KIRI Engine vs SplatMart (2026): Which 3DGS Workflow Fits?
Comparison · 2026-07-14 · 8 min read · by SplatMart Team
KIRI Engine and SplatMart both turn photos or video into Gaussian splats in the cloud, but they serve different workflows. Compare subscriptions, pay-per-generation pricing, input limits, mobile capture, mesh output, editing, and publishing.
KIRI Engine and SplatMart both remove the need to train a Gaussian splat on your own GPU. KIRI Engine starts from a mobile-first 3D scanning app and expands into photogrammetry, LiDAR, 3DGS, mesh conversion, and production exports. SplatMart starts from a browser marketplace and adds Leighton cloud reconstruction, a browser editor, and selling or commissioning workflows. This comparison is written by SplatMart, so it focuses on the practical differences and calls out where KIRI is the better tool.
The short version
- Choose KIRI Engine if you want a guided phone capture app, LiDAR and photogrammetry modes, 3DGS-to-mesh output, PBR materials, retopology, or auto-rigging in one scanning ecosystem.
- Choose SplatMart if you already have photos or video, want up to 3,000 inputs, prefer pay-per-generation pricing, or want to move from generation into browser editing, selling, and hiring without a separate subscription.
- Both process 3DGS jobs in the cloud, so neither requires a local training GPU.
Capture experience: mobile scanner versus browser upload
KIRI Engine's biggest advantage is capture. Its iPhone and Android apps guide you through scanning, and the broader product includes Photo Scan, LiDAR Scan, Featureless Object Scan, camera controls, and cropping tools. Its 3DGS workflow is designed around recording a slow orbit and uploading it from the app or web interface.
SplatMart does not try to replace your camera app. Leighton accepts the photos or video you already captured through a single browser page. That is simpler for camera, drone, and existing-dataset workflows, but KIRI is more helpful when a beginner wants the phone to guide the capture itself.
Input size and video
Leighton accepts up to 3,000 photos or one video sampled to a maximum of 3,000 frames. Its base price includes 500 inputs, with a visible usage adjustment above that. KIRI Engine's current Pro plan advertises local photo uploads up to 500 images per upload, and its 3DGS workflow accepts video. If you are feeding a large interior, property, or drone dataset from disk, Leighton offers more headroom in one job; for a normal phone orbit, either workflow fits.
Pricing: subscription versus generation credits
KIRI Engine's Basic plan is free for its standard Photo Scan and LiDAR workflows, but 3D Gaussian Splatting is a Pro feature. As of July 2026, KIRI lists Pro at $17.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly, with 3DGS-to-mesh and faster queueing among the included features. That is strong value if you use several of KIRI's scanning and mesh tools regularly.
SplatMart's generation model is pay-as-you-go: $2 base for Leighton 1.0 Lite, $4 for Leighton 1.0, or $6 for Leighton 1.0 Max. There is no monthly generation plan. The browser editor is free, and publishing to the marketplace does not require a creator subscription. For one or two splats in a month, per-job pricing is usually easier to justify; for constant capture, compare KIRI's yearly plan against your expected Leighton usage.
Splat plus mesh versus editable PLY
KIRI's standout feature is mesh-inclusive 3DGS. It can keep the photoreal splat and generate a separate polygon mesh for tools that expect OBJ, FBX, GLTF, or other traditional formats. It also offers PBR materials, quad-mesh retopology, and related production tools on Pro. If the final deliverable must become a mesh, KIRI has the clearer integrated path.
Leighton delivers an editable PLY Gaussian splat. Its one-click hand-off goes to SplatMart's browser editor for selecting, deleting floaters, cropping, and exporting. That workflow is focused on keeping the result as a splat for web, engines, immersive scenes, or marketplace delivery, not on turning it into a conventional mesh.
Publishing and earning from the result
KIRI is primarily a capture and 3D production toolkit. SplatMart is also a marketplace: after editing, a creator can list the asset for sale, keep it in My Splats, or use the same platform to bid on paid capture work. Buyers can also hire a splatter when they need a specific place or object scanned. That commercial layer matters if the goal is not just making the file but distributing or monetising it.
Where KIRI Engine wins
- A polished iPhone and Android capture experience.
- Multiple scanning modes including photogrammetry, LiDAR, and featureless-object capture.
- Integrated 3DGS-to-mesh output plus PBR, retopology, and auto-rigging tools.
- Subscription value for people using the full scanning toolkit frequently.
Where SplatMart wins
- No subscription: pay only for the Leighton generations you run.
- Up to 3,000 photos or sampled video frames in one generation.
- A straightforward browser workflow for existing camera, drone, and video datasets.
- Generation, free browser editing, asset sales, downloads, and paid capture jobs in one account.
Verdict
KIRI Engine is the broader scanner and mesh-production toolkit; SplatMart is the broader splat publishing and commerce workflow. Choose KIRI when mobile capture guidance or mesh output is central. Choose Leighton when you want to bring your own large capture, rent the GPU per job, keep the result as a splat, and take it directly into editing or the marketplace.
Frequently asked questions
Is KIRI Engine or SplatMart better for Gaussian splatting?
KIRI Engine is better for guided mobile capture and mesh-inclusive output. SplatMart is better for browser uploads up to 3,000 inputs, pay-per-job cloud reconstruction, and a connected editor and marketplace. Neither is universally better.
Is KIRI Engine's Gaussian splatting free?
KIRI has a useful free Basic plan for photogrammetry and LiDAR, but its 3D Gaussian Splatting mode is currently part of Pro. KIRI lists Pro at $17.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly as of July 2026.
Do I need a GPU for KIRI Engine or Leighton?
No local training GPU is required for either. Both send reconstruction work to cloud infrastructure; you need a phone or browser for capture, upload, and viewing.
Which one can create a mesh?
KIRI Engine Pro includes mesh-inclusive 3DGS and exports conventional mesh formats. Leighton produces an editable PLY Gaussian splat and is intended for splat-first workflows rather than mesh reconstruction.
Can I upload video to both?
Yes. KIRI Engine accepts video in its 3DGS workflow. Leighton accepts one raw video and samples frames across it for cloud training, up to 3,000 sampled frames.
Already have a photo set or video? Run it through Leighton. If you are still deciding how to capture, read how to make a Gaussian splat.