Both are creator-first 3D capture tools. Both work from a phone. They produce fundamentally different outputs, and the right pick depends on what you're going to do with the file after the scan finishes.
TL;DR
Polycam's LiDAR mode produces geometrically accurate meshes you can use in CAD, AEC, design, and engineering pipelines. Luma's NeRF/Splat output is photoreal — the better choice when the deliverable is visual immersion, not a measurable model.
Neither is the right call for a local business owner who wants a walkable tour live on their site and Google listing this week without learning new capture or stitching workflows. That's the gap we built TourReady for — $99 once, a short video, two-minute render, hosted free. More on that below →
Two different fundamentals
Both call themselves "3D capture from a phone." The underlying math is different and so are the outputs.
Polycam uses iPhone LiDAR (or photogrammetry on non-Pro phones) to measure depth directly. The output is a 3D mesh, a point cloud, or — in newer versions — a Gaussian Splat plus a 360 pano. The defining property is geometric accuracy. You can measure a wall, drop the model into Rhino or Blender, generate a CAD file, or use it for AEC documentation.
Luma AI uses NeRF and Gaussian Splatting — neural rendering trained on a continuous video walkthrough. The output is a photoreal interactive scene. The defining property is visual realism. The geometry under the hood is implicit and not meant for measurement, but the rendered viewer is the best-looking consumer 3D capture on the market.
That distinction — measurable geometry vs photoreal rendering — is the decision underneath the rest of the comparison.
Feature matrix
Eleven attributes side-by-side, with TourReady alongside as the local-business reference point.
| Attribute | Polycam | Luma AI | TourReady |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Free tier; paid ~$15–$40/mo | Free tier; paid ~$30–$100+/mo | $99 one-time |
| Recurring cost | $15–$40/mo for paid features | Usage-based on paid plans | $0 — hosted free forever |
| Capture device | iPhone Pro / iPad Pro LiDAR (or photogrammetry on any phone) | Any phone — continuous video | a short video from any phone |
| Capture motion | Walk perimeter, slow sweep | Continuous video walkthrough | short video — no walk required |
| Output format | Mesh / point cloud / splat / 360 pano | NeRF / Gaussian Splat / web viewer | Hosted walkable 3D scene + iframe embed |
| Geometric accuracy | High — LiDAR direct measurement | Implicit — not measurable | N/A — short-video walkable scene |
| Visual realism | Good for meshes; less photoreal | Best in class — photoreal | Walkable scene from a short video — improves with capture quality |
| Render time | Minutes for small scans | ~30 min to a few hours | ~2 minutes |
| File ownership / export | You own the exported files | Exports available on paid plans | Hosted scene + embed snippet |
| Embed on your website | Yes — web viewer or self-hosted | Yes — web viewer / iframe | Yes — iframe (no subscription) |
| Google Business Profile "Street View & 360" badge | Manual via Street View Publish API | No — output is NeRF, not 360 pano | Roadmap (Q3 2026) |
Pricing ranges based on publicly available data as of 2026. Subscription pricing changes; check both vendors directly before committing.
Vendor deep dive
The matrix shows the spec. The deep dives show the operating reality.
Polycam is a measurement-grade creator tool. LiDAR mode walks you around the space, the iPhone Pro sensor measures depth directly, and you get a mesh you can take into Blender, Rhino, Unreal, or AEC software. Newer versions add Gaussian Splat export and 360 pano export. The defining promise is "you own the files."
Luma is a neural-rendering platform. Continuous video walkthrough on any phone, cloud reconstruction, photoreal interactive scene plus exportable assets you can use in After Effects, Unreal, Blender, or your own pipeline. The visual quality is the best in the consumer 3D capture category. It's a content tool, not a measurement tool.
Polycam and Luma both expect you to want to be a creator — to do the capture, to learn the tool, to own the file. TourReady is for the operator who doesn't want any of that. They want the walkable 3D scene of their space live on Google, Instagram, and their website this week, with the smallest amount of capture motion possible. One video, two-minute render, $99 once, hosted free for the life of the tour.
Decision framework
The honest matchups.
You own an iPhone Pro, you need measurable geometry for design, AEC, real estate floor planning, or engineering, and you want to own the raw 3D files. Best for designers, architects, AEC operators, real estate creators, and anyone with a measurement-first workflow.
You're a content creator, marketing team, or brand campaign owner. You want photoreal scenes for paid ads, hero sections, social posts, and immersive content. You're comfortable with a continuous video walkthrough and don't need measurement-accurate geometry.
You're a solo owner or small group, you want the tour live this week without learning a creator tool, and you'd rather pay once than subscribe forever. The $99 covers your first room — add additional rooms at checkout for $39 each.
You need measurable geometry (use Polycam), you need photoreal hero shots for a brand campaign (use Luma), or you need the raw 3D files for a design pipeline (use either).
The honest verdict
The right comparison isn't feature-vs-feature. It's output-fit-to-job.
If your output goes into a CAD file, a Blender pipeline, a floor plan, or a measurement-grade deliverable — Polycam. The LiDAR sensor exists for exactly this reason.
If your output goes into a paid ad, a hero section, a social post, or an immersive marketing asset — Luma. The neural-rendering quality is what the deliverable needs.
If your output goes onto your Google Business Profile, your booking confirmation email, your website hero, or your Instagram bio — TourReady. The four-surface deployment is what the operating moment looks like.
The point of this page is to help you not pick the wrong path for what you're actually trying to ship. If TourReady fits, the next step is below. If not, the framework above points to who does.
Drill into your industry
Same comparison, customized for your stack.
Evaluator FAQ
Drawn from real evaluation conversations.
If TourReady is the right call
$99
One-time. Hosted free, forever. No subscription, no setup fees.
✓ $99 upfront. Tour delivered in minutes. Free redo if it's not right and a full refund inside 14 days.
Two-minute render · live tour link + embed snippet + platform guides + four-surface deployment walkthrough
Add more rooms for $39 each at checkout — bundle pricing for the same business.