What magicplan does
magicplan is a floor plan app available on iOS and Android. It works on any smartphone without requiring a LiDAR sensor. You create a floor plan by pointing the camera at room corners and tapping to mark them, or by entering measurements manually. On devices with LiDAR, magicplan can use the sensor for faster capture.
magicplan is primarily used by contractors, real estate professionals, and insurance adjusters who need a quick floor plan sketch — often for estimates, reports, or client communication. It supports basic export formats including PDF and DXF, and has a report feature for field documentation.
The app is designed for accessibility: it works on a wide range of devices and requires minimal technical setup. This is its main advantage over LiDAR-only solutions.
What LiDAR scanning does differently
Metaroom uses the LiDAR sensor in iPhone Pro or iPad Pro to measure room geometry directly — not through camera-based estimation. The LiDAR sensor emits infrared laser pulses and measures the time each pulse takes to return, producing direct distance measurements at up to 15 meters, independent of lighting conditions and surface texture.
The result is a floor plan generated automatically from a continuous point cloud — not from manually tapped corners or entered dimensions. Accuracy is within 1%, typically 1 to 2 cm per wall. The floor plan exports to DXF, IFC, RDF, PDF, Excel, and 30+ other formats for professional CAD and BIM workflows.
Side-by-side comparison
| magicplan | Metaroom (LiDAR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Device requirement | Any iPhone or Android smartphone | iPhone Pro (12 Pro and later) or iPad Pro (2020 and later) |
| Measurement method | Camera-based estimation or manual corner tapping | Direct LiDAR measurement — continuous, automatic |
| Floor plan generation | Semi-automatic — requires manual corner placement or measurement entry | Fully automatic — generated from scan without manual steps |
| Accuracy (without LiDAR device) | ±5 to 15 cm per wall (camera-based, varies by conditions) | N/A — LiDAR required |
| Accuracy (with LiDAR device) | Improved — magicplan uses LiDAR if available on device | Within 1% (1 to 2 cm per wall) |
| Scan time — 3-room apartment | 20 to 40 minutes (manual corner placement) | 10 to 20 minutes (continuous scan, no manual steps) |
| Export formats | PDF, DXF, JPG — limited IFC support | DXF, IFC, RDF, PDF, Excel, GLB, and 30+ formats |
| IFC export | Limited — not full BIM-grade IFC | Full IFC 2x3 and IFC 4 — BIM-ready |
| 3D model output | Basic 3D view — not exportable as professional 3D model | Full 3D model exportable as IFC, GLB, OBJ, and more |
| Pricing | From $9.99/month (limited exports) — professional plans from $29.99/month | From €12.49/month |
Accuracy in practice
The accuracy difference between magicplan and Metaroom matters most in professional use cases where the floor plan feeds into downstream calculations or CAD work.
±5 to 15 cm (camera-based)
Sufficient for quick estimates, insurance reports, and rough sketches. Not reliable for renovation planning, energy audits, or CAD input without manual correction.
Improved, device-dependent
When used on an iPhone Pro with LiDAR, magicplan produces more accurate results. The improvement depends on how the app uses the LiDAR data — manual corner placement remains part of the workflow.
Within 1% — 1 to 2 cm per wall
Consistent across room sizes and lighting conditions. Sufficient for renovation planning, energy audits, as-built documentation, and CAD workflows. No manual correction needed in standard rooms.
For professionals whose floor plans feed directly into energy calculations, CAD programs, or BIM software, the accuracy difference is significant. A 10 cm error on a wall measurement produces proportionally larger errors in area and volume calculations.
Export depth: where the difference matters most
Both apps export PDF and DXF. The difference becomes significant for professional workflows that require IFC, BIM-grade exports, or specific integration formats.
| Export format | magicplan | Metaroom |
|---|---|---|
| PDF (floor plan) | Yes | Yes |
| DXF (2D) | Yes | Yes |
| IFC (BIM) | Limited | Yes — IFC 2x3 and IFC 4 |
| Excel (room data) | No | Yes — areas, volumes, dimensions |
| RDF (Relux Desktop) | No | Yes — direct Relux Desktop integration |
| GLB / GLTF (3D web) | No | Yes |
| DIALux (IFC) | No | Yes |
| DDS-CAD (IFC) | No | Yes |
| Kaiser EDV (XLS) | No | Yes |
When to use each
This is an honest comparison. magicplan is the better choice in some situations.
Device flexibility matters
You or your team work on a mix of Android and iOS devices, or on standard iPhones without LiDAR. magicplan runs on any smartphone and produces usable floor plans for estimates, insurance reports, and quick sketches.
Accuracy and CAD export matter
You need floor plans accurate to within 1% for renovation planning, energy audits, as-built documentation, or CAD/BIM input. Metaroom produces the required accuracy and exports to the professional formats needed for downstream work.
What does the floor plan feed into?
If the floor plan is a deliverable in itself — a PDF for a client or an estimate — magicplan is sufficient. If it feeds into energy software, a CAD program, or a BIM model, Metaroom's accuracy and export depth are required.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Metaroom is a professional floor plan scanning app for architects, tradespeople, and energy consultants. It uses the LiDAR sensor in iPhone Pro or iPad Pro to produce a dimensioned 2D floor plan and 3D model, accurate to within 1%. Exports include DXF, IFC (2x3 and 4), RDF, PDF, Excel, GLB, and 30+ other formats — ready for AutoCAD, Revit, ArchiCAD, DIALux, Relux, DDS-CAD, and BIM workflows. A 3-room apartment scans in 10 to 20 minutes. Subscription from €12.49/month.
