DeepAR
DeepAR provides a cross-platform WebAssembly-based AR SDK for face tracking, virtual try-on, and AR effects across iOS, Android, HTML5, and MacOS, serving global brands, 35,000+ developers, and 100M monthly AR experiences. Acquired by Zalando in April 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What DeepAR does
DeepAR is an augmented reality technology company headquartered in London that provides a WebAssembly-based AR SDK for face tracking, body tracking, beauty and makeup virtual try-on, glasses/shoes/watches virtual try-on, background segmentation, hair segmentation, and emotion detection. The SDK is distributed across iOS, Android, HTML5, and MacOS from a single C++-compiled codebase, and powers approximately 100 million monthly AR experiences consumed by a community of over 35,000 developers. The legal entity is I Love Ice Cream Ltd. (Company Number 09114948), and the company was acquired by Zalando, the German fashion e-commerce operator, in April 2025.
The company's product portfolio centers on the core DeepAR SDK with modular add-ons (Beauty & Makeup, Glasses Try-On, Shoe Try-On, Watch & Wrist Try-On, Background Replacement, AR Ads SDK), complemented by Creator Studio (a no-code desktop tool for designing AR effects), an Asset Store of pre-built filters, and ShopAR (an AR commerce platform for e-commerce websites). Revenue is generated through SDK licensing (freemium for development, paid subscription for commercial deployment), custom development services for brands, Asset Store sales, and Creator Studio subscriptions. The go-to-market combines self-serve developer adoption through the developer portal with enterprise field sales for large brands, supported by distribution partnerships including AWS B2B SaaS Accelerator and an integration partnership with Agora for live video.
DeepAR serves four primary customer segments: e-commerce and retail brands (fashion, beauty, eyewear, footwear) seeking AR try-on to reduce returns; video chat and communication apps requiring real-time AR face filters; brand marketing teams running interactive AR advertising campaigns; and fashion e-commerce platforms (now including parent Zalando) integrating AR into the shopping journey. Named customers include Prada, Nike, Ray-Ban, Ralph Lauren, Sephora, Shiseido, NFL, Sky, Comcast, Google, Luxotica, Lego, Tencent, WeChat, Warner Bros, Teads, HTC, and Lush, alongside consumer apps such as the Freakshow Masquerade AR app launched for Michael David Winery.
DeepAR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DeepAR
- Legal name
- I Love Ice Cream Ltd.
- Website
- https://deepar.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- DeepAR provides a cross-platform WebAssembly-based AR SDK for face tracking, virtual try-on, and AR effects across iOS, Android, HTML5, and MacOS, serving global brands, 35,000+ developers, and 100M monthly AR experiences. Acquired by Zalando in April 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DeepAR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Augmented Reality SDK
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains (MPAFAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-Device Inference Runtimes & SDKs (mobile/embedded) (HDAAAJAB), Developer Portals, SDKs & Documentation Platforms (BPAMADAG)
Keywords
Where DeepAR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
DeepAR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- SDK Licensing: DeepAR generates revenue primarily through SDK licensing to developers and brands. The SDK is available for iOS, Android, HTML5, and MacOS with different pricing tiers based on usage volume and features. The model includes a free tier for development/testing with paid commercial licenses for production deployment.
- Custom Development Services: DeepAR offers custom AR solutions for brands requiring bespoke implementations, as seen in case studies with Michael David Winery and major fashion brands. These engagements involve creative agency partnerships and dedicated development resources.
- Asset Store: Pre-built AR effects and face filters available for purchase/download through the DeepAR Asset Store, providing additional revenue from ready-made creative assets.
- Creator Studio Subscriptions: Creator Studio tool for creating AR assets likely operates on a subscription model for professional creators and agencies needing advanced features.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier for development and testing |
| Subscription | Annual | Commercial production licenses |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
DeepAR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DeepAR provides a cross-platform augmented reality SDK that enables developers and brands to embed real-time face tracking, body tracking, and AR effects (face filters, virtual try-on for glasses/shoes/watches, beauty/makeup, background segmentation) into iOS, Android, HTML5, and MacOS applications. The offering is delivered as a WebAssembly-based SDK from a single codebase, supplemented by the Creator Studio for no-code effect creation, an Asset Store for ready-made filters, and custom development services for enterprise brands.
Product overview
DeepAR offers a modular AR technology platform consisting of the core DeepAR SDK that powers face and body-centric augmented reality experiences, complemented by specialized add-on modules for virtual try-on (glasses, shoes, watches/wrist jewelry), beauty and makeup, and AR advertising. The platform includes supporting tools including Creator Studio for designing AR effects without coding, an Asset Store for prebuilt filters, and a Developer Portal for integration management. DeepAR positions itself as a B2B solution for brands and developers seeking to embed AR capabilities into apps and websites, with over 35,000 developers using the platform and 100 million monthly AR experiences powered.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ShopAR: A related AR commerce platform mentioned on the DeepAR website for adding AR and 3D to ecommerce websites.
Products and services
- DeepAR SDK
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduce product return rates by 30-35% through AR try-on experiences
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use DeepAR
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DeepAR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability10 records
Feature11 records
DeepAR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- ZalandoflagshipDeepAR was acquired by Zalando, a German fashion e-commerce company, in April 2025. The strategic acquisition aims to utilize DeepAR's AR technology to offer more interactive and visualization features for consumers. This acquisition positions Zalando to lead digital innovation in retail by integrating immersive AR solutions and provides DeepAR with a major fashion e-commerce platform for its technology.
- SkycoreDeepAR partnered with Sky to bring AR technology to Sky Glass TV through Sky Live camera accessory, released on June 22, 2023. This partnership enables AR effects to be experienced in the living room TV environment, expanding AR beyond mobile devices to large-screen home entertainment.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreDeepAR was selected for the final cohort of the AWS B2B SaaS Accelerator launched by AWS in partnership with Vestbee platform. The program helps technology companies develop SaaS innovations for the B2B market, providing guidance, networking, partner assets, and venture capital exposure.
- AgoracoreNative integration partnership with Agora video calling platform. DeepAR's AR effects can be added to live video streams through this integration, enabling real-time AR in video communication applications.
- Makers & AlliesminorAward-winning design and branding studio specializing in wine, craft, and spirits industries. Partnered with DeepAR on the Michael David Winery Freakshow AR project, providing creative design and branding for the AR experience.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DeepAR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Perfect Corp: Perfect Corp specializes in beauty and fashion AR try-on technology serving brands like Estée Lauder and Mac Cosmetics. Directly comparable to DeepAR's beauty and virtual try-on modules, with stronger beauty-vertical specialization.
- Banuba: Banuba offers a face AR SDK with similar feature set to DeepAR, including virtual try-on, beauty effects, and face tracking. Closest direct competitor based on product parity, pricing model, and target customers (app developers and beauty brands).
- Fittingbox: Fittingbox provides virtual try-on solutions specifically for eyewear brands, directly competing with DeepAR's Glasses Try-On module. Specialty focus makes it a niche direct competitor rather than a broad incumbent.
Broad incumbents
- ModiFace (L'Oréal): ModiFace, acquired by L'Oréal, provides AR beauty try-on technology and is a direct competitor in the beauty AR space. Owned by a major beauty conglomerate, it has deep beauty-vertical integration DeepAR lacks.
- Snap (Snapchat Lens Studio): Snap's Lens Studio is a direct competitor to DeepAR's AR face filter and lens SDK, offering a free, vertically integrated platform with billions of users. DeepAR's differentiator is cross-platform deployment and independent measurement, while Snap bundles AR with its social graph.
- Apple ARKit: Apple's ARKit provides AR capabilities natively on iOS devices. While not a direct SDK competitor in face filters, it establishes baseline AR functionality that third-party vendors like DeepAR must exceed to justify their integration cost.
- Google ARCore: Google's ARCore provides AR development tools for Android, paralleling Apple's ARKit. DeepAR's WebAssembly layer differentiates by offering a cross-platform abstraction above these platform-specific SDKs.
- Meta (Spark AR): Meta's Spark AR provides AR effects creation and publishing tools for Instagram and Facebook. It competes with DeepAR on face filters and AR ads, with the advantage of native distribution to Meta's user base and the disadvantage of ecosystem lock-in.
Emerging players
- Vue.ai: Vue.ai offers AI-powered retail personalization including virtual try-on and styling. Competes with DeepAR in fashion e-commerce AR but with broader AI styling scope and less focus on face-tracking accuracy.
- Zappar: Zappar provides an AR SDK and content creation platform for marketing and packaging AR experiences. Overlaps with DeepAR in AR advertising and creator tools but with stronger focus on web-based AR codes and packaging rather than face/body tracking.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DeepAR social profiles
Digital presenceDeepAR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DeepAR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
DeepAR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DeepAR M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DeepAR
What does DeepAR do?
DeepAR provides a cross-platform augmented reality SDK that enables developers and brands to embed real-time face tracking, body tracking, and AR effects (face filters, virtual try-on for glasses/shoes/watches, beauty/makeup, background segmentation) into iOS, Android, HTML5, and MacOS applications. The offering is delivered as a WebAssembly-based SDK from a single codebase, supplemented by the Creator Studio for no-code effect creation, an Asset Store for ready-made filters, and custom development services for enterprise brands.
Is DeepAR a public or private company?
DeepAR is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was DeepAR founded?
DeepAR was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is DeepAR based?
DeepAR is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does DeepAR make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. SDK Licensing is the primary driver. The others are custom Development Services, asset Store and creator Studio Subscriptions.
Who are DeepAR's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Perfect Corp, Banuba and Fittingbox. Broad incumbents are ModiFace (L'Oréal), Snap (Snapchat Lens Studio), Apple ARKit, Google ARCore and Meta (Spark AR). Emerging players are Vue.ai and Zappar.
Does DeepAR have an API?
Yes. DeepAR provides a JavaScript/TypeScript SDK for web browsers, an iOS SDK, and an Android SDK. The web SDK consists of deepar.js (UMD) and deepar.esm.js (ES6 module) for user-facing API interaction, deepar.wasm as the core WebAssembly-based engine shared across all platforms, and ML models for tracking human body features. Developers use the initialize() method to get a DeepAR object, switchEffect() to load AR effects, and changeParameter() for runtime customization. The SDK includes screenshot and video recording APIs out-of-the-box, and supports RGBA and YUV input pixel buffers. Documentation available at docs.deepar.ai with developer portal at developer.deepar.ai. Developer documentation is at docs.deepar.ai.
What industry is DeepAR in?
DeepAR's product category is Augmented Reality SDK. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAFAF, XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains, with a secondary code of HDAAAJAB, On-Device Inference Runtimes & SDKs (mobile/embedded). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.