AR for React Native

AR for React Native and Expo,
built in your browser.

Design AR scenes visually in ReactVision Studio, then drop a single ViroReact component into your React Native or Expo project. Native ARKit and ARCore performance, no Unity, no 3D modelling skills, no native bridges to wire up.

Open Studio Read the Docs Starter Kit

iOS (ARKit)Android (ARCore)ExpoHorizonOS

Browser to AR in three steps

ReactVision Studio is the visual editor. ViroReact is the renderer. Design once, ship native.

Studio: design in your browser

Open Studio, drag in 3D models, anchor them to surfaces or world coordinates, and set up animations and interactions. Preview live on device with StudioGo as you build. No code, no engine to learn.

Component: drop in one component

Studio publishes your scene to your ReactVision project. In your React Native or Expo app, import StudioSceneNavigator and pass the scene ID. Typed props, familiar patterns.

Ship: native AR on iOS and Android

ViroReact compiles your scene to native ARKit and ARCore draw calls. Update the scene from Studio without redeploying, OTA scene updates for connected apps.

Designing an AR scene in ReactVision Studio with live StudioGo preview

The Studio AI agent building a scene from a prompt

What the integration looks like

Install ViroReact in your React Native or Expo project, import the Studio scene component, and drop it into your app. That is the whole integration.

$npm install @reactvision/react-viro

App.tsx

// 1. Import the Studio scene component
import { StudioSceneNavigator } from '@reactvision/react-viro';

// 2. Drop the component into your app
export default function App() {
  return <StudioSceneNavigator />;
}

Development build required. ViroReact does not run in Expo Go because AR APIs need native modules. You will need a development build to test on device, and AR requires a physical iOS or Android phone, simulators and emulators are not supported.

Built for the stack you already use

ViroReact is a first-class React Native library. There is no new engine to learn, no new language to adopt.

Native performance, not WebAR

Compiles to true native ARKit and ARCore draw calls, not a browser canvas. Hardware-speed rendering, occlusion, PBR lighting, and shaders.

Full Expo support

Use Expo with development builds. The Starter Kit ships as an Expo + TypeScript project with working AR demos.

TypeScript and JSX, not C#

Declarative components, typed props, familiar React patterns. Your existing CI, linting, and testing all just work.

AI-friendly stack

Clean JSX and typed props mean AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot) can reason about your AR scene like any other React component.

Let your AI agent write the ViroReact

Studio handles the visual scene. For the parts you write in code, the ViroReact MCP server gives your AI coding agent full context of the renderer: components, prop schemas, event handlers, valid scene patterns, and working examples, so it writes ViroReact that runs first time. Pair it with the Studio AI agent and you go from idea to a functioning XR scene faster than ever.

ViroReact MCP Server Docs

The ViroReact MCP server in use during a Claude Code session

React Native AR vs Unity vs WebAR

Where ReactVision sits against a browser-based runtime and a full game engine, line by line.

Capability	WebAR	Unity AR Foundation	ReactVision
Stack and language	JavaScript / WebGL	C# + Unity Engine	TypeScript + React Native
Visual scene editor	Varies by library	Unity Editor, C# scripting	Studio in your browser, no code
AI 3D asset generation	Third-party only	Third-party only	Built into Studio
Cloud + Geospatial Anchors	Third-party services	Self-managed Google Cloud	Built into Platform
Open source renderer	Mixed by library	Proprietary engine	ViroReact, MIT licensed
Rendering	Browser canvas (WebGL)	Native	Native via ARKit and ARCore
Cost at scale	Per-view fees common	$2,200 / seat / yr above $200K rev	Free renderer, tiered Platform
Team ramp-up	Days for web devs	Months, new engine	Days for React Native devs

Common questions about React Native AR

Can you build AR apps with React Native?

Yes. ViroReact has been the answer since 2017. It is the most widely used open-source AR and VR library for React Native, used in production by retail, education, and entertainment apps on iOS and Android.

Does it work with Expo?

Yes, with full Expo support. You need an Expo development build rather than Expo Go. The Starter Kit is an Expo + TypeScript template that handles the dev-build setup.

Do I need to know 3D modelling or shaders?

No. ReactVision Studio is built for developers who do not want to learn Blender. Build scenes visually, with AI-powered 3D asset generation built in. Supports OBJ, FBX, and GLTF/GLB directly.

Can I update the AR scene without redeploying my app?

Yes. The scene lives in your Studio project. Edit, publish, and connected apps pull the new scene the next time they load it.

What does it cost?

ViroReact is MIT licensed, free forever, fully open source. Scene editing and platform features (Cloud and Geospatial Anchors) are available via Studio on a free tier, with paid tiers for production apps.

How does this compare to Unity AR Foundation or 8th Wall?

Unity gives a full game engine in C# with months of ramp-up. 8th Wall is browser-based, trading native performance for no-install access. ViroReact sits between the two, native ARKit and ARCore performance through familiar React Native APIs, ramp-up in days.

Start building AR for React Native

Open Studio in your browser, design a scene, and drop the ViroReact component into your React Native or Expo app.

Open Studio Get the Starter Kit