# Recon vs Carlson Scan3D

The clearest difference is update cadence: Carlson Scan3D at every 10 days against Recon's every 2 months. Carlson Scan3D also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.1). Recon's advantage is ratings volume (277 vs 8). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Recon sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $99.99 per month and Carlson Scan3D sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $999.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Recon against 4.8 for Carlson Scan3D. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Recon has 277 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Recon's written reviews are positive against 100% of Carlson Scan3D's.

Recon ships an update every 2 months, Carlson Scan3D every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Recon | Carlson Scan3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (277 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recon-3d/id1594797748/reviews)** | [4.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carlson-scan3d/id6462191530/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **277** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 94 MB | 146 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Recon-3D Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1594797750) | [Carlson Software, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652080985) |

## What reviewers say

### Recon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recon-3d/id1594797748)

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.

**Highlights:** Photogrammetry and lidar fusion, Cloud or on-device processing, Optional April Tag scaling, e57 format export, Privacy-focused local processing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Recon3D One Month Subscription | $99.99 | per month |
| Recon3D 1 Year Subscription | $599.99 | per year |
| 5 Additional Uploads | $49.99 | one-time |
| 10 Additional Uploads | $79.99 | one-time |
| Recon3D 1 Year Subscription | $299.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Accurate 3D scanning
- 🚀 Efficient workflow revolution
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Innovative use of iPhone features
- ✅ Excellent data quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes at save
- 🐛 Loses data and video
- 🐛 Update required in rural areas
- 🐛 Camera laggy after update
- 🐛 Slow screen update after update

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Tool for measuring in the app


### Carlson Scan3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carlson-scan3d/id6462191530)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a powerful 3D laser scanner with LiDAR. This app processes data locally for enhanced accuracy and security, ideal for professionals in various industries needing precise 3D capture.

**Highlights:** High-powered 3D scanning tool, Precise color 3D point clouds, Local data optimization, Enhanced accuracy and security, Supports LiDAR-equipped iOS devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $999.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Recon free?

Recon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Carlson Scan3D free?

Carlson Scan3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Recon or Carlson Scan3D?

Recon is rated higher. Recon averages 4.8 out of 5 from 277 ratings, while Carlson Scan3D averages 4.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do Recon or Carlson Scan3D have ads?

Neither Recon nor Carlson Scan3D shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Recon or Carlson Scan3D?

Recon ships an update every 2 months, and Carlson Scan3D every 10 days. Most recently, Recon was updated on October 24, 2026 and Carlson Scan3D on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*