(Photo: Justin Sullivan / Getty)
You can turn natural objects into digital models, which you can use in your design. Whether you're still a student, a hobbyist, or a seasoned professional, 3D scanners are an essential part of the process. However, 3D scanning tools often require expensive software and hardware.
The good thing is that today, there are 3D scanner apps that are more affordable and convenient to use. You can find a few 3D scanner apps compatible with Android or iOS devices.
Our team researched the available 3D scanner apps and ranked the best five. Read on as we look into their key features, what sets them apart, and what makes them the best choice for you.
What Is 3D Scanning?
Before we dive into our top choices for 3D scanner apps, it's important to touch a little about 3D scanning. It captures data from a physical object and accurately recreates its shape and appearance in a three-dimensional digital format.
Professional 3D scanning usually uses contact and non-contact scanning to create a 3D model of a real-world object. Contact scanning analyzes and captures an object's data by placing it on a precision surface and using touch to probe it. Meanwhile, non-contact scanning uses light or ambient radiation to examine the thing. These options can be costly.
Fortunately, there's a more accessible option: 3D scanning through photogrammetry. This 3D scanner tool uses photos and videos to recreate a real-world object in a digital format. They are even more accessible because your smartphone, powered by LiDAR (light detection and ranging), can take images and clips from different angles.
It's important to note that photogrammetry requires time and effort to get the best results. You may need dozens to hundreds of photos and clips to stitch together. They must be of the best possible quality, so the quality of your phone's camera and the lighting settings are crucial.
What Are the Top 3D Scanner Apps?
Here's our round-up of the best 3D scanner apps you can find in the market this year:
1. KIRI Engine
(Photo: KIRI Engine)
Best for Beginners and Professionals
Compatible devices: iOS and Android
Cost: Basic is Free; Pro - $14.99/month
KIRI Engine is a cloud-based 3D scanning app developed by KIRI Innovations, a dynamic startup that aims to make 3D scanning technologies more accessible to everyone.
The KIRI Engine app allows you to create a digital 3D model of an object or scene. You need to take at least 20 images of the thing from different angles, and then the app will stitch them together. You can use KIRI's 3D scans in 3D printing, interior design, or gaming, among many other applications.
What sets the KIRI Engine app apart is its capability to capture featureless object scans through its AI algorithm called NSR (Neural Surface Reconstruction). Commonplace things are those with simple colors and smooth surfaces, which can be a nightmare in photogrammetry. KIRI Engine's NSR capability makes it possible to capture such objects for 3D modeling.
(Photo: KIRI Engine)
KIRI Engine can also easily retopologize the 3D scan into a quad mesh, allowing you to improve 3D modeling performance. KIRI also uses AI-generated PBR (Physically Based Rendering) material, which is essential for professional use. PBR materials can improve the render quality of the 3D model.
When using photogrammetry software to scan an object, users usually end up with unwanted background details. KIRI Engine has an AI Object Masking feature, allowing you to remove those details and clean up your 3D scan automatically. You can even include the bottom of the object in your scan by flipping it while taking photos. It's an easy and efficient way to get accurate 3D scans without the hassle of manual cleanup.
One of the app's latest enhancements is the integration of iOS 17's improved Object Capture API. This update allows for real-time photogrammetry using LiDAR-equipped iOS devices. Users can now generate 3D models directly and locally on their devices and bypass the need to use the cloud.
(Photo: KIRI Engine)
Previously, processing a scan would take at least 15 minutes, even as KIRI uses a cloud. But with LiDAR-equipped iPhones and iPads, photogrammetry is processed fast. Likewise, the inclusion of LiDAR sensors now allows you to capture low-texture objects, which has been challenging for traditional photogrammetry algorithms.
The KIRI Engine app is free, sticking with the company's goal to make it accessible to everyone. But it also has in-app purchases and a Pro version.
With the free version, you can already benefit from many great features and the same algorithm for KIRI Engine Pro users. You can create unlimited projects, take up to 70 photos per project, and do up to three weekly exports. You can edit your scans in-app and share your 3D models online.
The Pro version enables you to take more photos per project, do unlimited exports, access the advanced camera settings, upload photos from your local files, retopologize with quad mesh, and use the AI-powered Featureless Object mode.
(Photo: KIRI Engine)
The KIRI Engine app is available on iOS and Android devices. However, it's worth noting that it's one of the best Android 3D scanners. You can barely find excellent 3D scanner apps on Google Play for a long time, and we can say that the KIRI Engine app's Android version is superior.
You don't need the latest iPhone or Android phone, though. The app will work just fine with any smartphone. Just remember that the better the camera of your phone, the better the 3D scan output.
KIRI Engine also has a web version, which allows you to upload high-quality photos you've taken with your DSLR camera or drone and create and create 3D versions.
You can learn more about KIRI Engine here and get the full list of its features.
Download KIRI Engine on Android
2. Scandy Pro
(Photo: Taken from Scandy Pro Website)
Best for: Users of all levels
Compatible devices: iOS only
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
Scandy Pro is a user-friendly 3D scanner that you can use on your iPhone or iPad, allowing you to create high-resolution, full-color 3D scans. You can use the scans for 3D modeling, 3D printing, and augmented reality.
You can save your scans on your device without the need to upload them to the cloud. However, some users still prefer to have a cloud option.
Similar to KIRI, Scandy Pro also takes advantage of the newer iPhones and iPads that are powered by LiDAR, which uses light to measure variable distances. This allows you to use your Apple mobile devices as a surveying tool.
Scandy Pro boasts of user-friendliness and fast processing. You don't have to take dozens of photos. You can preview your object on the spot while it is being scanned and then edit it in-app once the scan is complete.
Scandy Pro is free to use, allowing you to have one free mesh save per week. If you want unlimited saves, you can upgrade to a subscription starting at $1.99 per week.
You can download Scandy Pro from the App Store.
3. Cappasity
(Photo: Taken from Cappasity Website)
Best for eCommerce Businesses and Marketers
Compatible devices: Mac, Windows
Cost: Free for non-commercial use; Premium starts at $99.99/month
Cappasity Easy 3D Scan is an app you can use to generate 3D product imaging, which you can use to embed 3D Views into your online store, mobile app, or AR app. This allows you to provide your customers with a fully immersive shopping experience as they can rotate and inspect the products you sell online.
Its features include a fully automated one-click capturing solution, a complete 3D image editing workflow, and a free account on the Cappasity platform.
Cappasity Easy 3D Scan is available on Mac and Windows 5th generation or later with an i5 processor. You need a memory of at least 8GB and 12GB of free hard disk space. Your OS should be MacOS 10.12 Sierra or later and Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit or later.
It is 100% free for non-commercial use only, allowing you to upload two 3D images a month and embed 3D images into your website but with Cappasity's watermark. You can also export videos and share them to your social channels with the Cappasity logo.
Cappasity also has premium options, giving you access to more embeds, watermark-free 3D scans and videos, AR integration, and API customization, among others.
You can download Cappasity Easy 3D Scan software on the Mac App Store and here for Windows.
4. Qlone
(Photo: Taken from Qlone Website)
Best for: Beginners and Hobbyists
Compatible Devices: iOS and Android
Cost: Free on iOS with in-app purchases, $19.99/month on Android
Qlone is an all-in-one 3D scanner app that allows you to create a digital, three-dimensional model of real-life objects. You can edit the 3D scans with its built-in editing tools and export them in different file formats. You can add texts, merge two different scans, resize, close mesh holes, enhance bump maps, and more.
Qlone boasts of fast processing, done in real-time on your phone, without compromising the quality of the scan. To use the app, you need to print a special mat that can be found on the website using standard printing paper. However, keep in mind that the size of the object may be limited by the size of the mat, which increases with the size of the object. The camera uses the mat to create a dome and scan only the space within the dome, removing all other noises.
While Qlone is available for both iOS and Android devices, its iOS app is more advanced. You can scan objects without the Qlone mat with your iPhone. Qlone is free on iOS, but you can also upgrade and pay a one-time purchase fee for premium features, such as scanning in 4K resolution and AR view with animations.
You can download Qlone from the App Store, Google Play, and the Mac App Store.
5. Occipital Structure Sensor Pro
(Photo: Screenshot from Structure Website)
Best for: Healthcare professionals
Compatible Devices: iOS, Windows, Android, MacOS
Cost: $995
Structure Sensor Pro is a 3D scanner tool created by Occipital, a VR/AR manufacturer from the United States specializing in 3D scanning for healthcare. The Structure Sensor Pro is a device that you can attach to your iOS device to scan the human body and create 3D models for the healthcare industry.
Structure Sensor Pro has been used in different applications, such as orthotics, prosthetics, spinal braces, and custom footwear, improving patient experience. You can use this device with different medical apps to digitize human body scans, create prescription-based products, and streamline digital fabrication needs.
The healthcare industry uses Structure Sensor Pro to provide advanced wound care solutions to patients, create goggles with an ultra-custom fit, create high-quality orthotics, achieve accurate and reliable medical-grade human body measurements, and create medical markerless solutions in surgical procedures.
Occipital takes pride in its new industrial-grade manufacturing and calibration process. It ensures that the sensor is providing precise and reliable scans right out of the box.
Structure Sensor Pro is available on Apple, Windows, and Android devices. But it also offers Structure Lite, which you can use on your iPhone or iPad by incorporating the Structure SDK into your application without the need to buy any additional hardware.
Occipital's Structure Sensor products are available for purchase on its website.
Conclusion
To sum up, 3D scanning is a crucial aspect of the design process, but it can be expensive and complicated. Fortunately, there are now several 3D scanner apps that are affordable and convenient to use. After reviewing the available options, we have compiled the top five 3D scanner apps in the market today.
Depending on your needs and requirements, you can choose from KIRI Engine, Scandy Pro, Cappasity, Qlone, and Occipital Structure Sensor Pro. Each app has its unique features, compatibility, and cost, so choose the one that best suits you. With these 3D scanner apps, you can turn real objects into digital models that you can use in your designs, making it easier for anyone, from students to professionals, to incorporate 3D scanning into their workflow.
