Design Inspiration
Best Polycam Alternatives in 2026: 5 3D Scanners Compared
Five Polycam alternatives compared: KIRI Engine, RealityScan, Meshroom, COLMAP and nerfstudio, from phone scanning to desktop photogrammetry.
Polycam turns phone photos and LiDAR scans into 3D models. Its free plan is limited to GLTF export and 150 images per model, and Basic is $150/year or $30 billed monthly. It is subscription-only, with no one-time purchase.
People look for alternatives when those limits are too tight, when they want a one-time or free tool, or when they need a desktop pipeline they can script. Some options below are phone apps; others are desktop software that works from photos you supply.
Below are 5 alternatives, with what each does differently and what it costs. Pricing checked October 2026 on each product's own site.
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| KIRI Engine | iOS, Android and web | Freemium | Free; Pro $79.99/year |
| RealityScan | Hobbyists, students, small studios | Freemium | Free under $1M revenue |
| Meshroom | Open-source photogrammetry | Open source | Free (MPLv2) |
| COLMAP | Researchers and developers | Open source | Free (BSD) |
| nerfstudio | Developers working with NeRFs | Open source | Free (Apache-2.0) |
1. KIRI Engine — phone-first scanning with unlimited exports
Best for: phone-first scanning on iOS or Android with no limit on exports.
KIRI Engine also works on Android and in a web browser. Free scans allow up to 150 photos and 2 GB each; Pro raises that to 500 photos and 5 GB. The free plan has unlimited scans and exports. Pro is $79.99/year or $17.99/month.
More: KIRI Engine on our site, or the official site.
2. RealityScan — desktop photogrammetry that is free for small users
Best for: desktop photogrammetry for hobbyists, students and small studios.
RealityScan, formerly RealityCapture, is a desktop application. It is free for individuals and businesses under $1 million in revenue over the past 12 months, plus students and educational institutions. Above that it costs $1,250 per seat per year.
More: RealityScan on our site, or the official site.
3. Meshroom — free, open software with a node graph
Best for: photogrammetry users who want free, open software with a node graph.
Meshroom is desktop software built on the AliceVision framework (MPLv2) with a visible node graph. There is no phone app, so you supply the photos.
Official site: Meshroom.
4. COLMAP — a scriptable reconstruction pipeline
Best for: researchers and developers who want a scriptable Structure-from-Motion and Multi-View Stereo pipeline.
COLMAP is a graphical and command-line tool for Structure-from-Motion and Multi-View Stereo, aimed at researchers and engineers. It has no capture app.
Official site: COLMAP.
5. nerfstudio — training neural radiance fields
Best for: developers who want to train neural radiance fields from captures, including from phone apps.
nerfstudio is a Python framework for NeRF-style reconstruction. It accepts data from capture apps such as Polycam and KIRI Engine, but it is not itself a scanner.
Official site: nerfstudio.
How to choose
- Want to scan with a phone: KIRI Engine, which also covers Android.
- Want desktop quality without a subscription: RealityScan if you qualify, or Meshroom.
- Want to script or research the pipeline: COLMAP or nerfstudio.
- Remember that Polycam's Space Mode runs only on compatible iOS devices, so Android users have another reason to look.
FAQ
Is there a free alternative to Polycam?
Yes. KIRI Engine's free plan has unlimited scans and exports, RealityScan is free for small businesses under $1M revenue, and Meshroom and COLMAP are free open-source software.
Polycam vs KIRI Engine?
Both scan from a phone. KIRI Engine also runs on Android and the web, and its Pro plan is $79.99/year versus Polycam's $150/year Basic.
What can I use on a desktop instead of Polycam?
RealityScan, Meshroom or COLMAP all reconstruct 3D models from photos on a computer; none of them is a phone scanning app.