8th Wall
8th Wall is a powerful web-based augmented reality platform that allows you to create and publish interactive AR experiences that run directly in mobile browsers without requiring an app download.
Google ARCore
Google ARCore is a software development kit that allows you to build augmented reality experiences for Android and iOS devices using motion tracking, environmental understanding, and light estimation.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | 8th Wall | Google ARCore |
|---|---|---|
| Website | 8thwall.com | developers.google.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Free |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2016 | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto, USA | Mountain View, USA |
Overview
8th Wall
8th Wall provides you with a complete professional toolkit for building augmented reality experiences that live entirely on the web. Instead of forcing your customers to download bulky apps, you can reach them instantly through their mobile browser. You can create world-tracked AR, image targets, and even face effects using standard web technologies like JavaScript and WebGL.
The platform includes a cloud-based integrated development environment (IDE) so you can code, test, and publish your projects from a single interface. Whether you are building a virtual try-on for retail or an immersive scavenger hunt for a marketing campaign, it handles the complex computer vision math so you can focus on the creative experience. It is designed for agencies and developers who need to deploy high-quality AR at scale across iOS and Android devices.
Google ARCore
Google ARCore is a platform for building augmented reality experiences. It uses your device's camera and sensors to sense its environment, understand the world, and interact with information. You can integrate digital content into the real world through three key capabilities: motion tracking, environmental understanding, and light estimation. These tools allow you to place virtual objects on floors or walls and have them react naturally to the lighting in your room.
You can create immersive applications for billions of users across Android and iOS without needing specialized hardware. Whether you are building a furniture placement app, an interactive game, or an educational tool, the platform provides the foundational technology to make virtual objects feel like they truly belong in your physical space. It supports popular development environments like Unity, Unreal Engine, and Android Studio.
Overview
8th Wall Features
- World Tracking Place digital objects in physical spaces with high precision using SLAM technology that tracks surfaces and movement in real-time.
- Image Targets Turn flat images like posters, packaging, or business cards into interactive digital triggers that launch 3D animations and videos.
- Face Effects Create custom filters and virtual try-on experiences for glasses or jewelry that map perfectly to your user's facial features.
- Cloud Editor Write and debug your code in a specialized web-based IDE that includes built-in version control and instant deployment.
- Sky Effects Replace the real-world sky with custom digital environments to create immersive, large-scale outdoor augmented reality scenes.
- Light Estimation Match your digital objects to the real-world lighting conditions of your user's environment for a more realistic visual experience.
Google ARCore Features
- Motion Tracking. Track your phone's position relative to the world so virtual objects stay pinned exactly where you place them.
- Environmental Understanding. Detect the size and location of flat surfaces like tables or floors to place digital content accurately.
- Light Estimation. Adjust the color and brightness of virtual objects to match the real-world lighting for a realistic look.
- Geospatial API. Attach 3D content to real-world locations globally using Google Street View data for world-scale AR experiences.
- Depth API. Create realistic occlusions so virtual objects can disappear behind real-world furniture or walls in your scene.
- Cloud Anchors. Build collaborative AR experiences where multiple people can see and interact with the same digital objects simultaneously.
Pricing Comparison
8th Wall Pricing
- Non-commercial use only
- Access to Cloud Editor
- Unlimited project drafts
- Community support access
- Basic AR engine features
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Commercial publishing rights
- Direct email support
- Custom domain hosting
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Increased monthly view limits
Google ARCore Pricing
- Full access to ARCore SDK
- Motion tracking & Depth API
- Environmental understanding
- Light estimation tools
- Unity & Unreal integrations
- Android & iOS support
- Everything in Standard, plus:
- Geospatial API access
- Cloud Anchors (persistent)
- Google Cloud Console integration
- Usage-based quotas apply
- Enterprise support options
Pros & Cons
8th Wall
Pros
- Eliminates the friction of app store downloads
- Works consistently across both iOS and Android
- Excellent documentation and active developer community
- Powerful computer vision for web-based tracking
Cons
- Monthly subscription costs can be high
- Requires strong JavaScript and coding knowledge
- Performance depends heavily on mobile browser speed
Google ARCore
Pros
- Completely free to download and use
- Massive reach across billions of devices
- Excellent integration with Unity and Unreal
- Industry-leading depth and occlusion capabilities
- Strong documentation and active developer community
Cons
- Performance varies significantly between different devices
- Requires high-quality camera and sensor hardware
- Limited support for older Android versions