WebXR compared to ARCore

  • WebXR brings augmented reality experiences to web browsers, leveraging ARCore on Chrome for Android devices.

  • Choosing between WebXR and ARCore depends on the desired user experience: native apps with ARCore offer a more integrated feel, while WebXR provides accessibility and familiarity within the browser.

  • While WebXR supports core AR features like hit testing, anchors, depth API, and lighting estimation, some advanced ARCore functionalities, such as Augmented Faces and Images, are not yet available in WebXR.

  • Feature support for WebXR in Chrome is actively evolving, with some features fully shipped and others in developer trial or not yet implemented.

The WebXR standard provides augmented reality capabilities in a web browser. On Google Chrome, WebXR uses ARCore to provide AR functionalities on supported Android devices.

When choosing between WebXR and ARCore, consider the target user experience. An Android application using ARCore will provide a more seamless user experience than opening a web browser to display WebXR content. Similarly, a webpage will be able to start a seamless WebXR session in the browser. This allows your users to stay within a familiar environment.

Feature comparison

When choosing to develop your AR experience using either ARCore or WebXR, keep in mind that not all ARCore features are available in WebXR.

The following table describes ARCore features and their corresponding status in Chrome.

ARCore Feature Chrome Status WebXR Explainer
Hit Test Shipped WebXR Device API - Hit Testing
Anchors Shipped What Is An Anchor
Depth API Shipped WebXR Depth Sensing
Plane Detection Developer Trial Plane detection explainer
Lighting Estimation Shipped WebXR Device API - Lighting Estimation
Augmented Faces
Augmented Images
Instant Placement