Hyper3D Rodin vs Polycam
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Hyper3D Rodin and Polycam.
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Verdict: Polycam wins
Polycam scores 4.0/5, edging out Hyper3D Rodin 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.
Hyper3D Rodin Foundation model for 3D generation | 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 | 3D artists, indie game teams and developers who want fewer, higher-quality assets, value iterating before paying, and either work in a DCC pipeline or can buy the Business-tier API. | 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 Hyper3D Rodin → | Visit Polycam → |
Hyper3D Rodin
Pros
- + Pay-by-result billing meant I spent credits on exactly one of six candidates in a real iteration session — the best credit model I have used in this category.
- + Output quality led the fastest generators in my tests: clean topology after Smart Low-Poly, product-viewer-grade textures.
- + Documented Gen-2 API behaved as published in my testing, with free polling and downloads.
- + Multi-image input, partial edits, HD textures and baked normals cover production needs beyond raw generation.
- + Non-expiring $1.50 direct credits make occasional use viable without a subscription.
Cons
- - API access is gated behind the $120/month Business tier, out of reach for hobbyist developers.
- - Subscription credits reset each billing cycle without rollover; the ~60/~416 model figures are vendor estimates, not entitlements.
- - Unseen surfaces are invented — the back of a character bust came out flat from a single reference in my test.
- - Logo wall mixes integrations and customers; treat 'trusted by' claims as vendor-published.
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, Hyper3D Rodin or Polycam?▼
Polycam scores higher at 4.0/5 vs 3.8/5 for Hyper3D Rodin, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Hyper3D Rodin and Polycam?▼
Hyper3D Rodin: Rodin by Hyper3D generates 3D models from a single image or a text prompt, producing geometry and materials that are close to production-ready. Polycam: Polycam captures 3D scans, floor plans and measurements using a phone camera or LiDAR, and exports them to CAD and BIM formats.
Is Hyper3D Rodin or Polycam more affordable?▼
Hyper3D Rodin starts at €0/mo, Polycam starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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