A Guide to WebAR
with Snap’s Camera Kit

Snap provides a professional-grade WebAR platform powered by Lens Studio and Camera Kit, enabling developers and brands to build advanced, production-ready AR experiences and deploy them seamlessly to websites and mobile applications — completely free of charge. These experiences are accessible directly on the web, with no Snapchat account required for end users.

In addition to supporting self-hosted integrations, Snap offers two WebAR products:

• Hosted WebAR Lenses

  • Instantly deployable web-based AR experiences hosted by Snap and accessible via link or QR code, with no Snapchat account required.

• Snapchat Camera for Chrome

  • A browser extension that enables users to apply Lenses in select web applications within Google Chrome using their webcam, including Lenses they’ve created and published.

Camera Kit can now be fully monetized across web and mobile platforms. Developers may use Camera Kit to power sponsored experiences, paid applications, subscription tiers, and other commercial deployments.

As a reminder, most deployments do not require Snapchat branding. Additional requirements for specific commercial public-display contexts are outlined in the Camera Kit Brand Design Guidelines. Full commercial terms are available in the Camera Kit Terms.

From marketing activations to virtual try-on or educational experiences in a museum, the use cases for WebAR are up to you. For example, from a QR code on packaging, you could launch a WebAR experience that drives to your digital storefront. For in-store or out of home displays, you can feature personalized WebAR experiences that allow passers-by or shoppers to interact with your brand in a fun, real way.

Virtual try-on experiences allow shoppers to test out your products before they buy. If they’re online shoppers, they can try on make-up swatches or a pair of glasses from the comfort of their own home. If they’re IRL shoppers, you can offer an AR mirror as an in-store experience.

A non-traditional use of WebAR is for livestreaming. Hosts of video broadcasts use Lenses throughout their streams powered by WebAR and Streamfog. From beauty filters, to funny masks or full virtual characters, streamers can express themselves and create engaging content.

Educational experiences can include use cases like teaching sign language or explaining the history behind an artifact or painting in a museum. Many creators also use WebAR experiences to showcase their capabilities as a virtual portfolio.

We also recently published new monetization guidelines to make it easier to use Snap technology to build your business. 

We're committed to our WebAR platform and continuing to refine the development experience, with a focus on improving the Lens creation experience for WebAR projects in Lens Studio. We welcome feature requests and feedback on Uservoice.

Q: How does WebAR performance compare to native mobile SDK performance?
A: Web-based AR experiences run inside the browser, so performance may be more constrained than native SDKs, but they offer instant access and broad reach without requiring an app install, and we continue to actively optimize and improve Web SDK performance. For more details, see our Web Considerations guide.

Q: Can WebAR Lenses be embedded in an iFrame? 
A: Yes.

Q: Is WebAR supported on both mobile and desktop? 
A: Yes, on all modern browsers.

Q: Can users capture photos and videos (with audio)?

A: Yes, depending on browser permissions.

Q: Do users need to download an app?
A: No, WebAR runs directly in the browser.

Q: Does WebAR require a Snapchat account to view?
A: No, hosted WebAR Lenses can be accessed via web link without login.

Q: Can I charge for my WebAR experience?
A: Yes, under our new monetization policy, you are free to monetize Camera Kit experiences.

Q: Do you provide analytics for hosted Lens experiences? 
A: No, but custom analytics can be easily added with SDK integrations.