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8th Wall
What it is
8th Wall provides tools for creating 3D experiences and WebAR projects for web browsers or self-hosted web projects. Its XR Engine includes World Effects, Absolute Scale, Image Targets, Face Effects, and Sky Effects, and is designed to work with A-Frame, Three.js, Babylon.js, and PlayCanvas. 8th Wall Desktop is an XR game engine with a visual editor for developing 3D and AR experiences; downloads are available for Apple Silicon Mac, Intel Mac, and Windows x64. The free plan costs nothing and requires no login. Projects can be deployed and hosted wherever a developer needs. The engine binary is closed source and cannot be modified or reverse engineered; it also has a limited-use license. Other listed tools and example projects use the MIT license. Native export is coming soon, and export through the retired hosted platform is no longer available. Projects exported before February 28, 2026 can be migrated for local or self-hosted use. Hosted projects are scheduled to stay live through February 28, 2027.
For and against
For
- Free plan costs nothing.
- Visual editor supports 3D and AR development.
- Works with four listed 3D frameworks.
- Projects can be hosted where developers choose.
Against
- Hosted-platform export is no longer available.
- Native export is still coming soon.
- Engine binary cannot be modified or reverse engineered.
- Distributed binary excludes VPS, Maps, and Hand Tracking.
The verdict
8th Wall combines WebAR tools, a desktop visual editor, and support for several 3D frameworks. Review the binary license and project migration deadlines before choosing it for a new project.
Who it suits
8th Wall suits developers building browser-based or self-hosted WebAR and 3D experiences. It may suit teams using the listed 3D frameworks, provided they account for its export and licensing limits.
Plans and prices
Free
No login required · hosted platform retired · native export coming soon
Read 30 Sep 2026 · 8thwall.org
On the record
- Commercial use
- The maker says the open source components and distributed engine binary can be used for commercial AR experiences, subject to the binary’s limited-use license.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Desktop editor
- 8th Wall Desktop is an XR game engine with a visual editor for developing 3D and AR experiences.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Downloads
- 8th Wall Desktop downloads are available for Apple Silicon Mac, Intel Mac, and Windows x64.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Export status
- Native export is coming soon, and the maker says project export is no longer available through the retired hosted platform.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Feature limits
- The distributed engine binary does not include Niantic Spatial VPS, Lightship Maps, or Hand Tracking.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Hosting
- Projects can be deployed and hosted anywhere that fits the developer’s needs.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Integrations
- The XR Engine is designed to work with A-Frame, Three.js, Babylon.js, and PlayCanvas.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Licensing
- The engine binary is closed source and may not be modified or reverse engineered; other listed tools and example projects are MIT licensed.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Migration deadline
- Projects exported before February 28, 2026 can be migrated to run locally or self-hosted; projects not exported by then cannot be downloaded or modified through the platform.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- 8th Wall provides tools for building 3D experiences and WebAR.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Security and compliance
- The maker pages opened do not state security certifications or compliance standards.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Service shutdown
- Hosted projects are scheduled to remain live through February 28, 2027, after which hosting will be decommissioned.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Support
- The maker points developers to Discord, GitHub Discussions, issue reporting, and pull requests for community support and contributions.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- XR features
- The XR Engine includes World Effects, Absolute Scale, Image Targets, Face Effects, and Sky Effects.8thwall.org · read 30 Sep 2026
