Augmented reality (AR) has moved beyond gaming and entertainment. Industries like marketing, education, healthcare, and manufacturing are embracing AR technology to engage customers and enhance products and services. The global AR market is forecast to grow to over $18 billion by 2023.
As demand grows, developers need robust AR software development kits (SDKs) to build the next generation of AR apps. The right AR SDK provides vital capabilities like environmental mapping, object recognition, occlusion handling and multiplayer networking.
This guide explores the top 9 AR SDK options for building powerful, interactive AR experiences.
An Introduction to Augmented Reality SDKs
An AR SDK provides the core infrastructure to integrate digital content with the real world. Key capabilities include:
Environmental Understanding: The ability to detect planes and map surfaces to place objects.
Object Recognition: Identifying images, objects and markers to trigger AR content.
Motion Tracking: Tracking the device’s position relative to its environment.
Light Estimation: Detecting real-world lighting to render AR objects realistically.
Occlusion Handling: Displaying realistic depth and shadows for AR objects.
Multiplayer Experiences: Managing shared AR sessions across multiple users.
Leading AR SDKs provide cross-platform support, letting developers build for both iOS and Android from a single codebase.
The 9 Best AR SDKs for Building AR Apps
Here are the top 9 platforms for building augmented reality apps:
| AR SDK | Key Features | Platforms | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCore | Environmental understanding, light estimation, cloud anchors | Android, iOS | Free |
| ARKit | People occlusion, motion capture, multi-face tracking | iOS | Free |
| Vuforia | Image recognition, model targeting, occlusion handling | Android, iOS, Unity | Free – $499/month |
| Wikitude | Geo AR, instant tracking, cloud recognition | Android, iOS, Unity, JS | $529+/year |
| EasyAR | Sparse spatial maps, cloud recognition, recorder | Android, iOS, Unity | Free – $1,399 |
| MaxST | Facial motion capture, background segmentation, glasses support | Android, iOS | $899 – $59/month |
| Zappar | Markerless tracking, gesture recognition, multiplayer experiences | JS, Unity, Native SDKs | $85+/month |
| Kudan | SLAM tracking, markerless image tracking, background removal | Unity, native iOS, Android | Free – $499/month |
| RE‘FLEKT | Multiplayer, persistence across devices, advanced hand tracking capabilities | JS, Unity, Unreal | Custom Pricing |
Next, we’ll profile each major AR SDK in more detail…
ARCore
ARCore by Google is an advanced AR SDK with features like environmental understanding, motion tracking and light source estimation. It leverages the smartphone camera to map environments and track positions over time. ARCore Expertise offers enterprise-level support and services around ARCore.
Key Features
- Cross-platform – build for Android & iOS
- Environmental understanding
- Shared multiplayer experiences
- Cloud anchors for persistent content
Ideal For
- Mobile AR apps
- Multiuser applications
- Training and education
Pricing
The ARCore SDK is free. Optional Unity plugins and ARCore Expertise enterprise services are paid.
ARKit
ARKit is Apple’s proprietary SDK for building augmented reality apps for iOS devices. It enables capabilities like people occlusion, motion capture and face tracking. RealityKit builds on ARKit adding photo-realistic rendering, animations and effects.
Key Features:
- People occlusion
- Motion capture
- Multi-face tracking
- Lidar integration
Ideal For:
- iOS apps
- Retail & ecommerce
- next-gen games
Pricing
ARKit is free to use. Requires an Apple Developer account.
Vuforia
Vuforia by PTC offers robust computer vision capabilities like object recognition, occlusion handling and markerless tracking. Support for Unity and native platforms. Focused on enterprise use cases.
Key Features:
- Image recognition
- Model target tracking
- Occlusion handling
- Markerless tracking
Ideal For:
- Enterprise applications
- Manufacturing & training
- Advanced computer vision
Pricing
Free license. Paid plans from $99-$499/month.
Wikitude
Wikitude offers an industry-leading AR SDK with instant tracking, geo-location AR, and cloud recognition. Native APIs for Android, iOS and JS. Unity plugin also available. Trusted by enterprises and agencies.
Key Features:
- Geo AR experiences
- Wikitude instant tracking
- Cloud recognition
- 3D model rendering
- Target collections
Ideal For:
- Location-based apps
- Multi-target experiences
- Marketing & advertising
Pricing
Plans from $529/year. Custom enterprise pricing.
EasyAR
EasyAR Sense provides robust mobile AR capabilities powered by machine perception and AI. Features like sparse spatial mapping, cloud recognition and video recording aim to create next-level AR.
Key Features:
- Sparse spatial maps
- Cloud recognition
- Video recorder
- Plane detection
Ideal For:
- Advanced computer vision
- Machine perception
- Video workflows
Pricing
Free personal version. Paid plans from $39/month. Enterprise pricing available.
MaxST
MaxST is a popular Asian AR SDK with facial motion capture, background segmentation and AR glasses support. Browser-based AR also available. Trusted by major brands across China, Japan and Korea.
Key Features:
- Facial motion capture
- Background segmentation
- AR glasses support
- Browser-based AR
Ideal For:
- Apps targeting Asian markets
- Facial effects & makeup
- Glasses-based experiences
Pricing
$899 one-time. $59/month subscription.
Zappar
Zappar offers a complete end-to-end AR development platform spanning computer vision, UI components and tools. Features like Multiplayer allow shared experiences across users.
Key Features:
- Multiplayer experiences
- Markerless instant tracking
- Image tracking
- Gesture recognition
- Face interactions
Ideal For:
- Multiuser apps
- Marketing & ecommerce
- Training & presentations
Pricing
Plans from $85/month. Enterprise pricing available.
Kudan
Kudan provides highly optimized AR performance across devices. SLAM tracking enables persistent markerless experiences. Background removal, occlusion handling and optional cloud recognition.
Key Features:
- SLAM tracking
- Background removal
- Markerless tracking
- Unity integration
- Cloud services
Ideal For:
- Performance-focused apps
- Persistent tracking
- Training & simulation
Pricing
Free version. Advanced paid plans $199-$499/month.
RE’FLEKT
RE’FLEKT offers robust capabilities for shared, multi-user AR experiences like persistent content across sessions. Advanced hand tracking, gestures and analytics.
Key Features:
- Multiplayer experiences
- Persistence
- Advanced hand tracking
- Analytics dashboard
- Cross-platform
Ideal For:
- Multiuser experiences
- Training & simulation
- Retail & marketing
- Presentations
Pricing
Custom pricing.
Those are 9 top AR SDK options for building great augmented reality experiences. From robust computer vision to shared experiences, these platforms enable innovative apps across industries.
For more on designing engaging AR apps, see our guides on:
- Key capabilities like occlusion, persistence and shared anchors
- Building mobile AR apps with Unity
- Enabling AR web experiences
RealityShift provides AR/VR design, development and workforce training services. Get in touch to discuss your next AR project.
