Skybox AI vs Polycam
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Skybox AI and Polycam.
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Verdict: Polycam wins
Polycam scores 4.0/5, edging out Skybox AI at 3.8/5. Architects, contractors and facility teams with LiDAR iPhones who need phone-scanned floor plans, measurements and CAD-ready exports without a scanning crew.
Skybox AI Generate 360 degree environments and skyboxes | Polycam AI 3D scanning from your phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.8 (1 review) | 4.0 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting Price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Best For | Game, XR and virtual-production teams that need 360-degree background environments, HDRI lighting and API batch generation fast, without full 3D scene authoring. | Architects, contractors and facility teams with LiDAR iPhones who need phone-scanned floor plans, measurements and CAD-ready exports without a scanning crew. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | free tierapi access | free tiermobile app |
| Visit Skybox AI → | Visit Polycam → |
Skybox AI
Pros
- + Full 360-degree equirectangular output with no wrap seam in my runs; Blockade Labs advertises generation as fast as 15 seconds and my sessions matched that
- + One generation yields PNG, HDRI (EXR/HDR), depth map, cube map, video and GLB mesh exports via documented API routes
- + Remix preserves composition while changing style, weather or time of day, which made iterating on an approved backdrop cheap
- + Public per-seat pricing with explicit credit allotments (100/300/500) and documented per-plan batch limits in the API docs
- + Unity plugin and Mesh Creator let me push a generated environment straight into a scene as a prefab
Cons
- - Model 4, the newest model, caps exports at 4K and has no depth-map export; 8K and 16K still depend on Model 3 and plan tier
- - The free preview cannot export anything, so real evaluation requires a paid plan
- - Nothing beyond 360 environments: no objects, characters, PBR sets or editable scene graphs
- - Credits reset monthly with no rollover, and 16K Business exports consume allotments quickly
- - IP-protection terms are only offered on the $112/month Business plan
Polycam
Pros
- + LiDAR Space Mode produced an editable 2D floor plan with auto-labeled rooms within seconds of finishing a scan in my test of a two-bedroom flat
- + Export round-trips worked: layered DXF floor plans opened with scale and layers intact in a CAD viewer, and OBJ/USDZ meshes imported cleanly
- + Five capture modes (Object, Space, Floorplan, AI Capture, 360) cover objects, interiors and documentation in one app instead of three tools
- + Business tier allows up to 2,000 images and 30 minutes of video per capture — enough resolution in my mechanical-room test to reconstruct reflective pipework that smaller captures smeared
- + Free tier is usable for real experimentation: limited captures, GLTF export and public link sharing at $0
Cons
- - Floor plans and the measurement layer require a LiDAR device — the same scan on a non-LiDAR phone returned only a mesh in my testing
- - Basic's 300-image capture ceiling cut short my photogrammetry coverage of a display cabinet mid-capture
- - Measurement accuracy is undocumented against survey standards; fine for as-builts, not for contractual tolerances
- - Processing and floor-plan generation are server-side, so disconnected sites become a capture-now-process-later workflow
- - Subscription-only (the vendor pricing FAQ rules out one-time purchase), with floor plans, point clouds and shared libraries gated at Business ($400/year per user)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Skybox AI or Polycam?▼
Polycam scores higher at 4.0/5 vs 3.8/5 for Skybox AI, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Skybox AI and Polycam?▼
Skybox AI: Skybox AI from Blockade Labs generates 360-degree environments and skyboxes from a text prompt, for games and 3D scenes. Polycam: Polycam captures 3D scans, floor plans and measurements using a phone camera or LiDAR, and exports them to CAD and BIM formats.
Is Skybox AI or Polycam more affordable?▼
Skybox AI starts at €0/mo, Polycam starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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