What a LiDAR floor plan app does

On an iPhone Pro or iPad Pro, the LiDAR Scanner reads depth, so an app can find the walls, doors and windows of a room while it’s walked. Apple’s RoomPlan, the scanning engine Apple offers app makers, turns that into a floor plan with the size of every wall. The list of iPhones with LiDAR shows which phones have the scanner.

The apps differ in three ways that matter on a job:

  • What comes out: a 2D floor plan, a 3D model, or the numbers an estimate needs (floor area, wall area, ceiling height, openings).
  • Phones without LiDAR: some only work on a Pro iPhone; some also work on standard iPhones and Android.
  • What happens next: a PDF, an ESX file for Xactimate, or a full estimate.

Side by side

App Phones Price, as listed Best at
BluMatrix iPhone Pro and iPad Pro with LiDAR; any iPhone or Android by corners Monthly or yearly plan (above) The floor plan, then the estimate
magicplan iPhone and Android Per project; plans from 10 projects a month Sketches and documentation for restoration
Polycam iPhone and Android Free plan; Business $400 a year per user, with floor plans 3D scans with floor plans
CubiCasa iPhone and Android First 2D floor plan free, then per plan Real estate floor plans
3D Scanner App iPhone Pro and iPad Pro Free download Free 3D scans

Prices are from each company’s own pricing page and change; check theirs before buying.

BluMatrix

BluMatrix scans each room with LiDAR on an iPhone Pro or iPad Pro, and on any other phone, Android included, measures it by marking the corners. Either way the room comes back with its floor plan, floor area, wall area, ceiling height, doors and windows, and goes straight into a line-item estimate at current prices for the ZIP code. The floor plan report, photo report and an ESX file for Xactimate come from the same project.

Best for: contractors and restoration crews who scan to price the job, with a crew on mixed phones.

magicplan

magicplan makes floor plans on iPhone and Android and pairs them with photos, notes and documentation for each project, with ESX export to Xactimate on its PRO plan. It’s priced per project: plans start at 10 new projects a month, with unlimited users.

Best for: restoration companies documenting every loss with a team.

Polycam

Polycam is a 3D scanner for iPhone and Android with a free plan. 2D and 3D floor plans come with its Business plan, $400 a year per user; Basic is $150 a year or $30 a month. It also sells ESX exports for Xactimate one at a time.

Best for: 3D captures of spaces and objects, with floor plans when you need them.

CubiCasa

CubiCasa is built for real estate: scan the home with the app on iPhone or Android and order the floor plan. The first 2D floor plan is free; after that, floor plans are priced by package.

Best for: real estate agents and photographers who need listing floor plans.

3D Scanner App

3D Scanner App is a free download that scans spaces and objects with the LiDAR Scanner on iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro and later, then lets you edit, measure and share the 3D model.

Best for: trying LiDAR scanning for free on a Pro iPhone.

Which one to choose

  • Floor plans that turn into an estimate, on any phone: BluMatrix.
  • Documentation for restoration, per project: magicplan.
  • 3D scans with floor plans: Polycam.
  • Real estate listings: CubiCasa.
  • Free 3D scans: 3D Scanner App.

Common questions

Is there a LiDAR app for Android?

Android phones don’t have the LiDAR Scanner iPhone Pros have. Apps that make floor plans on Android measure with the camera instead: BluMatrix by marking the room’s corners. The guide to floor plans on Android explains how.

What is the best free LiDAR app?

3D Scanner App is a free download for 3D scans, and Polycam has a free plan. For floor plans with measurements for an estimate, most apps charge after a trial.

How accurate are LiDAR floor plans?

Accurate enough for estimating room sizes, wall areas and openings, which is what contractors use them for. They aren’t surveying tools.

Do LiDAR apps work on an iPad?

Yes, on an iPad Pro with LiDAR: the 11-inch from the 2nd generation and the 12.9-inch from the 4th generation on, and today’s iPad Pro.