We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Polycam is listed from $12.50 with a free plan, but useful floor-plan and team features can push the price up. These alternatives are better fits if you want to turn scans into 3D art, CAD designs or shared technical documents. A caveat: the pricing page describe modeling and CAD tools, not direct replacements for Polycam’s phone-based capture. If scanning on an iPhone is the part you need to keep, compare carefully before switching.
01Why people leave Polycam
Floor plans cost more
One Reddit thread asks whether cheaper options provide dimensions without paid extras; commenters disagree about what the free option includes.
You want free object modeling
A photogrammetry thread asks for a free way to capture objects. Commenters suggest other capture tools, but those aren’t among the alternatives covered here.
Team features raise the price
Polycam’s listing says useful floor-plan and team features raise the price; its starting price is $12.50, with a free plan.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Free 3D work
BlenderBlenderBlender is the clearest fit if your priority is working with 3D models without a subscription price: it’s listed as free and supports varied 3D workflows and Python customization. That makes it worth considering when you’re moving from capture toward editing or creating assets. The pricing page doesn’t describe it as a phone-scanning app, so don’t switch expecting Polycam-style capture.
Trade-off: Free software still has learning time, and add-ons may cost extra.
8.5/10from
Freefree plan - Free CAD
FreeCADFreeCADFreeCAD is listed as free, unrestricted CAD, making it a sensible option if the goal is to build or adjust functional designs without a subscription. It fits budget-conscious users who are willing to learn a different workflow. Unlike Polycam’s capture-focused positioning, the pricing page describes CAD software, not a tool for scanning objects or spaces with a phone.
Trade-off: Expect quirks and a learning curve.
7.0/10from
Freefree plan - CAD and manufacturing
Fusion 360Fusion 360Fusion 360 is aimed at product teams combining design and manufacturing, plus hobbyists within its personal-use limits. Its listing calls it an all-in-one CAD/CAM option and shows a free plan, with pricing from $56.67. It makes more sense than Polycam if you need a design-to-manufacturing workflow, not just a captured model.
Trade-off: The listing flags a cloud workflow and reported stability issues.
7.3/10from
$56.67/mofree plan - Models and documents
SketchUpSketchUpSketchUp is a closer fit when your work needs both 3D design and 2D documentation, or when teams need to review shared models. The listing also calls out extensions and a free plan, with pricing from $2.50. That may suit design documentation better than a capture-first workflow, but the listing warns of a meaningful annual bill for desktop use.
Trade-off: Desktop use comes with a meaningful annual bill.
6.8/10from
$2.50/mofree plan - Shared CAD teams
OnshapeOnshapeOnshape is built around cloud CAD and PDM, so it’s worth considering if the team workflow matters more than phone capture. Its listing includes commercial users and hobbyists making public, non-commercial projects, plus a free plan and pricing from $125. That’s a different trade: shared CAD workflows instead of Polycam’s capture work.
Trade-off: Accept cloud-based work and annual per-user pricing.
6.8/10from
$125/mofree plan - DWG drafting
AutoCADAutoCADAutoCAD is the fit for teams working in DWG or users who need precise 2D technical drafting and specialized CAD toolsets. The listing shows a free plan and pricing from $175. It is not a like-for-like scanning app; consider it only if the deliverable you need is technical drafting rather than a phone-captured 3D model.
Trade-off: Skip it if the price or drafting workflow is a poor fit.
6.5/10from
$175/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Polycam Polycam (current) | 6.9 | $12.50/mo | Yes | Creators scanning objects and spaces |
| Blender Blender | 8.5 | Free | Yes | 3D artists avoiding subscription costs |
| FreeCAD FreeCAD | 7.0 | Free | Yes | Budget-conscious CAD users |
| Fusion 360 Fusion 360 | 7.3 | $56.67/mo | Yes | Product teams combining design and manufacturing |
| SketchUp SketchUp | 6.8 | $2.50/mo | Yes | Designers who need 3D and 2D documentation |
| Onshape Onshape | 6.8 | $125/mo | Yes | Teams that need shared CAD workflows |
| AutoCAD AutoCAD | 6.5 | $175/mo | Yes | Teams working in DWG |
Questions people ask
What is the best 3D scanner app for iPhone?
The published alternatives list doesn’t identify any of these six tools as an iPhone 3D scanner app. Polycam is the capture-focused option in this comparison, but its listing doesn’t specify device compatibility or scanner accuracy. If iPhone capture is essential, verify that feature with the product’s current documentation before switching.
Is Polycam free to use?
Polycam’s the pricing page includes a free plan and shows a starting price of $12.50. It doesn’t publish the free plan’s limits here, so we can’t say which capture, floor-plan or team features are included at no cost. Check the current pricing page before relying on a specific free-plan feature.
How accurate are LiDAR scanners?
The published material gives no accuracy figures for Polycam or any alternative, so we can’t make a numerical comparison. Accuracy information is not published in these listings. Check the product documentation for stated measurement limits, and confirm that its supported capture method fits your project before replacing your current workflow.