EM3D vs Recon
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EM3D
Create 3D scans of objects, people, and pets using your device's front-facing 3D camera. Share your creations on social media, export them for 3D printing, or capture memories in a new dimension.
- 3D scan objects with front-facing camera
- Create 360° or custom selfie videos
- Scan kids and pets
- Full color 3D scan export
- 3D printing service integration
- Mirror Saver feature for easier scanning
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Ethan Makes 3D Scanner lets you 3D scan objects using the front-facing TrueDepth 3D camera sensor on your device. If your device has Face ID, it has a TrueDepth camera. - Share your 3D selfies on social media. - Automatically create a 360° selfie or create your own custom selfie video. - Scan your kids. They're only little once. Scan your pets. - Capture moments in 3D. - Create full color scans that can be exported and 3D printed in full color. - Supports Bluetooth shutter buttons for 3D scanning on a tripod. Send your full color 3D scan files away to have them 3D printed if you don't own a 3D printer. Use the Mirror Saver feature or the stand-alone EM3D: Mirror Saver app to view the screen on another device, which makes it easier to scan objects in front of you. If you don't have a second device, use the link in the app to download a 3D printable mirror adapter, which changes the direction of the front facing camera 90 degrees. If you follow the link, there is also information on purchasing a mirror adapter if you don't have access to a 3D printer. Use the Toggle Mesh feature from the Action menu to preview the mesh before you purchase an export option.
Recon
Capture accurate 3D data using photogrammetry and your device's lidar sensor. Process data locally for privacy or in the cloud. Includes optional scaling with April Tags and exports in e57 format for further analysis.
- Photogrammetry and lidar fusion
- Cloud or on-device processing
- Optional April Tag scaling
- e57 format export
- Privacy-focused local processing
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Recon-3D is a scanning application that fuses photogrammetry and the lidar sensor on the iPhone/iPad Pro. The data can be processed on the cloud or in case of sensitive data, directly on the device only with no data transmitted over the internet. The app provides optional scaling via April Tags which immediately adjusts the scale of the 3D model to match real-world reference measurements. The data can be exported to other programs for inspection, analysis and visualization in e57 format. Privacy Policy: https://www.recon-3d.com/privacypolicy Terms of Use: https://www.recon-3d.com/termsandconditions
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Recon at 4.8 against EM3D's 3.2. Recon also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 45%). EM3D's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. EM3D sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Recon sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $99.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Recon holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 101 and 277 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of EM3D's written reviews are positive against 75% of Recon's.
EM3D ships an update weekly, Recon every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | EM3D | Recon |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.2 (101 ratings) | 4.8 (277 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 45.0% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 101 | 277 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 52 MB | 94 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Brawny Lads | Recon-3D Inc. |
Customer experience
EM3D
Recon
Bugs and requests
EM3D
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Recon
Reported bugs
7 issues- Program crashes when hitting save
- App requires update in rural areas without data
- Camera is laggy and slow to update screen after update
- Permission problems block app usage
- App shows 'Oops' screen asking for permission despite all permissions granted
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Sign up process is not working
- Password recovery is not working
Requested features
1 request- Tool for measuring in the app
In-app purchases
EM3D
- Share Videos$1.99
- Export PLY$6.99
- Export OBJ$6.99
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- Export STL$6.99
- Export Point Cloud$6.99
- Export Scene$6.99
- Unlock All Features$19.99
- Lifetime Bundle$49.99
Recon
- Recon3D One Month Subscription$99.991 Month
- Recon3D 1 Year Subscription$599.991 Year
- 5 Additional Uploads$49.99
- 10 Additional Uploads$79.99
- Recon3D 1 Year Subscription$299.99
