RTAB vs Recon
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RTAB
This utility app enables real-time 3D scanning and mapping of environments using LiDAR or RGB-D sensors. It features online loop closure detection and map optimization for immediate feedback, with export options for various 3D formats.
- Online 3D scanning and mapping
- Loop closure detection and map correction
- Save maps in DB format
- Export in PLY, LAS, or OBJ
- Multi-session mapping
- AR/VR visualization mode
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RTAB-Map (Real-Time Appearance-Based Mapping) is an Open Source LiDAR / RGB-D / Stereo Graph-Based SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) approach based on an online incremental appearance-based loop closure detector. The loop closure detector uses a bag-of-words approach to determinate how likely a new image comes from a previous location or a new location. When a loop closure hypothesis is accepted, a new constraint is added to the map's graph, then a graph optimizer minimizes the errors in the map in real-time. An optional memory management approach can be used to limit the number of locations used for loop closure detection and graph optimization, so that real-time constraints on large-scale environnements are always respected. ARKit's visual inertial odometry (VIO) is used as the SLAM front-end for RTAB-Map (the SLAM back-end). * Note that unlike other scanning apps that optimize the map only after mapping, with RTAB-Map you get loop closure detection and map optimization online so you can have a live feedback to know when you have enough constraints in the map for good global optimization before stopping the scan. *** 3D reconstruction available only with LiDAR sensor. Features: * Online 3D scanning/mapping of the environment. * Online loop closure detection and map correction. * Save in DB format (RTAB-Map desktop and rtabmap_ros format). * Export in PLY, LAS or OBJ. * Multi-session mapping (save and continue later). * Use Apriltags to help finding loop closures in textureless environments. * Mixed AR/VR First-Person in visualization mode. * Raw ARKit data recording (up to 60 Hz!), useful to record long sessions without comprising battery life.
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 in-app purchases: RTAB at none against Recon's 5. RTAB also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Recon's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (277 vs 42). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. Recon sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $99.99 per month. RTAB asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for RTAB against 4.8 for Recon. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Recon has 277 ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of RTAB's written reviews are positive against 75% of Recon's.
RTAB ships an update every 5 months, Recon every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | RTAB | Recon |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (42 ratings) | 4.8 (277 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 42 | 277 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 94 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mathieu Labbe | Recon-3D Inc. |
Customer experience
RTAB
Recon
Bugs and requests
RTAB
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
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- Sign up process is not working
- Password recovery is not working
Requested features
1 request- Tool for measuring in the app
In-app purchases
RTAB
No in-app purchases
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







