Polycam

Polycam is reality-capture software for turning spaces, objects, and drone footage into 3D models and floor plans. It is best suited to architecture, construction, design, and other professional workflows that need capture alongside measurement or sharing. Its range is a clear strength, but the free tier is limited and Space Mode scanning requires a compatible iOS device.

Overview

Polycam brings AI-assisted photogrammetry and LiDAR capture together with object modeling, floor plans, and drone mapping in a cross-platform product. That makes it relevant to more than room scanning: teams can capture sites, facilities, products, and materials, then share models or move them into downstream workflows. The trade-off is that access to useful capture capacity and professional features depends on the plan, and Space Mode is not available on every platform.

Key features

Spatial capture covers site surveys, construction sites, facilities, products, and materials, while object capture creates shareable 3D models. Users can also process drone footage into expansive 3D models. For building work, Polycam generates customizable 2D floor plans; Business adds 2D and 3D floor plans and advanced measurement tools. This breadth suits teams working across different kinds of capture, though it may be more than needed for someone who only wants a single-purpose modeling tool.

Exports include GLTF, OBJ, FBX, DAE, STL, USDZ, point cloud formats, and DXF, with Blender, Unity, SketchUp, and Xactimate among supported destinations or workflows. That range makes capture more useful beyond Polycam itself. The Free plan, however, only includes GLTF exports, so users who need other formats must move to a paid tier.

Polycam says captures are stored with industry-standard encryption and are not shared unless users publish or share them. Its Trust Center lists GDPR and SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2, and provides access-request options for security documents. Business includes priority email support; Enterprise adds email and phone support, onboarding, training, account management, and priority technical assistance.

Pricing

Polycam has a free plan and paid plans from $12.50/mo (annual). Annual Basic and Business plans include a 7-day trial; monthly plans and Enterprise do not.

• Free: free. It includes limited space, object, and AI captures, GLTF exports, and public link sharing. The 150-image free capture limit and public-only sharing make it a way to try the workflow, not a strong fit for private or high-volume work.
• Basic: $150 a year, or $12.50 / month billed yearly; $30/month billed monthly. It includes unlimited object, Gaussian splat, space, and AI-generated captures, up to 300 images per capture, and private link sharing. This is the practical step up for an individual who needs more capture capacity and private sharing, but it does not include the Business plan's listed floor plans, team library, or point cloud exports.
• Business: $400 a year, or $33 / month per user billed yearly. It raises the capture limit to 2,000 images per capture and adds 2D and 3D floor plans, advanced measurement tools, a shared team library, point cloud exports, virtual walkthroughs, AI-generated reports, and priority email support. It suits teams that need shared work and building documentation; per-user pricing means the cost rises with seats.
• Enterprise: $1,200 a year, with 3 users minimum; custom pricing. It includes a Content Management API, admin-controlled feature customization, enhanced data privacy, and custom branding. SSO, regional cloud storage, and custom billing are paid add-ons. Support includes email and phone, onboarding, training, account management, and priority technical assistance, making this the relevant tier for organizations needing managed access and support rather than a small team.

Platforms

Polycam runs on iOS, Android, and web browsers, but Space Mode scanning is limited to compatible iOS devices. That is an important constraint for anyone choosing a device or expecting identical capture workflows across mobile platforms. Deployment is cloud-based.

Who it's for

Polycam names architecture, engineering and construction, forensics and investigation, product design and manufacturing, and media and entertainment as business use cases. It is most compelling where one product's mix of spatial, object, and drone capture can serve several documentation or design needs. It is a weaker fit if the requirement is simply a free tool with broad export options, private sharing, or Space Mode on Android.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Spatial, object, floor-plan, and drone capture sit in one product, giving multidisciplinary teams more than a single capture workflow.
• Pro: Paid plans support a broad set of model and point-cloud exports and named workflows such as Blender, Unity, SketchUp, and Xactimate.
• Pro: Business adds team sharing, measurement tools, floor plans, and a 2,000-image capture limit that suit collaborative building work.
• Con: Free is limited to GLTF exports and public link sharing, so private delivery or other export formats require a paid plan.
• Con: Space Mode scanning requires a compatible iOS device, limiting that workflow for Android and web users.
• Con: The 7-day trial excludes monthly plans and Enterprise, so those choices cannot be trialed on the same terms as annual Basic or Business.

Alternatives

COLMAP is a free option for readers who want a no-cost alternative across Linux, macOS, web, or Windows. RealityScan is another freemium option, available on Android, iOS, Linux, and Windows, with a free plan for eligible individuals, small businesses, educational institutions, and students. WebODM is worth considering when local, offline operation matters: it is free to install and use, with API, desktop, self-hosted, and web options. KIRI Engine has a free Basic plan with up to 150 photos, a 2 GB per-scan maximum, unlimited scans, and free exports, making it an alternative for users whose needs fit those limits. OpenReco is a free option for Linux, macOS, and Windows. 3DF Zephyr offers a perpetual free personal-use license on Windows, capped at 50 photos or video frames with limited exports and editing. 3Dsurvey is an alternative with Android, iOS, Linux, web, and Windows availability. OpenDroneMap is another alternative to consider.

For more options, browse Photogrammetry Software, AI 3D Model Generators, AI 3D Scanning Software, and 3D Scanning Software.

Verdict

Choose Polycam if you need a cross-platform capture product spanning spaces, objects, floor plans, and drone mapping, especially when paid-tier exports or team tools matter. Its main appeal is that range; its main drawback is the gap between the constrained free plan and the paid workflows, compounded by Space Mode's iOS-only device requirement. Look elsewhere if those constraints outweigh having several capture modes in one product.