Scanner vs RTAB
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scanner
Capture 3D models of objects and people using a compatible sensor accessory. Easily scan subjects by walking around them with your device. Export captured models in OBJ format via email for further use.
- 3D model capture
- Object and person scanning
- Structure Sensor accessory integration
- OBJ format export
- Email sharing
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This app is made for the Structure Sensor accessory. If you do not have a Structure Sensor accessory, please visit http://structure.io to learn more. Capture objects in 3D with your Structure Sensor. This simple and easy to use application allows you to capture 3D models of objects and people by simply walking around them with your iPad and the Structure Sensor accessory. Captured objects can be sent via email (uses OBJ format). Download the new "Structure Sensor Calibrator" app for best color results.
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.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: RTAB at 100% against Scanner's 37%. RTAB also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (39 vs 5). Scanner's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
RTAB holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RTAB has 39 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Scanner's written reviews are positive against 100% of RTAB's.
Scanner ships an update monthly, RTAB every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Scanner | RTAB |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.8 (5 ratings) | 4.8 (39 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 36.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 39 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 14.3 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | XRPro, LLC | Mathieu Labbe |
Customer experience
Scanner
RTAB
In-app purchases
Scanner
No in-app purchases
RTAB
No in-app purchases









