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Most 3D scanning app reviews are written for architects, engineers, or tech enthusiasts. Contractors have different requirements: the app needs to work on whatever phones your crew already has, it needs to produce output that clients and adjusters can actually use, and it needs to be fast enough to scan a space during a normal job visit without adding an hour to the workflow.
Here's how the main options compare against those requirements in 2026.
Works on: Any iOS or Android phone
Output: Measurable 3D model viewable in browser
Price: $24/user/month (Photo+Scan plan), no seat minimums
Manifold's Orbit Measure feature uses standard video capture — not LiDAR — to create fully measurable 3D models. Walk a space for 60 seconds with any phone, upload the video, and receive a browser-viewable 3D model you can share with clients, adjusters, or engineers. Anyone can view it in a browser without downloading an app.
This is the most practically useful 3D scanning option for contractors with mixed-device crews. No LiDAR hardware requirement means every crew member on any phone can capture 3D documentation on every job.
Accuracy: approximately half an inch under normal conditions. Best for spaces up to a few thousand square feet.
Orbit Measure is part of Manifold's broader field documentation platform, which also includes GPS photo documentation, digital checklists with required photo fields, punch lists, and PDF handover reports. Free trial with no credit card required.
Works on: iPhone 12 Pro and newer (LiDAR required)
Output: Dimensioned 2D floor plan
Price: Included in Manifold Photo+Scan plan at $24/user/month
For contractors who need traditional floor plan output rather than 3D models, and who carry iPhone Pro devices, Manifold's Floor Plan Scan uses Apple's LiDAR sensor to generate dimensioned floor plans automatically. Faster than Orbit Measure for simple spaces, and produces the 2D plan format that architects and engineers typically prefer.
Also included in the same $24/user/month plan as Orbit Measure.
Works on: iOS and Android (LiDAR-enhanced on iPhone Pro)
Output: Floor plans, AR measurements
Price: Free tier; paid from ~$10/month per plan
MagicPlan is focused specifically on floor plan creation. It works on non-LiDAR phones using AR-based measurement, though accuracy is lower than LiDAR-based methods. Better suited for real estate and insurance workflows than construction field documentation. Lacks the photo documentation, checklists, and handover report features that most contractors need alongside spatial documentation.
Works on: Dedicated Matterport camera (Pro2, Pro3) for best quality; iPhone app available but limited
Output: Immersive 3D walkthrough (Matterport dollhouse format)
Price: From $70/month; hardware $3,000+
Matterport produces the most visually impressive 3D documentation — the immersive dollhouse walkthrough that high-end real estate and commercial construction uses. The cost and hardware requirement make it impractical for most trade contractors. The iPhone app produces lower quality than the dedicated hardware. Not designed for the field documentation workflow most contractors need.
Works on: iPhone 12 Pro+ (LiDAR) for best results; Android support limited
Output: 3D models, point clouds, floor plans
Price: Free tier; Pro from $14.99/month
Polycam is technically capable and produces high-quality LiDAR scans. It's better suited for hobbyists, architects, and developers than for field contractors. The output formats (point clouds, OBJ files) require technical knowledge to use. No field documentation features, no checklists, no PDF reports, no client sharing workflow built for contractors.
For most trade contractors — HVAC, restoration, renovation, general contracting — Manifold's combination of any-phone 3D scanning, GPS photo documentation, checklists, and client sharing in a single app at $24/user/month with no seat minimums is the most practical choice.
Try Manifold free — no credit card, no seat minimum. Or book a 15-minute demo to see Orbit Measure on a real space.
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Real pricing, honest comparisons. No spin.