VDateNow vs ARCharacterRecorder
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VDateNow
Create augmented reality scenes by placing virtual characters on real-world surfaces. Take photos from any angle, customize characters with different VRM models, and even import external animations. This app allows for immersive virtual photography experiences.
- Augmented reality character placement
- Customizable VRM model import
- External motion import
- Any-angle photography
- Marker image toggle
- Smartphone VR goggles support
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[Application overview] *When you see the marker on the table with the terminal camera, the character sits on the other side of the table. *You can take pictures from any angle you like. *You can change the characters by loading another VRM model you prepared. (You can import VRM model from VRoid Hub) *You can also use VR goggles for smartphones (The camera is not blocked.) to see 3D images. *You can also import and play external motions. [how to use] *Pre-work 1. Print the images shown below in A3 size (210 * 297mm). https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aso6gAUGB4HI2F_N13i5yd0A4FteaKOB 2. Place the printed image on the table where you want the character to appear. * How to operate this application ** How to make a character appear 1. When you start the application, the character list will be displayed, so please select the model you want to display. *Initially, Alicia Solid is the only character. You will learn how to add other models later. 2. Press the Menu icon to delete the Character List window. (Press again to redisplay) 3. Please look at the pictures you prepared in advance through phone camera. 4. When the "character selection" and "Fit image to camera" conditions are met, the characters automatically appear and sit at the table. We're all set. ** After the character appeared - Press the camera icon to take a picture. Take a picture from any position you like. The shot images are saved in the Gallery. - Press cloth icon to hide (or show) marker image. Hide mode is helpful when you want to put objects on the real maker and take pictures. - Press character icon, and she/he appears again. - You can load the other model to change to her/him. *How to Add VRM Models * Cautions * Read and use VRM files in accordance with the terms of use of each VRM file. Click the “Import VRM Files” button and select the model files you want to import. Such files must have the .vrm extension. The previous method used in versions 2.9.0 and earlier — manually placing files directly under the “VDateNow” folder (subfolders allowed) — is still supported. [Privacy Policy] *This application uses the camera of the terminal for AR display. *This app accesses your photo library to save photos [About Default Models] *This application uses the following VRM files as default characters. DWANGO Co., Ltd. "ニコニ立体ちゃん" http://3d.nicovideo.jp/alicia/
ARCharacterRecorder
An app that maps your head movements and facial expressions onto a 3D avatar in VRM format. It supports AR synthesis with real backgrounds and allows for screenshots and video recording with microphone input. Models can be loaded from local storage or Vroid Hub.
- Facial expression and head movement tracking
- VRM 3D avatar integration
- AR synthesis with real backgrounds
- Screenshot and video recording
- Microphone input for recording
- Local and Vroid Hub model support
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ARCharacterRecorder is an application that recognizes your head movements and facial expressions and applying them to a 3D avatar in VRM model format, as well as performing AR synthesis with real-life backgrounds. This software can use models in local storages & Vroid Hub & more. It also allows you to take screenshots and record video using a microphone. Please feel free to use it on social networking sites or post it on video sharing sites. To use this app, you need to have ios device with FaceID or with A12 Bionic or higher chip. It also requires IOS 15 or higher. For instructions on how to use this app, please visit the support URL in the App store or the explanation link in the App store.
Screenshots
Verdict
VDateNow and ARCharacterRecorder both sit at 3.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 50% of ARCharacterRecorder's written reviews are positive against 0% of VDateNow's. VDateNow's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.1). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.5 for VDateNow against 3.4 for ARCharacterRecorder. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 8 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of VDateNow's written reviews are positive against 50% of ARCharacterRecorder's.
VDateNow ships an update every 2 months, ARCharacterRecorder every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VDateNow | ARCharacterRecorder |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (4 ratings) — better | 3.4 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 182 MB | 134 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yoshihiro Ito | AOKI JUMMA |
Customer experience
VDateNow
ARCharacterRecorder
In-app purchases
VDateNow
No in-app purchases
ARCharacterRecorder
No in-app purchases







