ARKit vs ARCore vs WebXR: which AR stack to build on

The four options

ARKit is Apple's native AR framework for iPhone and iPad. ARCore is Google's, primarily for Android. Unity AR Foundation lets one Unity project target both. WebXR delivers AR in a web browser with no install.

The fact that decides most projects

As of September 2026, Safari on iPhone does not support WebXR augmented reality. That single limitation shapes almost every AR decision, because in many markets a large share of the people you want to reach are on iPhone.

It means a browser-only AR experience gives iPhone users either no AR or a reduced fallback. If your audience skews to iPhone, that is a serious constraint on web AR.

Native ARKit

Best accuracy and features on iPhone. Direct access to surface detection, image and object tracking, face tracking, location anchors, and LiDAR-powered scene reconstruction on devices that have LiDAR, such as iPhone 18 Pro. The trade-off: iPhone only, and users must install an app.

Native ARCore

Best choice for Android-first projects, and home to the Geospatial API for location-based AR using Google's visual positioning. The trade-off mirrors ARKit: Android-focused, and an install is required.

Unity AR Foundation

One codebase, both platforms. It wraps ARKit and ARCore, so you get native AR tracking on both while writing most of the app once. For most commercial AR apps that need to work well on iPhone and Android, this is usually the right default. The trade-offs are an app install and the occasional platform-specific feature that needs native work.

WebXR

Maximum reach, zero install — a link or a QR code opens it instantly. Excellent for campaigns, events and quick demos. The trade-off is the iPhone gap described above, plus generally less capability than native.

How to choose

• Campaign, event, packaging, "try it in five seconds": WebXR, accepting a reduced iPhone experience or a separate iPhone path.
• Commercial app that must be accurate on every phone: Unity AR Foundation.
• iPhone-only, needs the deepest Apple features: native ARKit.
• Location-based AR at city scale: consider ARCore Geospatial, or ARKit location anchors where they are supported.

The expensive mistake is choosing web AR for reach, discovering in testing that most of the target audience is on iPhone, and rebuilding natively. Decide based on who your users are before anything else.

Common questions

What is the difference between ARKit and ARCore?

ARKit is Apple's native AR framework for iPhone and iPad, and ARCore is Google's, primarily for Android. Each gives the best native AR on its own platform.

Can WebXR AR work on iPhone?

As of September 2026, Safari on iPhone does not support WebXR augmented reality, so browser AR gives iPhone users either no AR or a reduced fallback.

What is Unity AR Foundation?

A Unity framework that wraps ARKit and ARCore so one project can deliver native AR tracking on both iPhone and Android. For most commercial AR apps it is a sensible default.

Should I build my AR experience for web or as an app?

Choose web when instant reach through a link matters most. Choose an app, often built with Unity AR Foundation, when the experience must be accurate on every phone, especially if many users are on iPhone.

Keep reading

How our AR demo behaves on iPhone →How GPS-based AR works →What an AR app costs →AR app development services →