6 Popular Augmented Reality Development Tools to Build AR Apps
Augmented Reality technology brings new opportunities to enhance the overall user experience. From gaming and eCommerce to automobile and advertisement, different business sectors are harnessing the power of augmented reality to achieve new heights. AR has significantly changed the interaction level of the users. Applications integrated with AR use real time information in the form of 3D models and graphics. AR applications are acquiring different verticals and providing app developers with a wide range of AR toolkits. Augmented reality companies are using the latest AR development tools to build marker based and location based mobile applications. This article enlists the most powerful augmented reality development tools to build AR apps in 2022. So, let’s take a look!
Here is a list of the best augmented reality development tools that can be used by an augmented reality app development company 1. Vuforia Vuforia is regarded as the best tool for building augmented reality applications. It offers many useful features for designing AR based apps with high performance. • Vuforia is compatible with major mobile platforms like iOS and Android.
Top Augmented Reality Development Tools

• The tool can help track the light level of a particular environment to apply the accurate amount of lighting to simulated objects.
• It is capable of converting static images into full motion videos.
• Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) allows tracking the environment accurately with no extra calibration.
It is an open source AR development tool used to create AR apps that are currently trending in the market. The tool is free to use, however, there are advanced features that are paid tools.
• Developers can use this tool to identify 2D objects and interact with them.
• It can identify different objects such as images, boxes, cylinders, etc.
Introduced in July 2017, Apple ARkit is one of the best augmented reality development tools on this list. The tool supports iOS platforms and devices only. It comes with numerous features like VIO or Visual Inertial Odometry, Face Tracking, Tracking light levels, etc.
• It offers a Unity Plugin and provides support for Cloud and local storage.
2. Apple ARKit
• It supports single and dual cameras.
• It eases the application of face tracking effects or the creation of facial expressions of 3D characters.
• The tool supports text recognition, including words, custom vocabulary, etc.
• Vuforia leverages the Smart terrain feature to efficiently create a 3D geometric map of the surrounding.
• Apple ARkit is highly efficient in identifying horizontal planes such as floors, tables, etc. as well as vertical and irregularly shaped surfaces.
3. ARToolkit
• Google ARCore controls the object’s position and orientation using the camera.
• Using smart light tracking, developers can create very realistic objects that look natural within an environment.
• It facilitates the development of real time AR apps.
• With ARToolkit, there’s automatic camera calibration
• It offers location based services
• It is ideal for creating location based AR apps, GPS, and compass navigation support.
• The AR development tool helps to position virtual objects perfectly on the spot with the feature points in the room.
5. Wikitude One of the newest tools available in the AR app market worldwide is Wikitude SDK7. While it is a fresh tool, it meets the expectations of developers. It is enriched with features like Location based services, 3D recognition, Smart glass integration, etc.
• The tool supports different languages. 4. Google ARCore Google ARCore is another popular augmented reality development tool used for AR app development. Google AR is compatible with Android devices operating on 7.0 or higher versions. This AR development tool supports unreal, utility, and Java. It comes with Monitor tracking, Light estimation, Environment Understanding, and a lot more.
• Integration with smart glasses
• Environmental understanding provides the opportunity to find horizontal surfaces that enable users to place virtual objects accurately.
• It supports integration with smart glasses.
• It can be easily integrated with third party plugins, including Unity 6. MAXST
• To build more simulating AR experiences, barcode and QR scanning can be done effectively.
• The tool provides Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping that facilitate tracking and mapping of environments.
• Provides 3D recognition and tracking • Accurate image recognition and tracking • Supports Cloud Recognition
• Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping creates files that are saved to render 3D objects everywhere.
Wrapping Up
• Enhanced image tracking
Undeniably, augmented reality technology is one of the most popular trends in the current mobile app development industry. An augmented reality development company can come up with new ideas and create innovative AR based mobile applications to lead the market. So, businesses looking to enhance the overall experience of the users can hire mobile app developers to build feature rich and engaging augmented reality apps.
The last one on this list of best augmented reality development tools is MAXST. This AR development tool comes with two SDKs. One is a 2D SDK that tracks the images and the other one is a 3D SDK that identifies the environment. The MAXST supports iOS, Android, and Windows.
• Integration with the Utility Plugin
Approach a mobile app development company in Gurgaon India specializing in augmented reality app development, and outsource your AR mobile app project.