3D Scanner App vs Structure

3D Scanner App uses Apple devices’ capture methods to create full-color 3D scans of spaces and objects, which users can refine and crop on device. Its modes include LiDAR scanning, RoomPlan for floor plans, TrueDepth for smaller detailed objects, and Photo Mode using Apple’s Object Capture photogrammetry API. Users can measure with a virtual ruler and bounding boxes, and share scans through Share to Web. Scans can be shared as USDZ or exported in formats including OBJ, GLTF, GLB, DAE, STL, PTS, PCD, PLY, XYZ, LAS, and DXF. Geo-referenced LAS point clouds can go to ArcGIS; raw scan data can be transferred to Pix4D or Reality Capture. Scans can also be imported into Blender, 3ds Max, SketchUp, Maya, and other 3D modeling software. The app has a free version and a yearly premium plan at $69.99 a year. It supports iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with minimum requirements of iOS 14.1 or later for iPhone and iPad, and macOS 14.0 or later for Mac. Its privacy policy says captured scans and imagery stay on the user’s device.

Structure builds 3D scanning hardware and software for medical, clinical, and industrial applications. Its technology supports orthotic and prosthetic fitting, wound measurement, surgical planning, and patient monitoring. The Structure Sensor 3 attaches to compatible iPads and provides millimeter depth accuracy for body measurements. Developers can use the Structure SDK for raw depth frames, mesh extraction, foot measurement, and offline licensing; the SDK also supports apps in healthcare, industrial inspection, retail fit-tech, and augmented reality. Structure Capture exports STL, OBJ, and PLY CAD files directly from compatible iPhones and iPads, and includes a Scan Quality Indicator. The SDK detects foot landmarks such as metatarsals, heel point, and arch height. Capture works with specified TrueDepth-enabled iPhones and iPads running iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 or later, and Structure Sensor ST01, ST02, and ST03. A seven-day SDK trial costs nothing. Capture costs $19.99 a month or $199 a year; the Structure Sensor 3 costs $995, paid once. Commercial SDK distribution requires a contract and a quote.