Polycam vs Cascadeur
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Polycam and Cascadeur.
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How to choose
Neither tool has user reviews on ToolSpotter yet, so we don't pick a winner. Compare them on what they're built for: Polycam — Architects, contractors and facility teams with LiDAR iPhones who need phone-scanned floor plans, measurements and CAD-ready exports without a scanning crew.; Cascadeur — Solo game developers and small studios who need physically believable character animation and want AI-assisted blocking and physics correction without a mocap rig..
Polycam AI 3D scanning from your phone | Cascadeur AI physics-based character animation | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.0 (1 review) | 4.0 (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. | Solo game developers and small studios who need physically believable character animation and want AI-assisted blocking and physics correction without a mocap rig. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | free tiermobile app | free tier |
| Visit Polycam → | Visit Cascadeur → |
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)
Cascadeur
Pros
- + AutoPosing produced a plausible full-body key from three or four controllers in seconds during my test sessions
- + AutoPhysics corrects floaty, weightless motion while preserving my timing, shown as a ghost preview rather than an overwrite
- + Free version includes the full animation toolset, capped at 300 frames and 120 joints per scene on export
- + Animation unbaking turns baked mocap into editable keyframes, useful for fixing purchased capture data
- + Annual Indie and Pro subscriptions convert to perpetual licences after twelve months
Cons
- - AutoPosing requires the standard Cascadeur rig, so imported characters must be re-rigged through Quick Rigging first
- - Re-enabling AutoPosing overwrites existing poses, a documented behaviour that cost me polished work in testing
- - Free-tier exports are .casc only and capped at 300 frames per scene; FBX/DAE/USD/glTF need a paid tier
- - Quadruped AutoPosing and retargeting sit on Pro and above
- - No modelling, texturing, shading or rendering at all; third-party tier prices are inconsistent, so confirm on cascadeur.com/plans
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Polycam or Cascadeur?▼
It depends on your specific needs — neither tool has user reviews on ToolSpotter yet, so we don't rank one above the other. Polycam is 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.. Cascadeur is best for: Solo game developers and small studios who need physically believable character animation and want AI-assisted blocking and physics correction without a mocap rig..
What is the difference between Polycam and Cascadeur?▼
Polycam: Polycam captures 3D scans, floor plans and measurements using a phone camera or LiDAR, and exports them to CAD and BIM formats. Cascadeur: Cascadeur is 3D character animation software that combines hand-keyframed animation with physics-based tools and AI assistance for posing, mocap cleanup and motion generation.
Is Polycam or Cascadeur more affordable?▼
Polycam starts at €0/mo, Cascadeur starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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