Facial motion capture, or face mocap, is changing how creators bring digital characters to life. From YouTubers to big movie studios, everyone wants realistic facial animation — and the demand keeps growing. Recent reports show the global motion capture market could reach $559 million by 2032 with a steady growth rate of over 11% every year.
This rise is thanks to better cameras, AI, and apps that make face mocap affordable for indie creators too. Whether you’re making a game, an animated film, or a virtual avatar, there’s a tool for every budget and skill level. In this article, you’ll discover the Top 15 Best Face Mocap Software for 2025 to help you capture every smile and expression perfectly.
Key Things to Consider Before Choosing Face Mocap Software
- Hardware Requirements: Check if you need special cameras, iPhones, or depth sensors to run the software smoothly.
- Real-Time vs. Recorded: Decide if you need live streaming for virtual shows or if recording and editing later works better for you.
- Compatibility: Make sure the tool supports your favorite 3D software like Unreal Engine, Maya, Blender, or Unity.
- Budget: Compare pricing — some tools have free versions or subscriptions while others need bigger studio investments.
- Support & Updates: Look for active support, regular updates, and tutorials to help you get the best results.
Benefits of Using Face Mocap for Creators
- More Realistic Characters: Capture tiny facial details for lifelike emotions and expressions.
- Faster Animation: Cut down manual keyframing time and speed up your workflow.
- Better Storytelling: Add depth and personality to characters in games, films, and virtual events.
- Remote Collaboration: Many tools work over Wi-Fi or the cloud, perfect for remote teams.
- Accessible to Everyone: New AI tools and phone apps make face mocap possible even for solo creators and indie studios.
List of 15 Best Face Mocap Software for 2025
1. Faceware Live
Faceware Live is a top market solution of facial motion capture with real-time performance and a high level of accuracy. In this software, the artists can stream high-fidelity facial animation data into 3D characters in real-time, which is highly useful for live broadcasts, virtual production, and interactivity. It works on most cameras that can be standard webcams to professional head-mounted cameras, and this photogrammetry software is very versatile to both budding filmmakers and large production facilities.
The ease and the expediency of Faceware Live are one of the strong points of the product. The artists only need a few minutes to set up a session and begin streaming a facial performance to the most popular 3D programs such as Unreal Engine. The software employs the latest facial landmark tracking algorithm to detect more than 100 facial landmarks and get every minor expression right. Faceware Live is a strong and stable option when it comes to teams that produce games, movies or virtual avatars.
Top Features:
- Real-time facial tracking and animation
- Compatible with standard webcams and HMCs
- Integration with Unreal Engine, Unity, and MotionBuilder
- Minimal setup time
- Professional-grade accuracy and stability
Website: https://facewaretech.com/software/studio/
Pricing:
| Studio Indie | Studio |
| $20/mo | $195/mo |
2. Rokoko Face Capture
Rokoko has established itself as a household name in indie and pro mocap like any company, the natural next step is to extend their ecosystem. Rokoko Face Capture takes advantage of the high-quality facial motion data that is gathered by your iPhone TrueDepth camera. It is all interconnected with the Rokoko Studio package, i.e., it is possible to merge body and face motion capture data to achieve a complete performance capture.
Accessibility is one of the greatest advantages of Rokoko Face Capture. It is not difficult to configure the app, you just need to install it in your iPhone, connect to Rokoko Studio, and begin the recording process. It perfectly fits solo creators, indie studios and remote teams desiring to have dependable face tracking without having to spend bucks on complicated rigs. Besides, Rokoko is one of the most agile mocap market players, constantly upgrading its software to add new features and solving problems.
Top Features:
- Uses iPhone’s TrueDepth camera for high-precision tracking
- Real-time streaming to Rokoko Studio
- Compatible with major 3D platforms like Blender and Unreal
- Affordable pricing for individuals and small teams
- Regular software updates and community support
Website: https://www.rokoko.com/products/face-capture
Pricing: Available on request
3. Vicon
Vicon is a professional facial motion capture system which is the product of Vicon, a reliable source of expertise in the high end mocap technology. It is made up to capture the fine facial performance with specially developed purpose-built head-mounted camera rig (HMC) filming facial action with high-resolution footage of an actor face with multiple angles. Through this multi-camera rig, Vicon is in a position to track tiny movements of the face muscles with an insane amount of accuracy, which is one of the reasons why it is widely used in film production and AAA games as well as in virtual production.
Vicon has a powerful tracking system and an impressive setup the strength of which lies in flexibility of integration with Vicon’s powerful software environment. The system has the ability to handle multi-actor shoots, fine calibration of the system and precise retargeting onto complex 3D rigs. Integrated with the Vicon systems, the best body capture systems in the industry, It can capture the performers entirely, toe to head, all at the same time, in perfect sync to animate the performers realistically. Among the studios that require the best quality output and a dependable solution, it still stands as the gold standard in facial mocap.
Top Features:
- High-resolution facial capture with HMC rig
- Multi-camera setup for maximum fidelity
- Seamless integration with Vicon’s body mocap systems
- Advanced tracking and retargeting tools
- Widely trusted by AAA studios and VFX houses
Website: https://www.vicon.com/
Pricing: Available on request
Also Read: Photo Editing Apps for Android
4. iClone Motion LIVE Face
Reallusion’s iClone Motion LIVE Face plugin is a favorite among indie animators and small studios due to its user-friendly workflow and cost-effectiveness. It allows real-time facial motion capture using an iPhone or webcam, and streams the data directly into iClone’s powerful character animation system. This plugin is part of Reallusion’s broader ecosystem, which includes tools for body mocap, lip-sync, and full character animation.
The standout feature of Motion LIVE Face is its accessibility — you don’t need a complex mocap studio to get started. With a simple iPhone and the Motion LIVE plugin, you can capture facial expressions in real-time and immediately apply them to digital characters. This makes it an excellent option for creators working on YouTube animations, indie games, or virtual influencers.
Top Features:
- Real-time facial tracking with iPhone or webcam
- Seamless integration with iClone’s animation tools
- Easy setup and intuitive interface
- Supports simultaneous body and face mocap
- Affordable for indie creators and small studios
Website: https://www.reallusion.com/iclone/motion-capture/iphone-live-face.html
Pricing: $499
5. Adobe Character Animator
Adobe Character Animator introduces face mocap software to the live streaming, animation and broadcasting world, through an interface that is easy to learn and allows useful integration in the Adobe Creative Cloud. With a conventional webcam and microphone, the software follows your movements and tone of your voice to bring 2D characters to life in real-time. It can also become an ideal app that can be used by YouTubers, online broadcasters and online puppeteers that would like to make their cartoon avatars alive in real-time.
The beauty of Character Animator is that it is very simple and flexible. One can use Photoshop or Illustrator to make puppets and rig them in Character Animator and animate them instantly by live performance or record it. It offers lip-syncing, eye gazes, head gestures and custom trigger for advanced character interactions. Adobe Character Animator is a great solution to the individuals who want to make live or pre-recorded animations with minimum technical infrastructure.
Top Features:
- Real-time facial tracking with webcam
- Automatic lip-sync and eye tracking
- Integration with Photoshop and Illustrator
- Supports live streaming and recording
- User-friendly puppet rigging tools
Website: https://www.adobe.com/products/character-animator.html
Pricing: $22.30/mo
6. Unreal Live Link Face
Unreal Live Link Face Unreal Live Link Face is a facial mocap application built by Epic Games to support the Unreal Engine ecosystem of tools. It is created specifically to be used with iOS-based devices with the TrueDepth camera system in the iPhones to allow them to capture even the minutest facial expressions and send them in real-time into the Unreal Engine. It is therefore a perfect offer to virtual production teams, independent filmmakers, and game developers who would like to experience a smooth mocap process in Unreal Engine.
Among the remarkable features of Live Link Face is the close connection with the Unreal animation tools. The artists have the ability to map their facial performance to digital characters in real-time, so they can iterate quicker and do virtual shoots in real-time. It is also highly applied in film and TV virtual production, where directors and actors may preview live-action digital doubles on-location in virtual production. Live Link Face is a must-have and affordable alternative to creators who operate mainly with Unreal Engine.
Top Features:
- Real-time streaming to Unreal Engine
- Uses iPhone’s TrueDepth camera for accurate tracking
- Supports recording and playback within Unreal
- Simple app setup for quick capture
- Free for Unreal Engine users
Website: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/live-link-face/id1495370836
Pricing: Free
7. Animaze
FaceRig, now rebranded as Animaze by Holotech Studios, is a popular face mocap software and virtual avatar software that allows users to embody digital characters in real-time. Originally beloved by streamers and content creators for its simplicity, FaceRig’s legacy continues through Animaze, which adds more customization, new avatars, and improved tracking technology.
Animaze uses a standard webcam to track facial expressions and head movements. It’s designed for real-time streaming, video calls, and content creation, making it an accessible choice for VTubers and virtual influencers. Users can customize avatars or import their own models to bring unique characters to life. Its playful interface and community-driven marketplace make it a fun entry point into the world of face mocap without the need for professional-grade hardware.
Top Features:
- Real-time face tracking with webcam
- Wide range of customizable avatars
- Easy streaming integration for VTubing
- Support for importing custom characters
- User-friendly interface for beginners
Website: https://www.animaze.us/
Pricing:
| Basic | Plus | Pro |
| $0 | $19.99/mo | $99.99/mo |
8. DeepMotion Animate 3D
DeepMotion Animate 3D combines AI-powered full-body and face mocap in a web-based solution. While it’s widely known for markerless body mocaps from video uploads, the platform’s facial tracking capabilities have been significantly improved for 2025. With Animate 3D, creators can upload a video and generate detailed facial animation data automatically, which is perfect for indie developers, animators, and hobbyists who don’t have expensive hardware.
The biggest advantage of DeepMotion Animate 3D is its accessibility. You don’t need a mocap suit or high-end camera system — just upload a simple recording, and DeepMotion’s AI does the heavy lifting, tracking body movements and facial expressions simultaneously. The output is compatible with major 3D tools and game engines, making it a flexible addition to any animation workflow.
Top Features:
- AI-powered markerless facial and body tracking
- Web-based workflow, no hardware required
- Simple video upload and automatic processing
- Supports export to FBX and other formats
- Compatible with Unreal, Unity, Blender, and Maya
Website: https://www.deepmotion.com/saymotion
Pricing:
| Free | Starter | Innovator | Professional | Studio |
| $0 | $9/mo | $17/mo | $39/mo | $83/mo |
9. Xsens Faceware Integration
Xsens is a global leader on body motion capture and together with Facewares they provide a complete full performance capture solution. With the usage of Xsens body suits, supplemented by facial tracking of Faceware in conjunction, the studios are able to achieve the amazing level of accuracy, as the whole performance of an actor, starting with a face and finishing with feet, could be captured. Leading films, TV and games studios rely on this integrated solution to produce very convincing character animation.
The strength of such an arrangement is the coordination of the high-quality tracking of bodies and faces. Body dynamics are covered with the Xsens fit, and Faceware offers all the details of the human facial movement perfectly synced to edit and re-target. It is relied upon by the professionals behind the blockbuster movies, AAA games, and virtual production productions. It might be more of a studio quality solution, but it will provide the best fidelity in the industry, especially to those who demand the best.
Top Features:
- Integrated body and facial motion capture
- Real-time streaming and recording
- Professional-grade accuracy for demanding productions
- Seamless integration with major 3D pipelines
- Trusted by top studios worldwide
Website: https://www.movella.com/xsens
Pricing: Available on request
Also Read: AI Image Generators
10. Brekel Pro Face
Brekel Pro Face is a versatile markerless facial motion capture tool that uses standard depth sensors like Intel RealSense or Orbbec cameras. Designed for independent animators and smaller studios, Brekel Pro Face delivers high-quality tracking without the need for expensive hardware or complex marker setups. It supports recording and streaming facial performance data for 3D characters in real-time.
What makes Brekel Pro Face appealing is its affordability and flexibility. The software provides detailed facial expression data that can be exported in various formats for use in Maya, Blender, MotionBuilder, and other 3D applications. For creators working on short films, VR experiences, or prototype projects, Brekel Pro Face is a practical solution that balances cost and quality.
Top Features:
- Markerless facial tracking with depth sensors
- Real-time streaming and recording
- Affordable pricing for indie creators
- Exports to popular 3D file formats
- Flexible setup for various production needs
Website: https://brekel.com/face-v2/
Pricing: $149
11. Plask
Plask represents a radically new AI-based mocap solution that uses motion capture for both the body and the face in a fully web-based process. Recording is performed through the facial mocap feature that enables designers to capture expressive face information in a single web cam recording or through uploading a video. This data is automatically uploaded into the cloud where it is processed by Plask to convert raw footage to rig-ready animation files, which can either be imported into Blender, Unreal, or Unity environments.
Being creator-friendly is one of the greatest strong sides of Plask. There is no need in special suits, markers, or expensive hardware, a webcam or video file will do the trick. It has a simple online editor, which allows refining, retargeting, and exporting of motion in a short time. Plask is getting more and more popular among indie studios, educators, and even hobbyists due to its low subscription prices and ever-increasing AI accuracy.
Top Features:
- AI-powered markerless facial and body mocap
- Browser-based — no installs required
- Simple video uploads or live webcam capture
- Easy export to FBX for 3D tools
- Affordable for students and indie teams
Website: https://plask.ai/
Pricing:
| Free | Standard | Pro |
| $0 | $18/mo | $50/mo |
12. RADiCAL Motion
RADiCAL Motion provides a powerful AI-based cloud-based solution to motion capture with face tracking now available. RADiCAL initially gained popularity because of its body mocap based on a regular video, but now people can use RADiCAL to enable users to create elaborate facial animation in addition to conveying body motions beyond uploading a video file. Not a single mocap suit or marker is needed, only the cloud and your camera.
The online platform of RADiCAL is extremely simple. Once they have uploaded video, their advanced AI converts the video into full-body, as well as, facial motion data in game engine-compatible files or 3D programs. This was part of the reason RADiCAL is an excellent option to remote teams, lone-devs, and studios looking to prototype or animate with low budgets. It has a web-based model, so you invest in no heavy hardware, just in fast AI magic.
Top Features:
- AI-powered markerless face + body mocap
- Web-based, no installations needed
- Video upload with automatic processing
- Supports FBX, BVH, and more
- Accessible pricing with pay-as-you-go options
Website: https://www.radicalmotion.com/
Pricing:
| Starter | Professional |
| Free | $12/mo |
13. iPhone ARKit Face Tracking
Apple’s ARKit Face Tracking is not a standalone app but a powerful SDK that developers and studios can integrate into their own pipelines. Using the iPhone’s TrueDepth camera, ARKit provides highly accurate face tracking with over 50 blend shapes, capturing subtle facial movements in real-time. Many indie mocap apps and even AAA studios build custom tools on top of ARKit’s face tracking foundation.
ARKit Face Tracking works seamlessly with tools like Unreal Live Link Face and various third-party plugins for Unity and other engines. Its power comes from the iPhone’s built-in hardware, which makes it reliable, portable, and surprisingly high-quality for its size. For developers building virtual humans, AR filters, or real-time avatars, ARKit remains one of the best mobile face mocap foundations in 2025.
Top Features:
- Over 50 detailed facial blend shapes
- Uses iPhone TrueDepth camera
- Real-time tracking and streaming
- Widely supported in Unreal, Unity, and custom apps
- Free for Apple developers
Website: https://developer.apple.com/augmented-reality/arkit/
Pricing: Free
14. Zygote Body Facial Mocap
Zygote Body is a 3D anatomy visualization developer, which recently cut into the mocap industry, specializing in the field of medical and education animation. Their facial mocap solution is targeted to the interests of researchers, educators, and medical content creators that require very precise data to display minor muscle movements or recreate the natural faces of humans in order to train them.
The face mocap developed by Zygote fits perfectly with their anatomical models and this is its particular advantage compared to the entertainment-only option. The users can use this to show how muscles in the face slip past the face or to show medical students, stand at the dentist practice, or expensive digital people in films. Being more specific than all-purpose mocap tools, the product offered by Zygote Body has no match in the medical and scientific sphere.
Top Features:
- High-fidelity anatomical facial mocap
- Integrates with medical-grade 3D models
- Ideal for medical training and education
- Supports export for 3D applications
- Trusted in healthcare and research
Website: https://www.zygote.com/
Pricing: Available on request
15. MocapX
MocapX is a specialized face mocap app that transforms an iPhone into a professional facial capture device for Maya and other 3D pipelines. Using Apple’s TrueDepth camera, MocapX streams facial motion data in real-time and records it with high precision, making it popular with VFX artists, animators, and indie studios who want studio-quality results without big studio costs.
MocapX stands out for its direct integration with Autodesk Maya. Artists can capture performances live and instantly see them drive a 3D character rig inside Maya. The app also supports recording for later editing, plus advanced features like custom blend shapes and control rigs. For professionals who want to enhance their face mocap quality without complex hardware setups, MocapX is a strong choice.
Top Features:
- Real-time face mocap for Maya
- Uses iPhone’s TrueDepth camera
- Supports custom blend shapes
- Live streaming or offline recording
- Affordable for indie artists and studios
Website: https://mocapx.com/
Pricing: $199/yr
Conclusion
In conclusion, nowadays, anyone can utilize a face mocap software to make digital characters come to life, whether it’s for a game, movie, VTuber stream, or online meeting. It’s no longer only for large film companies.
You can simply pick the ideal software for your setup, budget, and creative objectives in 2025 because there are so many fantastic tools accessible. To make your animations more engaging and natural, try one that suits your demands and begin capturing genuine emotions.
FAQs
Do I need expensive equipment for a face mocap?
Not always. Some tools only need a webcam or smartphone, while advanced setups might use special cameras or depth sensors for higher accuracy.
Can beginners use face mocap software?
Yes! Many face mocap tools are designed to be beginner-friendly, with easy setups, step-by-step guides, and plug-and-play features.
Does face mocap work in real-time?
Some tools support real-time tracking for livestreams or virtual meetings, while others focus on recording and editing performances later.
