RealityScan

RealityScan is a photogrammetry suite for turning images and laser scans into detailed 3D models. It is a strong fit for students, educational institutions, and qualifying small businesses that need both mobile capture and a desktop production pipeline. Larger businesses should weigh the $1,250 per-seat annual price against that breadth.

Overview

The desktop application covers a full photogrammetry workflow, producing photorealistic models and precise point clouds for objects, scenes, and work at different scales. Cleanup, optimization, image layers, worldbuilding workflows, and automation make it more capable than a capture-only tool. It also supports API access, orthophoto and GIS data export, and ground control points, which suit projects that need to carry reconstructed data into mapping or other downstream work. The desktop dependency on Epic Games Launcher and an Epic account is a real setup constraint.

Key features

Capture and processing

RealityScan Mobile offers live point-cloud feedback, automatic capture, AR scaling, camera controls, and masking. That gives field users ways to monitor capture and control what is included before moving into desktop processing. Mobile is free on iOS and Android, and completed models can be uploaded to Sketchfab or exported to the device for use in other 3D software.

Production outputs

The desktop workflow combines model cleanup and optimization with precise point clouds and photorealistic object or scene representation. Orthophoto, point-cloud, and GIS data exports, alongside ground control points, make the product relevant to geospatial work as well as asset creation. Tutorials, guides, documentation, sample datasets, and community forums provide learning support; sample datasets, however, are restricted to non-commercial use by the EULA.

Pricing

Free — free. Individuals and small businesses with less than $1 million USD in revenue over the past 12 months, educational institutions, and students can use all features, learning materials, and community forums at no charge. This is the clearest choice for eligible users who need the full desktop feature set; the threshold excludes businesses above it.

RealityScan seat — $1,250 a year. Billed at $1,250 per seat per year, this plan is for individuals and businesses over $1 million USD in gross annual revenue. It includes all features, learning materials, community forums, and updates for one year. Teams should account for the per-seat annual charge rather than treating it as a flat business license.

A 30-day trial is offered for RealityScan seats. The mobile app remains free on iOS and Android. Epic’s Privacy Policy also governs use under the EULA.

Platforms

RealityScan is available on Windows and Linux desktops, with mobile capture on iOS and Android. Desktop requirements include Windows 8/8.1/10/11 64-bit or Windows Server 2008+, and Linux Ubuntu 24.04 or Fedora 39. Since desktop installation requires the Epic Games Launcher and an Epic Games account, it is less convenient for users who want an installer independent of Epic’s ecosystem.

Who it's for

Choose RealityScan if you qualify for its free license and need a complete path from mobile capture to desktop photogrammetry, or if a production team needs its combination of high-fidelity models, point clouds, automation, and geospatial outputs. It is less compelling for larger organizations with many seats or for users seeking a desktop setup without Epic account and launcher requirements.

Pros and cons

Pros: Eligible students, educational institutions, individuals, and small businesses get all features for free, not a reduced-feature entry tier.

Pros: Mobile capture feeds a broad desktop workflow, with point-cloud, orthophoto, and GIS exports plus ground control points.

Pros: Free iOS and Android apps can export models to the device or upload them to Sketchfab.

Cons: Businesses over the eligibility threshold pay $1,250 per seat per year, which can add up across a team.

Cons: Desktop use requires an Epic Games account and launcher, adding dependencies beyond the application itself.

Cons: Sample datasets cannot be used commercially, limiting their usefulness as production assets.

Alternatives

PIX4Dcatch is worth considering when a mobile-centered workflow with free LiDAR capture, GPS georeferencing, point measurement, and GCP creation is the priority; RealityScan instead pairs mobile capture with a broader desktop pipeline.

MagiScan is another freemium mobile and desktop option to compare if its scan offering better fits your workflow.

Polycam suits readers who want a web option and a free tier with GLTF exports and public link sharing, accepting limits on space, objects, and AI captures.

WebODM is a better fit for users who prioritize free, local, offline use across desktop and web rather than RealityScan’s mobile-to-desktop capture setup.

3DF Zephyr may suit personal-use projects that fit within its free license of 50 photos or video frames, single-GPU processing, and limited exports and editing.

Agisoft Metashape is an alternative for readers seeking a paid photogrammetry product with Linux, macOS, web, and Windows platforms.

COLMAP is a free alternative for readers comparing no-cost photogrammetry software.

KIRI Engine is a mobile and web alternative with a free tier allowing up to 150 photos, a 2 GB maximum per scan, unlimited scans, and free exports.

Browse AI 3D Scanning Software, Photogrammetry Software, and 3D Scanning Software for more options.

Verdict

RealityScan is the right choice for eligible students, institutions, and small businesses that want a full photogrammetry workflow with free mobile capture and capable desktop outputs. Its strongest reason to choose it is the breadth from field scanning through production and geospatial export. Look elsewhere if the Epic launcher dependency is unwelcome or, above the free-license threshold, the per-seat annual cost does not fit your team.