# EM3D: Ethan Makes 3D Scanner — user reviews > 99 indexed App Store user reviews of EM3D by Brawny Lads Software, LLC, rated 3.40/5 from 90 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em3d-ethan-makes-3d-scanner/id1546149822/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em3d-ethan-makes-3d-scanner/id1546149822.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 43 · 4★ 8 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 10 · 1★ 24 ## Newest reviews (18 of 99) ### 4/5 — Gives up tracking too easy *2026-01-20, version 1.4.1* Flat surfaces like a vehicle door - it gives up on trying to capture and starts rendering. The surface was dulled with powder, so I can capture it in other programs . Idk if it’s a perspective thing with user and front camera . But it should stop giving up tracking so easily, if possible a mode where it accepts more flaws would be better . 4 foot by 3-5 feet . With a curve of 64 degrees. Because it tracks really good, but just gives up too much. ### 3/5 — iPhone 17 *2025-11-28, version 1.4.1* The app won’t work if you have the new iPhone 17. I guess due to the new front camera. The infrared scanner is turned 90 degrees ### 3/5 — Paywall limited *2025-03-17, version 1.4.1* It’s honestly a fairly accurate, no nonsense scanner. Limiting its functionality to a party trick by paywall locking all export options is a little annoying though. ### 1/5 — Horrible *2025-03-17, version 1.4.1* I’m so glad this was free because I can’t get a single decent scan. I have a new phone, the pro edition, and I have the lights perfect and using mirror option to insure aim. ALWAYS looses tracking. ### 2/5 — Can’t Get a Single Successful Scan *2025-02-12, version 1.4.1* Fails constantly. Am I moving too fast? Am I moving too slow? Is it too far away? Is it too close? No idea. But I’ve tried everything to get one scan and I can’t. I can’t see the screen when scanning (I know, limitation of the phone tech) so I tried the mirror feature on my iPad. Still couldn’t get a good scan. Would fail instantly. I even paid for the obj export feature. Extremely disappointed. ### 1/5 — Never works *2025-02-11, version 1.4.1* Just keep saying lost tracing ### 1/5 — Non si possono acquistare le esportazioni *2024-09-11, version 1.4.1* Peccato perché sembra funzionare bene (anche se è un po’ difficile da utilizzare senza perdere il tracking). Metto una stella per ora perché , quando provo ad acquistare l’esportazione in formato obj oppure in stl mi compare l’errore “unable to purchase at this time. Please check your internet connection” Il problema è che sia in Wi-Fi che tramite connessione dati, continua a non far acquistare ### 1/5 — Does not work as easily as advertised *2024-08-24, version 1.4.1* Don’t waste your money. This is a neat idea but is poorly executed. ### 2/5 — Nicht kostenlos *2024-04-18, version 1.4.1* Eigentlich kostet diese App 23€, die Lite-Version mit nur einem Exportformat nach Wahl 8€ und das wäre für mich auch voll in Ordnung. Würde der Preis am Eingang des Clubs stehen, wäre alles perfekt, aber wenn es als Kostenlos gelistet wird, man sich viel Mühe gibt, nach einigen Versuchen gute Scans zu bekommen und dann erst erfährt, dass man die Datei nicht einfach so exportieren kann, ist das schon ziemlich frustrierend.. ### 2/5 — Очень качественное. Но в итоге плохо *2024-03-17, version 1.4.1* Не работает передняя камера. Самый нормальный скан и пользоваться нереально ### 1/5 — Płatne za wszystko *2024-03-10, version 1.4.1* Jakiś jeden eksport testowy powinen jednak być, zwłaszcza ze naprawdę ciężko tym badziewiem zdobić poprawny skan ### 2/5 — Maybe one day ... *2024-02-03, version 1.4.1* I saw many YouTube videos of people demonstrating how solid this scanner is, but on an iPhone 13 it simply doesn't cut it, sadly. Maybe this works better with a newer phone model that has a LIDAR sensor at the backside of the phone or iPad. For me, no matter how slowly I move the front-facing camera, it loses tracking after a few seconds and I've never been able to scan an entire object (my head, LOL) so far. It's a valiant effort, and fairly priced, but it's just not there and may never be. ### 1/5 — Be careful with “purchasing” *2024-01-23, version 1.4.1* I made a video which took me over an hour and then went to purchase for $2.99 and was shocked when I was charged almost $20 how annoying and deceiving ### 2/5 — Just keeps losing tracking trying to do head scan. *2023-12-21, version 1.4.1* I had high hopes this would be the one as was used by Kamui Cosplay to do just what I needed. A full head scan. I don’t know if somethings changed since then but despite having a high end iPhone it simply will not work. Within a few second it loses tracking no matter what I try. Not helped by a garbage prompt that tells you to click to scan. Not mentioning you need to click yet again to actually start! To ru salt in you cannot quickly delete and start again. You have to override two confirmation messages before it allow you to. Shame. The bit it does is fine. ### 1/5 — Export nur gegen Bezahlung *2023-12-07, version 1.4.1* …wird gelöscht! ### 2/5 — Needs a major fix *2023-11-02, version 1.4.1* Really needs an update to add a feature that allows to continue the scan incase of tracking data lost while scanning. There should be an ability to continue the scan without being need to rescan from the beginning incase it loses track of the scanning object. I had tried more than 50times to properly do a full scan of my face and everytime about the half way it loses track ### 1/5 — Lost tracking. *2023-10-24, version 1.4.1* I’d leave a review, but I’ve lost tracking. ### 4/5 — Gute App *2023-10-14, version 1.4.1* Liefert sehr präzise Ergebnisse! 5 Sterne wenn es noch eine Funktion gäbe um auch den Lidar Scanner des iPhones an der Rückseite nutzen könnte. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Too expensive *2026-03-22, version 1.4.1* Far too expensive especially when you don’t even get a free trial ### 1/5 — Worst app I ever used *2026-02-18, version 1.4.1* It’s not working at all, the app only works in portrait mode but camera still recording in landscape mode, which results in mirrored scanning. That aside scanning quality is so poor you can’t even recognise the model after scanning ### 1/5 — iPhone 17 Support please *2025-12-13, version 1.4.1* Orientation ist wrong on iPhone 17 ### 1/5 — Loin d’être achevé *2025-10-15, version 1.4.1* Cette app n’utilise que la caméra frontale. Pas de LiDAR, pas de caméra arrière, pas très pratique ni utile ### 1/5 — All features are paid *2025-08-09, version 1.4.1* You can’t export anything without paying. ### 1/5 — Broken *2025-08-05, version 1.4.1* This app seems to have at one point made great models, but it is currently broken and will just lose tracking in the middle of a scan regardless of how fast or slow you move the camera. ### 1/5 — Can’t get any kind of support *2025-08-01, version 1.4.1* Purchased this software on my wife’s phone since she had the supported hardware. I later got the supported hardware and tried to restore purchase. Since I bought it on my wife’s phone It should support family sharing, but restoring purchases doesn’t work. I posted on every available site and no response. This guy wrote a piece of software and dumped it on the App Store and doesn’t care. ### 1/5 — Should not be charging for this kind of quality *2025-07-29, version 1.4.1* Asking for $7 to export and STL of the scan that 1. Isn’t easy to scan. There’s no filters on distance so good luck if you’re trying to hold something while scanning it or trying to check the camera. My arm is in every STL so the scan is huge for a small object. Super inconvenient. 2. I have no way of knowing it’s a good STL. Like I said, there’s no distance limit so who knows who dimensionally accurate or how detailed the scan is. If there was at least a free trial or like 5 free exports I’d happily pay for it if it’s good quality and I can confirm that. But I can’t confirm that. And the user experience to scan the object is really bad. Shame too, this is like the only app not requiring lidar and using the laser scanner for better accessibility and dimensions. $7 or $20 is a fair price if I knew it worked and helped my workflow. Just don’t know if it helps if I can’t export a scan at least once. ### 1/5 — Don’t Bother Using *2025-04-06, version 1.4.1* Never Write Reviews. Overly Advertised as a good 3d scanner for phones (head scans in particular) but is impossible to use and even when you get a decent scan the app CRASHES. Would NEVER recommend unless ready for headache. ### 1/5 — Not working. *2025-03-21, version 1.4.1* I got the app and it keeps always saying “ not working “ I did it in open and closed faces , still not working at all I’m really disappointed ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Ziemlich beeindruckend *2025-10-02, version 1.4.1* Die App hat definitiv mehr wie die aktuell 2,9 Sterne verdient. Ich habe die App erstmal getestet und dann mehr oder weniger blind die 23 Euro für die Vollversion bezahlt. Es wäre schön gewesen, wenn man zumindest 1 oder 2 Exporte in einem beliebigen Format frei hätte. Ich habe doch erstmal ein wenig gezögert. Aber jetzt bin ich froh, dass ich trotz der schlechten Bewertungen den Preis gezahlt habe. Die Ergebnisse übertreffen alles was ich erwartet habe um ein vielfaches. Ich habe zum Test einfach mal meine Dell Maus auf einem selbst gedruckten Drehteller mit Referenzmarkern gescannt. Man muss ein wenig Geduld und ein ruhiges Händchen haben, dann klappt das eigentlich ganz gut. Das Ergebnis sah nach dem ersten Versuch ganz vielversprechend aus, also habe ich die 23 Euro gezahlt und eine Punktewolke per Airdrop an mein Macbook gesendet. Diese konnte ich dann in die Software Revo Scan 5 importieren und nachbearbeiten. Und was soll ich sagen: Das Ergebnis ist ein maßgetreues perfektes Abbild meiner Dell Maus. Was will ich mehr? Genutzt habe ich dafür ein ziemlich altes iPad Pro 11“ von 2018 mit der Face ID Kamera. Schade, dass ich mir schon einen Creality Ferret SE Scanner bestellt habe. Den benötige ich jetzt eigentlich nicht mehr. Den Umweg über Revo Scan braucht man nicht zwangsläufig. Man bekommt auch schon ganz passable STL Dateien direkt aus der App raus, die man dann im Slicer (z.B. Bambu Studio/Orca Slicer) nachbearbeiten kann. ### 5/5 — Great scanner *2023-12-31, version 1.4.1* I found this app through a YouTube video talking about scanning in 3d and that it’s a great app to use, and it wasn’t wrong. Solved for trying to 3d print an airbox for a cafe racer build when I was trying to reduce the size of the current airbox and maintain a vacuum pressure on the carbs. I hope they continue to support this app, from one Ethan to another…😉 ### 5/5 — Great App - 1 Time Fee *2023-09-07, version 1.4.1* This app works great if you take your time scanning. What I really like about it is the 1 time fee. I hate how other apps make you pay monthly or per export. ### 5/5 — Phenomenal! *2023-07-01, version 1.4.1* Seriously the best 3D scanner. It’s so easy to use, it just works. You can actually rotate the subject unlike photogrammetry where doing so will ruin the scan. Processing takes seconds, you pay once and can export unlimited obj files (or whatever format you pay for) and they’re small enough you can email them to yourself. On top of all of this, I was expecting to only get mesh data, but it captures the texture too! Albeit at a slightly lower quality than a photogrammetry capture. Seriously this program could charge 5x the price and it would still be a steal! Cannot recommend this enough! 5 stars! ### 5/5 — Easy *2023-06-22, version 1.4.1* Lost track quite easy, but it’s the best I have used in an iPhone 11 with the front facing LiDAR ### 5/5 — Beyond impressed *2023-05-18, version 1.4.1* Kudos to the developer! I am blown away with how far photogrammetry has come, and how effective this app is. I would have thought we were still years away from this level of detail. Any issues with the scan are quite easy to fix on my mesh modeling software. My one suggestion would be a manual calibration for sizing that could be exported with the .stl as a .txt file for modeling work. I’m thinking at the beginning of the scan ask for a reference object like a ruler or a quarter, and then it would be easier to get 1:1 level detail when I scale the model later. ### 5/5 — Funziona ... *2023-04-20, version 1.4.1* ... direttamente dall' iPhone , e non è obbligatoria la connessione internet . È la più precisa , tra quelle che ho testato . Ed è possibile acquistare i singoli formati di esportazione , senza dover acquistare un pacchetto completo . Complimenti allo sviluppatore ! ### 5/5 — Best Scanner on the App Store *2023-04-04, version 1.4.1* For people & models this app is better than the rest by far, I am a sculptor & have created many museum pieces with this app. Thank you! ### 5/5 — This works like magic! *2023-03-23, version 1.4.1* I tried it. It works really well! It is even able to detect words! Amazing. ### 5/5 — N funciona muito bem mas é legal *2023-01-28, version 1.4.1* 😁 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-30.*