This page contains a comprehensive breakdown of the differences between each of the default project templates that can be created via the new project window within Unity Hub, including all dependencies, packages, assets, and project settings.
The following information was gathered from an installation of Unity 2021.1.7f1. I hope you will be able to use it to compare and contrast each template to find which is a best fit for your project.
The following is a chart of all dependencies listed in the package.json file within each of the default project template archives, with the exception of the 3D template which has none.
Dependency
2D
2D (Mobile)
3D (Mobile)
HDRP
URP
VR
AR
2d.animation
✔
✔
2d.pixel-perfect
✔
✔
2d.psdimporter
✔
✔
2d.sprite
✔
✔
2d.spriteshape
✔
✔
2d.tilemap
✔
✔
cinemachine
✔
ide.rider
✔
✔
ide.vscode
✔
✔
inputsystem
✔
learn.iet-framework
✔
✔
mobile.android-logcat
✔
✔
mobile.notifications
✔
✔
modules.androidjni
✔
✔
modules.animation
✔
✔
modules.assetbundle
✔
✔
modules.audio
✔
✔
modules.imageconversion
✔
✔
modules.imgui
✔
✔
modules.jsonserialize
✔
✔
modules.particlesystem
✔
✔
✔
modules.physics
✔
modules.physics2d
✔
✔
✔
modules.screencapture
✔
✔
modules.tilemap
✔
modules.ui
✔
✔
modules.uielements
✔
✔
modules.umbra
✔
modules.unityanalytics
✔
✔
modules.unitywebrequest
✔
✔
✔
modules.unitywebrequestassetbundle
✔
✔
modules.unitywebrequestaudio
✔
✔
modules.unitywebrequesttexture
✔
✔
modules.unitywebrequestwww
✔
✔
modules.video
✔
✔
modules.vr
✔
modules.xr
✔
✔
render-pipelines.high-definition
✔
render-pipelines.universal
✔
test-framework
✔
✔
textmeshpro
✔
✔
ugui
✔
✔
xr.arcode
✔
xr.arfoundation
✔
xr.arkit
✔
xr.magicleap
✔
xr.management
✔
✔
xr.oculus
✔
xr.windowsmr
✔
✔
Project settings
This section is a comprehensive list of all of the differences in project settings between templates. If a setting is not listed here it’s because that setting is consistent across all templates. If a cell is blank, it is only because that setting is not represented in the ProjectSettings folder within the template archive, and not overridden from the default value.
Audio
Project setting
2D
2D (Mobile)
3D
3D (Mobile)
HDRP
URP
VR
AR
RequestedDSPBufferSize
0
0
1024
1024
0
0
1024
0
Physics
Project setting
2D
2D (Mobile)
3D
3D (Mobile)
HDRP
URP
VR
AR
ClothInterCollisionDistance
0.1
0.1
0
0
0
.1
0
.1
ClothInterCollisionStiffness
0.2
0.2
0
0
0
.2
0
.2
DefaultMaxAngularSpeed
50
50
7
7
7
7
7
50
Editor
Project setting
2D
2D (Mobile)
3D
3D (Mobile)
HDRP
URP
VR
AR
DefaultBehaviorMode
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
SpritePackerMode
4
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
EtcTextureCompressorBehavior
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
EtcTextureFastCompressor
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
EtcTextureBestCompressor
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
LineEndingsForNewScripts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
SerializeInlineMappingsOnOneLine
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
Additional extensions to include
Template
Value
2D
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;asmref;rsp
2D (Mobile)
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;asmref;rsp
3D
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;rsp;asmref
3D (Mobile)
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;rsp;asmref
HDRP
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;asmref;rsp;asmref
URP
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;asmref;rsp
VR
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;rsp;asmref
AR
txt;xml;fnt;cd;asmdef;asmref;rsp
Quality
Project setting
2D
2D (Mobile)
3D
3D (Mobile)
HDRP
URP
VR
AR
CustomRenderPipeline
HDRP
URP
LightmapKeepPlain
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
LightmapKeepDynamicPlain
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
LightmapKeepDynamicDirCombined
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
LightmapKeepShadowMask
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
LightmapKeepSubtractive
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
FogKeepLinear
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
FogKeepExp
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
FogKeepExp2
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
LightsUseLinearIntensity
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
LightsUseColorTemperature
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
DefaultRenderingLayerMask
1
257
AllowEnlightenSupportForUpgradedProject
0
0
1
0
0
Always included shaders
Shader
2D
2D (Mobile)
3D
3D (Mobile)
HDRP
URP
VR
AR
Legacy Shaders/Diffuse
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Hidden/CubeBlur
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Hidden/CubeCopy
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Hidden/CubeBlend
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Sprites/Default
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
UI/Default
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
UI/DefaultETC1
✔
✔
✔
✔
Hidden/VideoComposite
✔
✔
✔
✔
Hidden/VideoDecode
✔
✔
✔
✔
Hidden/Compositing
✔
✔
✔
✔
Hidden/VideoDecodeOSX
✔
This is a work in progress. I will be adding more data every week until it’s done. (So much for that promise!)
Assets
Coming soon.
Further reading
I’ve written a few articles on Unity Project Templates, check them out if you’re interested!