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If you've been looking at MagicPlan and your crew runs Android phones, you've probably hit a wall. Most of MagicPlan's best features — the ones that justify the subscription — are built around iOS and specifically around iPhone LiDAR. Here's exactly what works on Android with MagicPlan, what doesn't, and what Android contractors can use instead.
MagicPlan does have an Android app. It's available on the Google Play Store and supports basic room sketching — manually drawing room shapes, adding dimensions by hand, and organizing project notes. If you're doing simple floor plan sketches where you enter measurements yourself, the Android app covers that.
What you lose on Android is the phone-based automatic scanning. MagicPlan's automatic room capture feature uses the device camera and, on supported devices, LiDAR to scan a space and generate a layout automatically. On Android, this automatic capture doesn't work the same way — you're back to manual entry.
For a lot of contractors, manual measurement entry defeats the purpose of having a scanning app at all. If you're going to measure by hand anyway, a spreadsheet works just as well.
The core of MagicPlan's automatic room capture relies on depth sensing technology. Apple introduced LiDAR sensors in the iPhone 12 Pro lineup in 2020, and MagicPlan built their most powerful scanning features around that hardware. Android's depth sensing ecosystem is fragmented — different manufacturers implement it differently, and there's no equivalent to Apple's consistent LiDAR implementation across the Android device lineup.
This isn't a MagicPlan failure — it's a hardware reality. But it does mean Android contractors get a significantly reduced version of the product.
Most contractors looking at MagicPlan want two things: spatial documentation of job sites, and the ability to share that documentation with clients, engineers, or adjusters. Floor plan output is one format for that — but it's not the only format, and it's not always the most useful one.
A measurable 3D model of a space is often more useful than a 2D floor plan for field documentation purposes. You can take measurements from it remotely, share it as a browser link with no app required, and use it as evidence of conditions before or after work. It works for irregular spaces that floor plans struggle to represent cleanly.
Manifold's Orbit Measure feature is built differently from LiDAR-based tools. Instead of relying on on-device depth sensors, it uses standard video capture. Walk a space for 60 seconds recording video with any iOS or Android phone, upload the footage, and Manifold's servers process it into a fully measurable 3D model.
No LiDAR. No iPhone Pro. Any Android phone with a standard camera.
The output is a browser-viewable 3D model where you can take measurements between any two points — accurate to approximately half an inch under normal conditions. You can share it via link with clients, engineers, or adjusters. No account or app required on their end.
MagicPlan on Android: Manual room sketching with hand-entered dimensions. No automatic room capture. Per-project pricing. No GPS photo documentation. No checklists.
Manifold on Android: Orbit Measure 3D scanning from any Android phone. GPS-tagged photo documentation. Digital checklists. Punch lists. PDF reports. Client sharing via link. $24/user/month, no seat minimums.
See our full MagicPlan alternative comparison or read about MagicPlan's overage charges to understand the full cost picture.
Manifold is available on Google Play and the App Store. The Photo+Scan plan, which includes Orbit Measure, is $24/user/month with no seat minimums. Free trial, no credit card required.
Download Manifold on Google Play or start your free trial. If you want to see Orbit Measure on your own job site before committing, book a 15-minute demo.
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