10 Best 3D Scanners for 2024

Scan Dimensions have created a portable white light 3D scanner that suits both hobbyists and more experienced users. It’s ideal for fast scanning of new objects, to get them ready for 3D printing, as well as replacing damaged parts of existing models, and everything in between. 

And, while it’s not the cheapest 3D scanner, it’s more affordable than it was just a couple of years ago. You can pick it up online for less than $1,000.

Although it is technically a DIY 3D scanner with high resolution, there are only four parts to assemble. You just have to tighten a few screws. Then simply connect it to your computer via USB cable. 

It’s a simple and sturdy design with a rotating bed where you place the object you wish to scan. This allows for full 360-degree scanning without having to move around the object yourself. However,  you will have to reposition it for different angles. It can support objects up to 2kg and in its furthest position, you can scan objects with a diameter of 17cm / 6.7 inches and a height of 17cm / 6.7 inches. In its nearest and highest resolution position, it’s 10cm by 10cm, with a 0.1mm accuracy/resolution.

The scanner utilizes both structured light/white light to analyze the texture of your object and a laser to scan its dimensions and geometry. One session can also accommodate scanning from 3 different angles, combining all data for the best possible 3D models when combined later. 

It comes with its own software that takes a lot of the hassle out of digitizing your model. It can do manual meshing and output print-ready files, including OBJ and STL. You can also further manipulate these in your favorite slicers like Cura, for the best 3D scanner/3D printing combo.

The software also gives you the status of your scan and the estimated time remaining. Once finished, it will make a noise to alert you and you can even have SMS messages sent to your phone, for when you’re not in the room.

During our tests, full scanning took between 15 and 17 minutes, which is more than acceptable. 

If you’re looking for a relatively affordable and portable 3D scanner with good software, the SOL 3D by Scan Dimension is an excellent choice.

You can pick up this handheld 3D scanner for less than $750, which takes us into cheap 3D scanner territory. However, being relatively cheap doesn’t mean the Matter and Form V2 doesn’t perform well. It’s actually one of the fastest on the market, scanning objects within 65 seconds when using the new +Quickscan mode.

That being said, its size and capabilities mean it won’t suit professional or industrial-scale projects. But it is perfect for individual hobbyists, artists, graphic design teams, and teachers that want something students can observe and use with ease.

The scanner works right away and just needs hooking up to your PC or Mac via USB. You will however need a dim to a darkroom to get the best results. Scanning is done out in the open and outside light sources can interfere. 

Some people have gotten around this by using a makeshift box to put over the scanner, but it would be good if Matter and Form released their own lightbox add-on. Nonetheless, it’s not too much trouble to shut the blinds and get scanning right away. 

Design-wise, the MFS1V2 is the perfect portable 3D scanner, folding right up to slot into a bag or store in a drawer. When unfolded it has a simple flatbed and rotating base, so the object can get a full 360-degree scan. The upright portion of the scanner houses the laser and sensors and can move up and down according to the size of your object.

It can accommodate the scanning of items at 25cm (9.8 inches) high and 18cm (7 inches) in diameter.

The process itself is done in two main steps. First, you scan the geometry of the object, i.e. its outer overall shape or shell, size, and volume. Then there’s the texture and finer detail, or what it should look like on the surface. So when it comes to printing or CAD you automatically get the as accurate color as possible.

Although the scanner rotates, you may still need to maneuver the object to different angles. It is easy to do and bring everything together under one project. 

In fact, one area that stands out is Matter and Form’s user-friendly software that can perform many advanced features without overwhelming the user. It does this by providing a hover-over explanation about what each setting does.

Overall, this is a solid entry-level 3D laser scanner. If you want the highest resolution and detail, or the ability to scan larger objects, however, you will need to look elsewhere.

The Revopoint POP 3D scanner fills the spot between expensive portable and stationary devices quite nicely. For under $600, it’s an appealing mix of versatility and affordability.

Let’s zoom in a bit and see why.

You can use this handheld scanner both indoors and outdoors. It weighs 0.50lb, and it’s made out of black plastic — nothing too fancy but still sturdy. You can set down the practical handle into a tripod.

Furthermore, you can connect it to your PC or phone via the HandyScan app. It’s compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It comes with a USB cable for data transfer and power supply. The single Micro USB B 3.0 port is all you need.

But what about its scanning quality and accuracy?

The POP uses binocular structured light combined with an RGB camera to capture texture and color faithfully. It’s infrared and eye-safe, so no worries on that front.

It can do 3D scans with 0.3mm max accuracy. For this price point, that’s more than decent. The single capture range is 210mm x 130mm, and the working distance is 275mm±100mm. The scan speed is up to 8fps — overall, not too shabby.

However, while these are all solid specs, the Revopoint POP scanner truly shines when it comes to its flexibility. It offers five 3D scanning modes, fit for a variety of situations:

• Feature — the default setting for objects
• Marker — suitable for adding reference points
• Black — for dark surfaces that otherwise can’t be captured
• Face — specialized for scanning faces
• Body — specialized for scanning bodies.

You're limited to freehanding things if you opt for the standard package. But, the starter pack adds a 3D scanner turntable for quick and efficient scanning of smaller objects.

Now.

Let’s take a look at its software.

The POP comes with HandyScan. It’s proprietary software, great for beginners and hobby users. Installing it is a piece of cake, and the UI is also very straightforward and intuitive. 

Users looking for more advanced features to finetune things will probably want something more serious. Still, it can be perfectly adequate depending on your skill level and needs.

But, the bigger issue is the occasional freezing. The 3D scanner camera stopped responding so we had to reboot the software and continue. Luckily, we didn’t lose any of our progress. 

On the bright side, Revopoint updates its software regularly to fix hiccups like this.

All in all, the POP is a smart and novice-friendly option for users looking to experiment with different 3D scan modes and environments. It also won’t break the bank!

iReal 2E is a professional handheld color 3D scanner manufactured by Scantech. It’s been used in many fields including education, design, and healthcare.

Its VCSEL structured infrared light is capable of scanning large color objects with quick precision. This includes difficult textures like glossy surfaces, deep blacks, and even human hair. HD color accuracy is high, even for traditionally difficult elements like eyes.

Indeed, its full-body scanning is particularly impressive thanks to scanning stabilization algorithms. This means the subject can sway or make slight movements without disrupting the finished model. What’s more, its light emission is non-visible to the human eye, so you don’t have to worry about safety or strain when 3D scanning people.

The iReal 2E is compact and lightweight, with an ergonomic shotgun grip. It measures in at 5.5 in x 3.7 x 10.2 inches and weighs in at just 1.9lbs. This small stature is all the more noteworthy when you factor in its massive scanning field. 

Its field of view is 580 x 550mm at a depth of 720mm. You can easily capture high-precision 3D data on objects of all sizes. These rapid scans are aided by a sensor and optimized algorithm for mixed alignments. At the maximum performance, it can acquire data at 1,500,000 points per second rate - all without attaching markers. It also has a 100-micron point accuracy.

It’s no slouch at just shy of $5,000. You can use it for: 

• Body Scan 
  • Customization and re-creation of artistic portraits 
  • Film, video, game, VR, AR and other CG character modeling 
  • Medical rehabilitation 
  • Human body parts customization
• Sculpture and Art Design
  • Medium and large sculptures 
  • Cultural relics 
  • College art training, Clothing design, creative design, derivative product development, etc.
• Digital Acquisition Analysis
  • Plant growth morphology analysis
  • Forensic identification 
  • Medical diagnosis
  • 3D comparative analysis of local body shape changes
  • Monitoring and analysis of cultural relic morphology  
• Science and Education
• Healthcare

So, essentially any industry that benefits from 3D modeling. 

It’s easy to set up. Just connect it to your computer and it will be recognized right away. You’ll know things are going well thanks to a real-time feedback light that shines green. 

It has its own proprietary iReal 3D V3.0 software. Engineered by an AI-powered algorithm, this update of iReal 3D software enhances the users’ experience and speeds up the 3D digitization process. The functions including optimized data quality, real-time color map, mixed alignment modes, and multi-scene switch enable smart and simple 3D measurement. 

The box also contains a charger and power cord, along with a set of markers. As noted, you don’t need the markers, but they can make things easier in certain scenarios.

If your typical scanner prices have your head spinning, the Phiz 3D knocks off a nice chunk by replacing an inbuilt processor and camera with your smartphone. Your average mobile device has good enough specs to make this a worthwhile purchase whether you’re a professional, hobbyist, or newbie.

Your phone simply clamps into place. It’s compatible with the iPhone 6 range (iOS 12 and higher) and most modern Android phones (7.0 and higher). Tablets, however, are too large.

What these 3D laser scanners provide is a light source and turntable. The rest of the work is accomplished via a powerful mobile app. It even uses machine learning to keep scan quality high.

It supports STL, OBJ, and PLY file formats, making it compatible with most slicers, software, and 3D printers. This includes assets for 3D animation, game development, or augmented reality.

You can easily reverse-engineer any 3D object up to the size of 40cm x 40cm x 40cm. Or, if you already have a digitized model, this can help you improve and refine it by doing a re-scan. You get a great resolution of 0.2mm, with a maximum of one million vertices.

So, how does a laser 3D scanner like this work? It uses the traditional triangulation method, with your phone camera trained on the target as it spins. Meanwhile, the illumination comes from the main beacon. Depending on the complexity of your object, it may take several scans in different positions to generate a fully-formed 3D model.

Because every phone is different, there is no fixed distance between the laser and camera. The machine-learning algorithm then comes into play to determine all the dimensions involved. All you really need to know is it works well. We found performance to be on par with many mid-range alternatives. 

Of course, in this case, the overall quality and speed of scanning will depend on your phone camera. Kiri Innovation gives an average scan time of between 4 and 30 minutes and our tests suggest this is an accurate range. As with any 3D laser scanner, the higher you set the resolution, the longer it will take.

The app is called 3DScanLink and is available from the Google Play Store and Apple Store. Simply get it installed, hit ‘Connect to device’ and it should find the Phiz 3D beacon in seconds via Bluetooth. It will give you some start-up tips and when you’re ready, set the resolution and tap ‘Scan start’.

The screen shows the entire process, before cleanly displaying the finished model. Moreover, this is maneuverable so you can see how it looks from every angle before deciding to export. You can then re-scan or send it to your computer or another device to continue your project.

Although there are some obvious variables due to relying on your phone, the Phiz 3D Scanner produces surprisingly fast and accurate results. For just $379, it’s excellent value for money.

At $8,500 MSRP, the ‘EinScan Pro 2X Plus’ by Shining 3D is about as high-end as you can get for a handheld 3D laser scanner. It’s aimed at professional users in fields like engineering, education, healthcare, and video games/VR development.

That means it produces incredibly high-quality models and can scan the most complex of objects. It can scan unique and detailed ones and reverse engineer parts. I.e. you can scan a part so accurately that you can replicate it.

Design-wise it doesn’t look much different than any other handheld, hand-grip style 3D scanner. It’s just a lot more powerful and does things fast. You can get to over one million points per second in handheld mode and half a second in fixed scan mode. In this mode, you can use a rotating plate instead of moving around the object yourself.

You also don’t have to be right on top of your object to get high-quality results. Objects as small as 3cm around can be successfully scanned from up to four meters away. That makes it a good 3D scanner for small objects and larger objects alike.

Furthermore, when in fixed-scan mode the accuracy is 0.04mm, which is excellent when 0.1mm is still considered good. 

Depending on your requirements and budget you can further upgrade the Pro 2X plus with numerous packs and add-ons. For example, you can add a turntable for fixed 360-degree scanning or a color pack for a full spectrum of color scanning even in geometry mode. There’s also the HD Prime pack that improves the quality even further and speeds things up by 30% - as if it wasn’t fast enough already.

The scanner comes with proprietary ExScan Pro software that is intuitive and easy-to-use and has enough guidance to quickly get you up to speed on the various features. You can export in all of the major 3D model formats, such as STL, OBJ, PLY, ASC, and P3. You’ll have no trouble 3D scanning for 3D printing.

That’s without mentioning its advanced CAD features. They include: 

• convergent and synchronous modeling 
• reverse engineering 
• a simulation mode to test things
• the ability to manipulate any scanned model in all ways conceivable

Really, the only limitations with the Pro 2X Plus are limitations with the underlying technology. This means it can still struggle with overly shiny surfaces and hair, but there are many industry workarounds.

Overall, the Shining 3D EinScan Pro 2X Plus is easily in contention for the best handheld 3D scanner, working flawlessly and quickly. It’s even good for 3D scanning people!

One of the older products on the market but still a strong contender is the Artec Eva portable 3D scanner. It has found its home on the professional scene where it offers regular studio software updates and enterprise support. At $14,685 it’s out of the reach of most individuals. For those in industries where 3D scanning is needed or emerging, however, the Artec Eva is an ideal package.

First off, it’s worth noting that its physical design and style have not really changed since 2012. It looks a bit like an old router, is quite heavy, and all status alerts and operational control come from a connected laptop or computer. You get nothing but a few LED lights from the scanner itself.

Its structured light scanning, however, can accommodate medium and large items in high resolution. It creates full-color models and is one of the few 3D scanners to get hair right. This makes it perfect for head and shoulder or even full-body scans for VR applications. In that sense, think of it as a practical Jeep Wrangler instead of a fast but pointless Ferrari. It doesn’t necessarily turn heads, but it gets the job done.

In fact, if you were going to use a device to 3D scan car parts, it would be the Artec Eva. It’s also used widely in the manufacture of medical devices.

Scanning the geometry and texture of objects is done in one fell swoop. It does this with an accuracy of up to 0.1mm and a resolution of up to 0.5mm. That’s some high-level detail and it does this at a class-leading speed of two million points per second. It also doesn’t even have to be calibrated.

Furthermore, while cheaper scanners boast similar accuracy and resolution, in practice none beat the Eva when it comes to difficult objects - think really shiny or dark surfaces or human hair. Its only hiccup is with large flat surfaces that require you to add some markers (like masking tape), so it understands that there is indeed a surface there.

Another slight inconvenience is it needs to remain plugged into the wall and a computer at all times unless you spend extra on a portable battery. Then you can get away with a USB connection to a tablet and can be more mobile.

One area it particularly stands out is its Artec Studio software, which is updated regularly and provides a full suite of tools to edit and tweak your scans. It also has a real-time mode, showing you the skeletal-like 3D mesh as you scan. It allows you to pause and even go back and redo areas that were missed or need a better angle. 

On the enterprise level, if you need something that excels at medium to large objects and can scan practically or surfaces quickly and in high quality, the Artec Eva is the best 3D scanner. However, unless you have serious money to burn, individual professionals and hobbyists need to look for something more affordable.

The Structure Sensor Mark II scanner by Occipital performs high-quality 3D scans, with a depth resolution of 1280×960 pixels. You can get as close as 12 inches to effectively capture smaller objects. It has an impressive maximum range of 5m for full-body scans and other larger objects. You can even 3D scan a room. This is complemented by a wide-angle lens and a built-in IMU laser tracker.

While that’s all impressive, what really stands out is the price. You can purchase it for just $527, making it perfect for individual professionals and home users.  For that you get the thin handheld scanner, a bracket adapter to attach it to a laptop or tablet for a fixed scan, and a USB cable for charging and connecting to your device.

The easily portable 3D scanner is just 1.8cm x 10.9cm x 2.4cm, so can easily fit in a bag or even your pocket. It’s also one of the few that focus on Apple, easily attaching to all of iPads and working flawlessly on the operating system.

You can choose software to use. iPad owners get the ‘Scanner’ app developed by Occipital or can use the third party itSeez3D app. Alternatively, you can opt for the Skanect program which works on both PC and Mac. The latter supports wireless scanning via your Wi-Fi network, but only with an iPad. It’s also compatible with Android and Linux, so it’s got all the bases covered.

The easiest setup is to attach it to a tablet so you can easily see what the scanner sees while getting into position and starting the process.

For $695 you can get an upgraded bundle that includes the pro version of Skanect (premium software). Furthermore, if you were an original Mark I owner and still have it in good condition, you can trade it in with your purchase of the Mark II and get $100 off.

From opening the box, you can get everything up and running in five minutes. Scanning itself is also fast and can even provide good detail, texture, and color in direct sunlight. 

Whether you’re scanning basic objects for 3D printing at home or capturing the shape of a patient’s foot to fit shoe inserts, the Structure Sensor 3D scanner is suitable for many purposes. It cannot be beaten at this price range – especially for Apple users.

This high-quality 3D scanner is a big and beastly-looking device, but it’s also powerful and aimed at professional and enterprise users. The Go Scan 3D price is also over $35,000, so it isn’t something you’re going to buy unless it’s for your business and you’re heavily invested in 3D scanning.

Released in 2019, the Spark is a third-generation upgrade that can scan fast and shows you the mesh on-screen in real-time. It is capable of everything from scanning for VR to reverse engineering and inspecting products for defects and quality control. It is used across the automotive, aerospace, and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) industries. The scanner benefited from powerful proprietary software called VXelements, created by parent company Creaform. There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to using the modeling side of the software but there are ample support and training sessions if needed.

Since these are industrial 3D scanners, they come in a heavy-duty carry case and require a mains power supply. Its USB cable is for connecting to a computer or device, not for charging. 

The beefy vertical design accommodates a lot of tech, including its white light projector, color camera, and separate tracking cameras for geometry. The downside is it’s quite heavy at 1.2kg, but any able-bodied person is not going to have a problem unless they’re working with it all day. To help with grip and prevent you from dropping it, you can be strapped to it over the top side of your hand.

The Spark is fast and very high quality, capturing 1.5 million points per second at a resolution of 0.1mm, and accuracy of up to 0.05mm. The makers recommend scanning objects sized between 5cm and 4m. Anything smaller or bigger can still be captured, but you will start to get accuracy issues.

The good thing is you can tell if things are going smoothly by checking your screen or simply looking for the green light on the device. It lets you know you’re at an adequate distance from the object being scanned and that it is, indeed, scannable.

To make things easier you can simultaneously attach the scanner to a tablet for better live viewing while still sending all the data to a main laptop or computer. 

Support is great and you can send the scanners back to Creaform once a year for factory re-calibration and maintenance. Just keep in mind that this will cost you around $3,500.  

In conclusion, if you’re looking for an easy to handle 3D scanner for professional and industrial purposes, the Go!Scan Spark is expensive but flawless in performance and quality.