MetaScan

MetaScan creates 3D models of people and objects through a mobile app or an event scanning service. The app offers object, full-body, and head-and-shoulders capture using photogrammetry on modern iPhone or Android cameras; LiDAR is not required. Scans can be viewed in augmented reality and exported as GLB, USDZ, or OBJ files. MetaScan says scans can be auto-rigged and animated for use as characters in its multiplayer game In The Real World. Browser-based converters handle GLB, OBJ, STL, glTF, PLY, FBX, and USDZ on the user's device without uploading files. Event services include a professional scanning station, portrait studio, and 360 spin video booth for sports and team days, weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and corporate and brand events. The free plan allows up to five scans in a library and one HD reconstruction per month. Pro costs $9.99 a month, Studio costs $29.99 a month, and an HD credit costs $4.99 once. MetaScan says person scans require consent and that users can delete scans or their account.

MetaScan pairs mobile 3D capture with file exports, AR viewing, and event scanning services. The free plan has monthly reconstruction and library limits, while paid plans raise the listed scan and reconstruction allowances.

MetaScan suits people who want to capture people or objects as 3D models, view scans in AR, or export them for other uses. Its event services are presented for sports and team days, weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and corporate and brand events.

MetaScan is a mobile and event-based 3D capture platform for turning people and objects into models, figurines, avatars, and AR experiences. It suits creators, families, and event organizers who want phone-based photogrammetry without LiDAR, but frequent high-resolution production will outgrow its free allowance. The strongest case is its combination of capture, exports, rigging, and event services in one product; the main constraint is the monthly reconstruction and library quotas on lower tiers.

Overview

MetaScan captures object, full-body, and head-and-shoulders scans through modern iPhone and Android cameras, while a professional station extends the same idea to staffed events. Outputs can become physical figurines or keepsakes, digital avatars, AR models, and animated characters. The browser tools add local 3D-file conversion, so the product spans casual capture, content preparation, and physical-event experiences rather than serving only as a scanner.

Its approach is practical for users without a LiDAR-equipped phone. Photogrammetry uses ordinary camera images, although a supported modern device is still required. Occasional users can start without paying, while anyone producing several finished models each month should budget for a paid plan or individual HD credits.

Key features

Capture, exports, and AR

The app supports object, full-body, and portrait-style scanning, then offers GLB, USDZ, and OBJ exports. Augmented-reality viewing gives a scan an immediate use for previews, sharing, or placing a model in a real space. Free includes full-quality preview scans, sharing, and figurine ordering, but only one HD reconstruction each month and a five-scan library. That is enough for trying the workflow or making an occasional keepsake, not for a steady catalog.

Rigging and conversion

MetaScan says scans can be auto-rigged and animated, including as characters in its multiplayer game In The Real World. Free users pay $0.99 for each auto-rig, whereas Pro and Studio include monthly allowances. The browser converters handle GLB, OBJ, STL, glTF, PLY, FBX, and USDZ, with processing performed on the user's device instead of uploading the conversion file. That is a useful privacy-conscious workflow for format changes, distinct from scan processing, which MetaScan performs on its own servers.

Events and support

Event services provide a professional 3D scanning station, portrait studio, and 360 spin video booth. The offering is aimed at sports and team days, weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and corporate or brand events, making it more relevant to organizers seeking an attraction than to a solo hobbyist. Support is offered by phone, text, email, or website message, including 1-833-722-6331.

Privacy and account controls

Person scans require consent. MetaScan says scan processing uses its own servers and hardware, without sending scans to third-party AI, analytics, or advertising services or selling them. Standard-scan source images are automatically deleted about two hours after model generation, and users can delete scans or an account. Face and depth data is sent over HTTPS/TLS and stored on secured U.S. servers with access controls.

Pricing

MetaScan uses a freemium model, with paid plans from $9.99/mo and no free trial.

Free is the sensible entry point for occasional scans, especially when preview quality and figurine ordering matter more than volume. A $4.99 HD credit avoids a recurring bill for one-off higher-resolution work and never expires. Pro is the better fit for regular creators who need high-resolution exports and priority processing, while Studio is aimed at heavier production with five times Pro's HD-reconstruction allowance and more library capacity. The cheaper options give up recurring reconstruction headroom, included rigging, or both; the free library cap also limits long-term archiving.

App purchases are billed through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Subscription management uses KeyMonetize, and figurine and web purchases use Shopify.

Platforms

MetaScan runs on Android, iOS, and the web. Mobile devices handle capture, while the browser provides file-conversion tools. Its cloud deployment separates the web and account service from on-device conversion processing.

Who it's for

Choose MetaScan for personal scans, figurines, keepsakes, AR previews, or avatar-oriented projects when you have a modern iPhone or Android phone but no LiDAR requirement. It also makes sense for event planners who want a professional scanning station, portrait setup, and 360 booth in one service. Pro and Studio fit creators with recurring reconstruction and rigging needs. It is less suitable if you only need a small number of basic conversions, want a permanently free high-volume workflow, or require a desktop-first capture application.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Photogrammetry works with modern iPhone and Android cameras, so LiDAR is not required.
• GLB, USDZ, and OBJ exports plus AR viewing support both digital sharing and downstream use.
• On-device browser conversion covers seven major 3D formats without uploading conversion files.
• Consent rules, short-lived source-image retention, deletion controls, and stated third-party data exclusions provide meaningful privacy safeguards.
• Event services add a professional station, portrait studio, and 360 booth for organized gatherings.

Cons

• The free tier allows only five library scans and one HD reconstruction monthly.
• Auto-rigging costs $0.99 per use on Free, so repeated animation adds up quickly.
• High-resolution exports and priority processing require the $9.99 monthly Pro plan.
• There is no free trial, leaving the free tier as the main way to evaluate paid workflow needs.

Alternatives

PIX4Dcatch is the better choice for users who need LiDAR capture, GPS georeferencing, point measurement, or ground-control tools; its free Discovery license includes those surveying-oriented functions, with a paid Pro plan at 132.50 US.

KIRI Engine suits photographers who want a free allowance of up to 150 photos per scan, 2 GB per scan, unlimited scans, and free exports, with API credits sold separately at $1 each.

MagiScan is an alternative for users seeking a cross-platform scanner with a free starter allowance and a subscription tier.

PhotoCatch fits iOS and macOS users who prefer a free download with optional in-app purchases and a $4.99 monthly Essentials plan.

Polycam is worth considering when its Android, iOS, and web coverage, free GLTF exports, and public-link sharing match your workflow; its free tier has limited space, object, and AI captures.

Qlone is a focused iOS and macOS option for object scanning, with premium exports, animated AR, and 4K scanning reserved for upgrades.

RealityScan is an alternative for individuals, small businesses, educational institutions, and students who qualify for its free plan.

OpenMVG is the choice for developers who want a free, open-source library under MPL-2.0 rather than a packaged consumer app.

For broader comparisons, see AI 3D Scanning Software and Photogrammetry Software.

Verdict

MetaScan is a strong fit for people and event teams that want phone-based 3D capture, figurine or avatar outputs, AR viewing, and optional professional scanning services in one ecosystem. Choose it for the LiDAR-free workflow, varied exports, and privacy controls. Look elsewhere if your priority is high-volume HD production without monthly quotas, a desktop-first pipeline, or a fully open-source tool.