Lens Studio is an augmented reality (AR) development tool created by Snapchat that allows anyone to build AR experiences for Snapchat. It provides a desktop application with a visual editor, templates, and built-in support for distributing Lenses to Snapchat. Lens Studio has opened up AR creation to a wide audience of builders, enabling the creation of hundreds of thousands of Lenses. But Lens Studio is not the only platform out there for building AR experiences. Several other tools provide similar functionality and are comparable alternatives to Lens Studio.
Spark AR Studio
Spark AR Studio is an AR development tool created by Facebook for building experiences for Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Portal. Like Lens Studio, it provides a desktop application with a visual editor for building AR effects and has templates and samples to speed up development.
Some key similarities between Spark AR Studio and Lens Studio:
- Both use a block-based visual scripting system requiring no code
- Both have device tracking capabilities like facial tracking
- Both support distributing experiences to mobile apps
- Both have template effects and examples
Spark AR Studio publishes effects to Facebook’s family of apps which have billions of users. Lens Studio publishes to Snapchat which has hundreds of millions of users. Both platforms enable reaching very large audiences.
Key Differences
There are some key differences between the platforms:
- Lens Studio is focused only on AR while Spark AR also enables creating VR experiences
- Lens Studio has more templates and samples to start from
- Spark AR has more built-in 3D objects and animations
- Lens Studio makes it easier to add links and mini games
- Spark AR provides more analytics on effect performance
For mobile AR development focused on faces, Lens Studio has richer authoring capabilities. But Spark AR enables creating a wider range of effects and provides more analytics.
Unity
Unity is a popular general purpose game engine and development platform used to build 2D, 3D, VR and AR experiences. Unlike Lens Studio and Spark AR, Unity requires coding in C# and has a higher learning curve. But Unity provides more flexibility, capabilities and publishing options. Unity can publish AR experiences to:
- Mobile AR frameworks like ARCore and ARKit
- Custom mobile apps
- Snapchat via the Lens Studio exporter
Some key similarities and differences between Unity and Lens Studio:
| Unity | Lens Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Learning curve | High | Low |
| Requires coding | Yes | No |
| Capabilities | Very high | Limited |
| Publishing | Very flexible | Snapchat only |
Unity provides a more flexible and capable development environment at the cost of a steeper learning curve. Lens Studio is easier to start with but less flexible. Many developers will start building AR effects with Lens Studio and later transition to Unity as they want more control and publishing options.
Other Snapchat AR Tools
Snapchat has created other AR authoring platforms beyond Lens Studio:
Snap Camera
Snap Camera is a desktop app that brings Snapchat Lenses to live streaming, video conferencing and other applications like Zoom, Skype and Youtube. It provides an easy way to use Snapchat Lenses without needing to build them. Snap Camera has a library of thousands of Lenses that can be used for live videos.
Lens Web Builder
Lens Web Builder is a web-based tool for creating Snapchat Lenses without needing to install any desktop software. It has templates and a block-based editor that allow creating Lenses completely in the browser. Lens Web Builder has limited capabilities compared to Lens Studio but lowers the barrier to getting started.
These other Snapchat tools provide easier ways to find and use Lenses compared to building from scratch in Lens Studio.
Lenslist
Lenslist is an AR creation platform focused on ecommerce applications. It allows creating AR experiences like virtual try-ons, product visualizations and virtual stores. Lenslist is tailored for brands and retailers. Some key capabilities:
- AR product visualization – Place digital models in physical space
- Virtual dressing room – Try on clothes digitally
- Build mobile AR shopping apps
Lenslist focuses on commercial applications while Lens Studio is better for fun branded AR experiences. Lenslist requires more technical expertise compared to Lens Studio’s easy visual interface.
Augmented Reality Development Frameworks
There are a variety of AR software development kits (SDKs) and frameworks for building mobile and head-worn AR experiences. These give developers low level access to build custom experiences.
Examples include:
- ARCore (Android)
- ARKit (iOS)
- Flutter AR
- Vuforia
- Wikitude
- MAXST
These frameworks all require strong coding skills unlike the no-code platforms like Lens Studio. But they provide the most control and customization for AR. Lens Studio is more beginner-friendly for creators who want templated experiences.
Conclusion
Lens Studio pioneered simple AR creation and remains one of the easiest ways to build augmented reality effects. While other platforms like Spark AR, Lenslist and Unity offer similar capabilities, Lens Studio’s focus on friendly tools for facial AR gives it an advantage.
For most beginners looking to create fun branded AR experiences, Lens Studio is still the best place to start. But as needs grow, expanding to tools like Unity and native SDKs provides more advanced options. The AR ecosystem offers creators a range of platforms at all skill levels to build engaging experiences.