam is the clear choice, especially at under $12/mo for Pro. If you want a private, local screen memory that indexes your entire desktop activity and lets you chat with it, ScreenMind is a unique, free, and powerful tool — provided you're on macOS.
Kiri Engine vs Polycam
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.
Magic Animator Beta vs Polycam
Polycam and Magic Animator solve completely different problems. Polycam is a professional 3D scanning and floor plan tool for architects, engineers, and media creators, while Magic Animator is a Figma plugin for animating UI designs. Buyers should choose based on whether they need to capture real-world 3D data (Polycam) or add motion to static designs without leaving Figma (Magic Animator). They are not direct competitors.
Agentcad vs Polycam
Polycam is the best choice for professionals needing photorealistic 3D scans and floor plans from real-world spaces. Agentcad is ideal for AI agents and developers who want to programmatically generate and iterate on 3D parts. Choose Polycam for reality capture; choose agentcad for agent-driven CAD design.
Alternatives to Polycam
View all
DroneDeploy
AI reality capture platform for construction, energy, and agriculture.
Floor Plan & AI Home
iPhone LiDAR scanner & AI floor plan creator: scan, design, and export 2D/3D plans in minutes.
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