Matterport
3D scanning technology that turns a physical space into a navigable, measurable digital twin.
Quick Answer
Matterport is a 3D capture platform that creates navigable, measurable digital twins of buildings and spaces using specialized cameras or compatible smartphones. In construction, it's used to document as-built conditions, create virtual walkthroughs for stakeholders who can't visit in person, and maintain a searchable 3D record of a space over time. CoStar Group acquired Matterport in February 2025.
The Full Picture
Documenting exactly how a space looked at a given point in time has traditionally meant photos, measured drawings, or physical presence. None of those scale well: photos lack spatial context, measured drawings take time to produce, and requiring every stakeholder to visit in person doesn't work for remote owners, insurers, or facility teams. Matterport exists to capture a space once, in 3D, and let anyone navigate and measure it remotely afterward.
Mechanically, a Matterport camera or a compatible smartphone scans a space, and the platform's software stitches the captures into a navigable 3D model — a 'digital twin' — that viewers can walk through, take measurements from, and tag with notes or information. Because the model is dimensionally accurate, it supports more than a visual tour: teams can pull rough measurements or verify spatial relationships without a return site visit.
In construction and real estate use, a 3D scan at substantial completion creates an as-built record that's far more complete than a photo set, useful for facilities teams, insurers, and future renovation planning. On the real estate side — Matterport's larger original market — the same technology powers virtual property tours for leasing and marketing, which is the primary reason CoStar Group, the commercial real estate data and marketplace company, acquired Matterport in a deal valued near $1.9 billion that closed in February 2025.
For construction specifically, Matterport sits closer to record-keeping and facility handoff than to active field management. It's a strong tool for capturing a point-in-time condition — pre-demolition, at substantial completion, at a renovation baseline — but it isn't built around weekly progress-tracking cadences or BIM-schedule comparison the way construction-native reality-capture tools are.
Real Examples
Common Misconceptions
People assume: People assume Matterport is a construction-specific progress-tracking tool.
Actually: its core use case and largest market are real estate and facility documentation — virtual tours, leasing, and space records. Construction teams use it mainly for point-in-time as-built capture, not the recurring BIM-and-schedule comparison that construction-native platforms are built for.
People assume: People assume a Matterport scan is survey-grade accurate.
Actually: it's dimensionally useful for planning and documentation, but it isn't a substitute for a certified survey when precise legal or structural measurements are required — the model's accuracy depends on scan quality and isn't held to survey tolerances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Matterport used for in construction?
Matterport is used to create navigable 3D digital twins of spaces — commonly for as-built documentation at project closeout, renovation baselines before a fit-out, and remote virtual walkthroughs for stakeholders who can't visit the site in person.
Who owns Matterport now?
CoStar Group, the commercial real estate data and marketplace company, completed its acquisition of Matterport on February 28, 2025, in a deal valued at roughly $1.9 billion, integrating Matterport's digital twin technology into CoStar's real estate platforms.
How accurate is a Matterport scan?
Matterport scans are dimensionally accurate enough for planning, documentation, and rough measurement, but they aren't certified survey-grade. For legal, structural, or high-precision measurements, a licensed survey remains necessary.
What's the difference between Matterport and OpenSpace?
OpenSpace is built around fast, low-friction hard-hat 360° captures mapped to floor plans on a recurring construction cadence. Matterport originated in real estate and produces higher-fidelity 3D digital twins, more commonly used for point-in-time as-built records and property marketing than routine weekly job-site tracking.