AR and VR app development with honest limits
WebAR product views, mobile AR try-on and simple VR walkthroughs for businesses that want to show products better, not chase a trend. We tell you what works on real phones in India.
AR and VR demos look impressive in a pitch and then struggle on a customer's two-year-old Android. The useful question is not whether you can build it, but whether the extra step helps someone buy, decide or learn. For furniture, eyewear, paint, jewellery and site walkthroughs, the answer is sometimes yes.
We build AR and VR in the places where it carries its weight, and we say plainly where a rotating 3D viewer or good photos would do the same job for less. Most clients start with WebAR that opens from a link, since customers do not install an app to try one product.
Where AR and VR projects disappoint
The 3D model is the real cost
Quotes often hide that every product needs a clean, light 3D model with correct scale and materials. A hundred-product catalogue means a hundred models. We price the asset work separately so you can see it.
Works on the demo phone only
Heavy models and effects stutter on mid-range handsets, which most of your customers use. We set file size and polygon budgets early and test on typical devices.
Users do not know what to do
People will not scan a surface or move the phone unless guided. Short on-screen prompts and a fallback to a normal 3D view make the feature usable by everyone.
No measurable reason to exist
AR added only because competitors have it gives you nothing to measure. We agree before building which behaviour should change, such as fewer returns or more enquiries, and how you will track it.
AR and VR app development services
WebAR product placement
Customers tap a link and place a product in their room through the phone browser, with no app install. Support varies by phone and browser, so we build a fallback 3D viewer for the rest.
Mobile AR apps
Flutter or native apps using ARKit and ARCore for features WebAR cannot do well, such as stable room-scale placement or measuring. Worth it when AR is the core of the product.
Virtual try-on for accessories
Face and hand tracked try-on for eyewear, watches or rings. Accuracy and lighting have limits, and we show them in a prototype before you commit to a full catalogue.
3D product viewers
Rotate, zoom and change colour on any device, embedded in your site or store. Often the most economical first step, and it can later be extended to AR with the same models.
Simple VR walkthroughs
Browser-based 360 tours and WebXR scenes for real estate, interiors and training. Headset-based experiences are possible, but few customers own a headset, so we plan for the phone first.
3D asset preparation
Optimising models from CAD or photogrammetry into light GLB and USDZ files, with textures sized for mobile networks. Heavy modelling from scratch is quoted per item.
How an AR or VR project runs
Discover
We check which products suit AR, which phones your customers use and what you want to measure. Three sample products are chosen for a pilot.
Define
We fix the model budget per product, supported devices and fallback behaviour. Asset work and app work are quoted separately.
Design
We design the guidance screens, scale cues and sharing flow. A clickable or live WebAR prototype is shown early so you judge it on a real phone.
Build
Models are optimised, the viewer or app is built, and everything is tested on a range of Android and iOS devices, in bright and dim rooms.
Ship & extend
After launch we look at usage and drop-off. If the pilot works, we add the remaining catalogue in batches.
What it costs
AR cost depends mostly on the number of 3D models and the tracking type, not on the screens. A three-product pilot is the sensible first step before a whole catalogue.
- Number and complexity of 3D models
- Face, surface or marker tracking
- WebAR only or a mobile app as well
- Store integration for buying from the AR view
- Device testing range
All prices exclude 18% GST. See also website costs and app costs.
Questions we get asked
What is WebAR and why do most clients start there?
WebAR runs in the phone browser from a link or QR code, so nobody installs an app. It suits product placement and simple try-ons. It has limits on tracking quality and older phones, so we build a standard 3D view as a fallback.
How much of the cost is 3D modelling?
Often the larger part. Each product needs a clean, light model with accurate scale. If you already have CAD files, preparation is cheaper. We list asset work per product in the quote so you can decide how many to start with.
Will AR increase my sales?
We cannot promise that. AR tends to help where buyers worry about size, fit or placement, such as furniture or eyewear. We set a measurable goal, like fewer pre-sale questions, run a small pilot and look at the numbers before wider rollout.
Does it work on all phones?
No tool does. Recent mid-range and flagship phones handle it well. Older or very low-end handsets may not support the tracking. We detect support and show a normal 3D view or photo gallery instead, so nobody sees a broken screen.
Can it connect to my online store?
Yes. We can embed the viewer on product pages in Shopify or WooCommerce and add a buy or enquire button in the AR screen. The store integration is separate from the 3D asset work and is scoped accordingly.
Do you build VR headset games?
Not as a focus. We do browser-based VR tours and simple WebXR scenes. Full headset games or large simulations need a dedicated game studio, and we will say so in discovery instead of overpromising.
Ready to scope it?
Tell us what you want to build. You get a fixed written quote after a free discovery call.