Best ARKit Courses & Tutorials in 2026 (Ranked & Reviewed)

By Josh Hutcheson · Last updated June 2026 · How we review

The best ARKit course for most people is The Complete ARKit Course – Build 11 Augmented Reality Apps by Rayan Slim — 4.2 stars from over 2,200 ratings and, importantly for a fast-moving framework, last updated in May 2025. It is the most-reviewed dedicated ARKit course online and walks you through 11 real iOS AR apps. But Apple’s AR stack has shifted toward RealityKit and visionOS, so the right course depends on whether you want classic ARKit or the modern path — we cover both, honestly, below.

ARKit is a niche where most courses quietly rotted: a lot of the top search results teach iOS 11–12-era ARKit with Unity tooling from 2018. We loaded every recommendation here in June 2026 to confirm it is live and reasonably current, and we are upfront about which courses are dated and which framework Apple is actually steering developers toward now.

The Best ARKit Courses in 2026 at a Glance

1. The Complete ARKit Course – Build 11 AR Apps – Udemy (Best Overall)

Rayan Slim’s course is the one we recommend first, mainly because it is the rare ARKit course that is both well-reviewed and recently maintained: 4.2 stars from more than 2,200 ratings, last updated May 2025. You build 11 augmented reality apps, learning the core ARKit toolkit hands-on — plane detection, placing and anchoring 3D objects, hit-testing, measuring real-world distances, image and face tracking, and physics.

It teaches ARKit with SceneKit, the classic native approach, which is the clearest way to understand how AR on iOS actually works. If you want one course that turns Swift knowledge into real AR apps, start here, then layer RealityKit on top.

2. Building AR Apps in RealityKit & ARKit – Udemy (Best for the Modern Stack)

If you are starting fresh in 2026, this is the forward-looking pick. Mohammad Azam’s course teaches AR with RealityKit — Apple’s newer, Swift-first rendering framework — alongside ARKit, covering gestures, physics, occlusion, image and object tracking, location anchors, persistence, and Reality Composer. At 4.4 stars (a smaller but solid 331 ratings, last updated December 2023), it is the most current RealityKit-centered course we found.

RealityKit is the framework Apple is steering developers toward, and it is also the foundation of spatial apps on visionOS (Apple Vision Pro). If your goal is to build AR the way Apple recommends today — or to move toward visionOS — learn RealityKit, ideally after grasping ARKit fundamentals from the course above.

ARKit and Unity: Build a Drivable Car in Augmented Reality

A lot of people land here searching for the specific course “ARKit and Unity: Build a Drivable Car in Augmented Reality.” Here is the honest picture: the most-shared version is an older LinkedIn Learning title, and there is a same-named course on Udemy — but both are dated (3.8 stars, last updated 2019, built on Unity’s old AR tooling). If you specifically want that drivable-car project, the Udemy version still works, with the caveat that Unity’s AR has since moved to AR Foundation.

For most people, a current course is the better use of your time. If you want the native-Apple route, take the Complete ARKit Course above. If you specifically want the Unity path into AR, Pluralsight’s Unity AR visualizations course is more current than the 2019 drivable-car tutorials.

ARKit vs RealityKit vs visionOS: Which Should You Learn in 2026?

This trips up most beginners, so here is the plain version:

• ARKit is Apple’s AR tracking engine — it understands the camera, surfaces, faces, and the world. You still need it in 2026.
• SceneKit is the older 3D renderer ARKit courses often pair with it. Still works, still taught, but no longer where Apple invests.
• RealityKit is Apple’s modern, Swift-first rendering and simulation framework. It is the recommended way to draw and animate AR content today, and it underpins visionOS.
• visionOS is the Apple Vision Pro platform; its spatial apps are built on RealityKit and ARKit. Learning RealityKit now is the most direct on-ramp.

Practical advice: learn ARKit fundamentals (the Complete ARKit Course), then RealityKit (Azam’s course) if you want to be current or move into visionOS. Avoid sinking time into Unity-AR-2018 tutorials unless you specifically need Unity.

What You’ll Learn in an ARKit Course

A complete ARKit course should cover the building blocks of an AR app:

• World tracking and plane detection — placing content on floors, tables, and walls.
• Anchors and hit-testing — pinning 3D objects to real-world positions.
• 3D content — importing models (USDZ), lighting, and physics.
• Tracking modes — image tracking, object detection, and face tracking (the tech behind AR filters).
• Occlusion and people occlusion — making virtual objects look like they are really there.
• Persistence and sharing — saving AR sessions and multi-user experiences.

What You Can Build With ARKit (and Who Hires for It)

AR has moved past novelty filters into real products, which is why the skill is worth learning:

• Retail and e-commerce — “view in your room” furniture and product placement, and virtual try-on.
• Games and entertainment — tabletop and world-scale AR games and interactive experiences.
• Education and training — 3D anatomy, machinery, and step-by-step guided overlays.
• Enterprise and field service — equipment overlays, remote assistance, and warehouse navigation.
• Real estate and interiors — measuring spaces and previewing furnishings in place.

On the hiring side, ARKit and RealityKit are a differentiator for iOS developer roles, AR/creative agencies, and the growing spatial-computing market around Apple Vision Pro. It is usually a specialization layered on top of iOS development rather than a standalone job title.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

• Skipping Swift. ARKit assumes iOS basics; learn the language first or you will fight two things at once.
• Following a 2018 Unity-AR tutorial. You will spend more time fixing deprecated APIs than learning AR. Confirm the update date before starting.
• Ignoring RealityKit. If a course only uses SceneKit, supplement it — RealityKit is where Apple is investing.
• Testing only in the Simulator. AR needs real camera and motion sensors; you must test on a device.
• Overloading scenes. Heavy, unoptimized 3D models tank performance; learn to keep models lean early.

Free Ways to Learn ARKit

Apple’s own materials are excellent and free:

• Apple Developer documentation for ARKit and RealityKit, with downloadable sample code projects.
• WWDC session videos — the annual talks are the best source for what is new each year (RealityKit and visionOS updates especially).
• Reality Composer — Apple’s free tool for building AR scenes with no code, useful for prototyping.

Free resources are great for fundamentals and staying current. A paid course adds structure and a guided, project-based path from zero to a finished app.

Do You Need to Know Swift First?

Yes — basic Swift and a little iOS experience (Xcode, views, simple apps) are real prerequisites for ARKit. AR adds 3D math and device APIs on top of normal iOS development, so trying to learn both at once is rough. If you are new to the language, start with our guide to the best Swift courses, then come back. If you already build iOS apps, you can jump straight into the Complete ARKit Course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ARKit still relevant in 2026? Yes. ARKit remains Apple’s world-tracking engine for AR on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. What has changed is the rendering layer — new projects increasingly use RealityKit instead of SceneKit.

Should I learn ARKit or RealityKit? Both, in order. Learn ARKit fundamentals first to understand tracking, then RealityKit for modern rendering and a path toward visionOS.

Do I need an Apple device to learn ARKit? Yes. You need a Mac with Xcode to develop, and a fairly recent iPhone or iPad to test, since AR features depend on the device’s camera and sensors.

How long does it take to learn ARKit? If you already know Swift, you can build basic AR apps within a few weeks of consistent practice. Reaching polished, production-quality AR takes longer and depends on the 3D and design side.

Is the “drivable car in AR” course worth it? Only if you specifically want that project. It is dated (2019, Unity’s old AR tooling). For current skills, a maintained ARKit or RealityKit course is a better use of your time.

Related guides: Best Swift Courses · Best React Native Courses · Best Unity Courses · Game Development Courses