Best LiDAR 3D Scanner Apps for iPhone (2026)

A 2026 comparison of the best iPhone LiDAR 3D scanner apps for room scans, scene capture, floor plans, point clouds, and exports.

The LiDAR sensor on iPhone Pro models has been available since 2020, but the app landscape around it has expanded significantly. Today, iPhone LiDAR apps span several distinct categories: general-purpose 3D scanning toolkits, floor plan and documentation tools, AEC point cloud capture apps, and scan-to-CAD services. Each solves a different problem.

This guide compares the main types of iPhone LiDAR scanner apps, explains what each category is best for, and helps you choose the right tool based on whether you need room scans, scene capture, object scanning, point clouds, reports, or CAD-ready deliverables.

Some users want a quick floor plan. Some need a 3D record of a room. Others need point clouds, reports, or CAD-ready files for professional handoff. The best app depends on which of those outcomes you actually need.

Quick Answer

For professional and semi-professional iPhone LiDAR users, KIRI Engine is the best starting point when you need more than a single floor plan or CAD handoff. It covers room measurement, floor plans, scene capture, object capture, free supported LiDAR exports, and Pro AI-Enhanced LiDAR in one app.

For other specialized or lighter workflows: Polycam is stronger for paid AEC and team workflows, MagicPlan for floor plan documentation and estimates, SiteScape for AEC point cloud capture, Scaniverse for lightweight visual capture, and 3D Scanner App for simple local LiDAR export. In short, KIRI Engine is the best starting point for capture — and the only app reviewed here with a dedicated AI refinement step for Scene Scan geometry. Specialized AEC tools are better when the final deliverable is a report, point cloud, CAD file, BIM model, or team workflow.

iPhone Pro models include a LiDAR scanner that enables room scanning, scene capture, object scanning, and other depth-based 3D workflows.

Who Actually Uses iPhone LiDAR Scanner Apps?

Many people who search for, download, and compare iPhone LiDAR scanner apps are not just doing it for entertainment. They are trying to solve a real spatial problem: measuring a room, documenting a site, generating a floor plan, capturing a space for renovation planning, scanning objects for 3D reference, or exporting data into a design or CAD workflow.

That is why this comparison does not simply ask whether an app can "scan in 3D." We compare each app by the workflows that matter to professional and semi-professional users: floor plan support, scene capture, object capture, export access, point cloud or CAD workflow fit, local vs cloud processing, and whether the app improves raw LiDAR data after capture.

The right choice depends on where your workflow ends. Some users only need a quick room scan or 3D reference model. Others need point clouds, reports, CAD-ready drawings, BIM deliverables, or team documentation workflows.

Quick Picks

• Best overall iPhone LiDAR capture toolkit before CAD or AEC deliverables: KIRI Engine

• Best Scene Scan geometry quality: KIRI Engine Pro

• Best for paid AEC and team workflows: Polycam Business

• Best for floor plan documentation and estimates: MagicPlan

• Best for AEC point cloud capture: SiteScape

• Best for lightweight on-device visual capture: Scaniverse

• Best simple local LiDAR utility: 3D Scanner App

What We Compared

Each app was evaluated on:

• LiDAR mode coverage: floor plans, scene capture, object capture

• Free vs paid access: what is actually available without a subscription

• Export formats and access: what you can export and under which plan

• Local vs cloud processing: whether the app requires an upload for core functions

• AI refinement: whether any AI processing improves raw LiDAR output

• AEC and CAD workflow fit: point cloud output, CAD-compatible formats, team collaboration

• Target user: casual capture, semi-professional workflows, or professional AEC

Quick Comparison

KIRI Engine

Best iPhone LiDAR capture toolkit before CAD or AEC deliverables

KIRI Engine⁠ is the strongest choice in this comparison for users who need broad LiDAR capture coverage on iPhone before moving into CAD, BIM, or formal AEC documentation. It is not a scan-to-CAD conversion service. Its strength is the capture stage: room layouts, scene geometry, object scans, spatial references, and supported LiDAR exports.

KIRI Engine Room Scan uses iPhone LiDAR to capture a room and generate a 2D floor plan with dimensions and area measurements.

On the free plan, KIRI Engine covers three core LiDAR workflows. Room Scan creates floor plans with room measurements. Standard Scene Scan captures a 3D record of an interior space for site reference and documentation. Object Capture scans individual objects for 3D reference, asset creation, or quick sharing. Supported LiDAR exports are also available on the free plan.

KIRI Engine Scene Scan uses iPhone LiDAR to capture indoor spaces as 3D spatial references with on-device processing.

The Pro advantage is AI-Enhanced LiDAR for Scene Scan. Standard iPhone LiDAR output can be useful, but it often struggles with noisy flat surfaces, softened wall edges, and uneven geometry in low-texture indoor areas. KIRI Engine Pro adds a dedicated AI refinement step before export, giving it the clearest Scene Scan geometry quality advantage among the apps reviewed here.

Why AI-Enhanced LiDAR Matters

This is not a minor distinction. Most iPhone LiDAR scanner apps rely on standard LiDAR capture, meshing, and export workflows. Raw iPhone LiDAR data is useful, but it has known limitations: flat surfaces can appear noisy, structural edges can soften at boundaries, and low-texture areas like painted walls can produce uneven geometry. Among the apps reviewed here, KIRI Engine is the only one we found that presents a dedicated AI refinement step for Scene Scan depth data as a product feature.

Instead of stopping at a standard LiDAR capture and meshing workflow, AI-Enhanced LiDAR sends the captured Scene Scan data through a cloud-based AI pipeline where machine learning models refine the depth data and scene geometry. The result is a qualitative step up in geometry: cleaner flat surfaces, sharper structural edges at corners and wall boundaries, and more consistent geometry across low-texture areas.

KIRI Engine AI-Enhanced LiDAR produces cleaner indoor Scene Scan geometry with smoother flat surfaces, sharper structural boundaries, and more consistent low-texture areas compared with standard LiDAR processing outputs.

No other app reviewed here presents a comparable AI-based Scene Scan refinement step as a product feature.

All three core LiDAR modes process locally on-device. AI-Enhanced LiDAR requires cloud processing and a Pro subscription. Room Scan, Scene Scan (standard), and Object Capture are available on the free plan⁠ with no export restrictions.

Polycam

Best for: paid AEC and team workflows

Polycam is a well-established option for architecture, construction, and real estate workflows. It supports room scanning, scene capture, object scanning, floor plans, CAD-friendly exports, point cloud workflows, and team collaboration.

Its main strength is not free casual LiDAR capture, but paid professional workflows. Many advanced features, including editable floor plans, professional export options, point cloud outputs, and team collaboration, are positioned around paid plans. LiDAR-based Space Mode scanning is iOS only.

Polycam is better suited for AEC teams with dedicated scanning software budgets than for individual users who want a free iPhone LiDAR toolkit with room, scene, object, and export workflows included.

MagicPlan

Best for: floor plan documentation and estimates

MagicPlan focuses on floor plans, property documentation, estimates, and field reporting. It supports LiDAR scanning on iPhone Pro devices and is used in real estate, restoration, insurance, and property management workflows where the final output is a structured document or floor plan report rather than a general 3D scan.

It is a stronger fit for professional documentation workflows than for users who want one app that handles floor plans, scene capture, object capture, and 3D model exports. Its pricing and workflow are built around professional projects, reports, and business users rather than broad free LiDAR capture.

SiteScape

Best for: AEC point cloud capture

SiteScape, developed by FARO Technologies, is a dedicated LiDAR point cloud scanning app for architecture, engineering, and construction workflows. It is designed for capturing buildings, rooms, and spaces with LiDAR-equipped iOS devices and sharing point cloud data for professional site documentation.

The app is free to download, with an optional Pro subscription for cloud storage. Its workflow is more technical than a general consumer 3D scanner app and is less focused on object capture or casual 3D model creation. SiteScape is most relevant when the primary need is point cloud capture for AEC documentation.

Scaniverse

Best for: lightweight on-device visual capture

Scaniverse is a lightweight option for on-device visual 3D capture, especially Gaussian splats. Export formats include SPZ and PLY for Gaussian splats, and standard mesh formats including GLB and FBX. Available on iOS and Android.

The classic on-device Gaussian splat experience remains free and unlimited. Paid plans unlock additional cloud processing, multi-user collaboration, and enterprise features. Its strength is fast visual capture and sharing. It is less focused on floor plans, CAD handoff, separate room and scene LiDAR workflows, or AI-refined LiDAR geometry.

3D Scanner App

Best simple local LiDAR utility

3D Scanner App is a straightforward local LiDAR scanner for users who prefer a simple capture-and-export workflow. It supports local LiDAR capture and common 3D export formats such as OBJ, GLTF, GLB, DAE, STL, and USDZ sharing. iOS only.

Its strength is simplicity. It remains useful for quick local scanning, but it does not offer the same breadth of room, scene, object, and AI-enhanced workflows as KIRI Engine.

What About Scan-to-CAD and As-Built Services?

Some workflows focus less on direct 3D scanning and more on turning captured spaces into CAD-ready deliverables. These are downstream professional services, not general-purpose iPhone LiDAR scanner apps.

Tools and services in this category may use iPhone or iPad LiDAR capture as the starting point, but the final value is the deliverable: as-built CAD drawings, floor plans, measurement reports, BIM-ready files, or professional documentation packages.

That makes them different from apps like KIRI Engine, Polycam, SiteScape, Scaniverse, or 3D Scanner App, where the user primarily captures, processes, and exports scan data directly. Scan-to-CAD workflows are useful when the final output needs to be a professional file or report, but they sit downstream of the capture workflow that KIRI Engine focuses on.

How to Choose

If you need a broad LiDAR toolkit for real-world capture workflows, start with KIRI Engine. It covers room measurement, floor plans, scene capture, object capture, free exports, and Pro AI-Enhanced LiDAR in one workflow.

If your final deliverable must be a CAD drawing, BIM model, formal site report, or professional documentation package, evaluate specialized AEC tools as well. MagicPlan is stronger for floor plan documentation and estimates. SiteScape is stronger for point cloud workflows. Polycam is better suited to paid AEC team workflows and collaboration.

For floor plans and room measurement: KIRI Engine's Room Scan is free including export, and processes entirely on-device. MagicPlan is stronger for professional floor plan documentation, estimates, and property reporting through project-based professional workflows. Polycam offers floor plans as part of its Business and Enterprise plans.

For scene capture where output quality matters: This is where KIRI Engine has the clearest advantage. Standard iPhone LiDAR output can be useful, but it often shows visible limitations: noisy flat surfaces, softened structural edges, and uneven geometry in low-texture indoor areas. KIRI Engine with AI-Enhanced LiDAR (Pro) addresses this before export by running Scene Scan depth data through a dedicated AI refinement pipeline. Among the apps reviewed here, KIRI Engine is the only one we found that presents a comparable AI-based Scene Scan refinement step as a product feature. For users who have found standard iPhone LiDAR output too noisy or inconsistent for scene capture, this is KIRI Engine Pro's most important quality advantage.

For point cloud workflows and AEC documentation: SiteScape is a dedicated point cloud capture option for iPhone Pro users in AEC workflows. Polycam also offers point cloud export on paid plans.

For object scanning: KIRI Engine's Object Capture for quick local scans. For higher-detail models with texture, KIRI Engine's Photo Scan is usually the stronger choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which iPhones support LiDAR scanning? LiDAR is available on iPhone 12 Pro and all later Pro and Pro Max models, and on iPad Pro (2020, 11-inch and 12.9-inch) and later. Standard iPhone models do not include a LiDAR sensor.

Is KIRI Engine's LiDAR free? Room Scan, Scene Scan (standard), and Object Capture are all available on the free plan with no export restrictions. All three process locally on-device with no upload required. AI-Enhanced LiDAR requires a Pro subscription and cloud processing.

What is AI-Enhanced LiDAR and which apps have it? AI-Enhanced LiDAR is a Pro option in KIRI Engine (v3.14) that applies cloud-based AI processing to Scene Scan depth data, improving surface consistency, structural edges, and scan cleanliness. It applies to Scene Scan only. Among the apps reviewed here, KIRI Engine is the only one we found with a dedicated AI refinement step for scene depth data as a product feature. Full details in the v3.14 release notes.

Is KIRI Engine a scan-to-CAD service? No. KIRI Engine is a 3D scanning app, not a scan-to-CAD conversion service. It helps users capture LiDAR room, scene, and object scans and export in supported 3D formats. For CAD-ready drawings, BIM deliverables, or formal professional documentation packages, users may also need CAD software or a dedicated scan-to-CAD workflow.

What is the difference between a LiDAR scanner app and a scan-to-CAD service? A LiDAR scanner app captures and exports 3D data that users work with directly. A scan-to-CAD service takes captured scan data and converts it into professional CAD files or drawings, typically with human review involved. Most iPhone LiDAR apps are capture tools; scan-to-CAD is a downstream professional workflow.

Which iPhone LiDAR app has the best Scene Scan geometry quality? Among the apps reviewed here, KIRI Engine Pro has the clearest Scene Scan geometry quality advantage because AI-Enhanced LiDAR adds a dedicated AI refinement step before export. Standard iPhone LiDAR output can show noisy flat surfaces, softened structural edges, and uneven geometry in low-texture areas. AI-Enhanced LiDAR is designed to produce cleaner surfaces, sharper boundaries, and more consistent Scene Scan geometry.

Can I use LiDAR scanning without an internet connection? For KIRI Engine: Room Scan, Scene Scan (standard), and Object Capture all run locally with no internet required. AI-Enhanced LiDAR requires an internet connection for cloud processing. Scaniverse supports on-device Gaussian splat capture.

What formats do LiDAR scans export to? KIRI Engine supports OBJ and USDZ exports across supported LiDAR workflows. SiteScape supports point cloud exports for AEC workflows. Polycam supports multiple export formats depending on the plan. Full details on the KIRI export formats page.

Does KIRI Engine support Android for LiDAR? No. LiDAR scanning requires Apple's LiDAR sensor, which is not available on Android. Android users can use KIRI Engine's Photo Scan for photogrammetry-based scanning.

What is the best free LiDAR scanner app for iPhone? For users who want a free LiDAR toolkit covering room scans, scene capture, object capture, and exports, KIRI Engine is the best starting point. All three core LiDAR modes are free with no export restrictions.