8th Wall Alternatives for webAR Creation

When working with browser-based augmented reality, you have several options, from the very advanced editors that require coding to the simple WYSIWYG style drag and drop editors. On the heavier end of the spectrum we have 8th Wall and their Cloud Editor, which can be used to create advanced webAR if you’re willing to put in the time and effort (and the money that time and effort costs). But if you want powerful webAR at a lower cost while still delivering an advanced experience there are some great alternatives to 8th Wall.

You could go for Hololink, Zappar or blippar, which all give you access to an online editor where you can create interactive AR that can be served directly in your users’ mobile browser.

But before introducing the 3 alternatives, let’s look at the costs of running a campaign on these 4 tools. In the table below you can see the entry level price

8th Wall * Monthly cost: $1250 / month * Number of views included: 25000 / month * Price for additional views: $0.01 / view * Includes team features at lowest tier: No

Zappar * Monthly cost: $58 / month * Number of views included: 1000 / month * Price for additional views: $0.02 / view * Includes team features at lowest tier: No

Blippar * Monthly cost: $150 / month * Number of views included: 5000 / month * Price for additional views: $0.02 / view * Includes team features at lowest tier: No

Hololink * Monthly cost: $59 / month * Number of views included: unlimited * Price for additional views: n/a * Includes team features at lowest tier: Yes

As we can see there are big differences in price, especially when looking at monthly views for a campaign. When it comes to the actual tools, there are differences too, so choosing the right one depends on your client’s needs.

Zappar has an editor called ZapWorks Designer, which allows you to create both marker-based and markerless AR as well as AR with face-recognition. The editor is relatively easy to use, but requires some experience with graphic tools. They also develop campaigns themselves and as such you have the possibility of paying extra for their expertise so that you don’t need to design and develop everything yourself. Zappar gives you a couple of 3D models to start with, but you have to deliver most assets yourself.

Blippar’s Blippbuilder editor has a different look and feel to it, mostly becasue of the many options available on the same screen. But you can accomplish many of the same things as with Zappar. As mentioned, they have more features available directly on the screen, which can be overwhelming and make the editor feel less accessible for the beginner. They also give you the possibility to develop campaigns for you. Blippar gives you some basic 3D shapes, but other than that there are no standard assets available.

Hololink’s Hololink editor is similar to the Zappworks Designer, but with more interaction features, including a full storyboard and a specific editor for buttons, camera and other interface related content. It is the only true self-serve editor, with everything from team management to AR creation built into a single coherent flow. With this comes an integration with Sketchfab, giving access to thousands of 3D models instantly, as well as curated libraries containing images, video and audio that are free to use. Hololink is currently tailor-made for marker-based experiences, but they have promised marker-less tracking by the end of 2022.

To conclude, the 3 alternatives to 8th Wall all have their good sides, but if you want to get started quickly, have easy visual control over your storyline and be able to reach a large audience at a low price, Hololink is your best choice.