Comparison

VDateNow vs ARCharacterRecorder

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality character placement
  • Customizable VRM model import
  • External motion import
  • Any-angle photography
  • Marker image toggle
  • Smartphone VR goggles support
Read full description

[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/

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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

VDateNow3 screens
ARCharacterRecorder4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
VDateNow versus ARCharacterRecorder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVDateNowARCharacterRecorder
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (4 ratings) — better3.4 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings48 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.1
Further details — not scored
Size182 MB134 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYoshihiro ItoAOKI JUMMA

Customer experience

VDateNow

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

ARCharacterRecorder

All ratings8 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

None

VDateNow

No in-app purchases

None

ARCharacterRecorder

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VDateNow free?
VDateNow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ARCharacterRecorder free?
ARCharacterRecorder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, VDateNow or ARCharacterRecorder?
VDateNow is rated higher. VDateNow averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while ARCharacterRecorder averages 3.4 from 8 ratings.
Do VDateNow or ARCharacterRecorder have ads?
Neither VDateNow nor ARCharacterRecorder shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VDateNow or ARCharacterRecorder?
VDateNow ships an update every 2 months, and ARCharacterRecorder every 3 months. Most recently, VDateNow was updated on June 1, 2026 and ARCharacterRecorder on June 5, 2026.

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