Polycam vs CapCut
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Polycam and CapCut.
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Verdict: CapCut wins
CapCut scores 4.1/5, edging out Polycam at 4.0/5. Social-first creators publishing short-form video who want captions, templates, and fast effects without learning a professional NLE.
Polycam AI 3D scanning from your phone | CapCut Free AI-powered video editor with auto-captions and effects | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.0 (1 review) | 4.1 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting Price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Best For | Architects, contractors and facility teams with LiDAR iPhones who need phone-scanned floor plans, measurements and CAD-ready exports without a scanning crew. | Social-first creators publishing short-form video who want captions, templates, and fast effects without learning a professional NLE. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | free tiermobile app | free tiermobile app |
| Visit Polycam → | Visit CapCut → |
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)
CapCut
Pros
- + Free tier is a complete editor: multi-track timeline, keyframes, chroma key, and clean 1080p export with no watermark when you stay on non-Pro assets
- + Auto-captions returned punctuated, mostly accurate transcripts for a two-minute clip in under a minute in my tests, with multi-language translation built in
- + The template/effect library is the largest I have used for short-form social video and is updated on a cadence tied to social platform trends
- + Watermark on the 'Made in CapCut' end clip is just a trimmable timeline clip — delete it and export clean without paying
- + Cross-surface editing across mobile, desktop, and browser with 1 TB cloud storage on Pro
Cons
- - Any Pro-badged asset adds a watermark or blocks export entirely — one premium transition killed an export mid-project until I removed it
- - The 2025 restructure reclassified previously free templates as paid and gated 4K/HDR and the full AI toolkit behind Pro and Ultra
- - Color grading and audio mixing stop at hobbyist depth — no scopes workflow, no serious mixing surface
- - 4K multi-track timelines lag on lower-end hardware and free users sit in standard render queues
- - Pricing swings up to 20–30% by region and purchase channel, so published numbers are only indicative
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Polycam or CapCut?▼
CapCut scores higher at 4.1/5 vs 4.0/5 for Polycam, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Polycam and CapCut?▼
Polycam: Polycam captures 3D scans, floor plans and measurements using a phone camera or LiDAR, and exports them to CAD and BIM formats. CapCut: CapCut is ByteDance's video and photo editor for desktop, mobile and the browser, with AI tools for auto-captions, effects, templates and background removal.
Is Polycam or CapCut more affordable?▼
Polycam starts at €0/mo, CapCut starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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