Recon vs Smart Beams
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
Smart Beams
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The intelligent headlights of the car can be set to different lighting effects for the vehicle in various scenarios. You can adjust the color, brightness, etc. of the headlights.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smart Beams at none against Recon's 5. Smart Beams also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). Recon's advantage is iOS requirement (16.1 vs 26.1). On price, 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. Smart Beams asks for nothing beyond the download.
Recon ships an update every 2 months, Smart Beams every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 11, 2026.
| Parameter | Recon | Smart Beams |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (275 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 275 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 — better | 26.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 94 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Recon-3D Inc. | Guangzhou Cardi Auto Parts Co., Ltd. |
Bugs and 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
Smart Beams
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
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
Smart Beams
No in-app purchases
