Augmented reality (AR) technology has great potential and promises exciting things for the future. AR is here to stay and is transforming businesses.
Augmented reality is an enhanced version of the physical world achieved by overlaying 3D models, animations, and video to the user's real-world environment to deliver an augmented experience.
AR applications have the potential to transform every industry ranging from education and training to travel and shopping. If you want to get on the AR bandwagon, you should learn to develop AR apps. An AR Software Development Kit (SDK) is key to the AR app development process. Here is an overview of five great SDKs for AR app development.
5 Best Augmented Reality Development Tools in 2021
- Vuforia
- ARCore
- ARKit
- Wikitude
- Kudan AR
1. Vuforia
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VuforiaVuforia is an SDK for mobile devices that helps developers create AR apps. Vuforia is one of the best SDKs available in the market for developing AR applications. Vuforia has a slight edge over, its competitor, Kudan due to its capability to support multiple platforms other than Android and iOS.
Supported Platforms:
- Android
- iOS
- Universal Windows Platform
- Unity
Features:
- Recognizes text, images, real objects
- Text recognition with built-in vocabulary (100,000 words) and an option to create a custom vocabulary
- VuMarks: Customized markers that support unique identification and tracking for AR apps
- Virtual buttons
- Supports Cloud and physical storage
Pricing:
- Free - Includes watermark and offers limited features
- Classic - $499 one time
- Cloud - $99 per month
2. ARCore
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ARCore
ARCore is an SDK developed by Google for building AR applications. ARCore supports developing AR apps for both Android and iOS. It uses three key technologies to provide an AR experience: motion tracking, environmental understanding, and lighting estimation.
Supported Platforms:
- Android 7.0 or newer
- iOS 11 or newer
- Unity for Android
- Unity for iOS
- Unreal Engine.
Features:
- Motion Tracking - Tracks the position and orientation of the device enabling developers to render virtual content accurately.
- Environmental Understanding - Detects the size and location of several types of surfaces (e.g., horizontal, vertical)
- Light Estimation - Helps you to match the lighting of the surroundings to the virtual objects.
Pricing: Free
3. ARKit
Image Credits: The image belongs to ARKit Apple introduced ARKit during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in 2017 (WWDC17). ARKit is an exclusive framework from Apple for developing AR apps on iOS devices. ARKit helps you to create augmented reality experiences using the camera of your iOS device. |
Supported Platform:
Features:
- 2D image detection and tracking
- Recognizes 3D objects and space
- Finds horizontal planes
- Light Estimation - Helps you to match the lighting of the environment to the virtual objects.
- ARKit can track a user's face.
Pricing: Free
4. Wikitude
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Wikitude
Wikitude is a much-loved platform for developing AR applications, launched in 2008. It is a cross-platform tool to create AR applications for mobile gadgets across Android, iOS, and Windows.
Supported Platforms:
Features:
- Image, object, and scene tracking and recognition
- Geo AR - Enables location-based AR experiences
- Integration with smart glasses
- Supports both Cloud and physical storage
Pricing:
- Free trial available (Includes watermark)
- Pro 3D - €2,490 (One-time payment- does not include SDK updates)
- Pro 3D - €2,990 per year (Subscription- SDK updates included)
- Cloud - €4,490 per year (Cloud hosting)
5. Kudan AR
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Kudan
Kudan AR is a fashionable tool for developing AR applications from Chinese creators. It is a cross-platform tool that assists developers in developing marker-based AR and 'markerless' AR apps.
Supported Platforms:
Features:
- Image recognition
- Mapping elements based on location
- Cloud SLAM (Simultaneous localization and mapping) system
- Supports markerless and marker-based tracking
Pricing:
- Free - Available only for testing.
- The full version license costs $1,230.
Conclusion
Take your business to unprecedented levels with AR. There hasn't been a better time to invest in AR and using an AR app can enhance your customer experience exponentially. So, start today, capitalize on the possibilities offered by AR app development tools.
If you're still undecided on choosing a tool that perfectly matches your development needs, we suggest you get professional assistance. At HoloPundits, we have a proven, zealous team of experts who are at the peak of their powers. We will work with you to understand your AR app development needs and help you find optimal, cost-effective solutions.
