Open-source Unity alternative
for AR and VR.

ReactVision is an open-source alternative to Unity for AR and VR if you do not want a C# game engine. ViroReact maps one TypeScript API onto ARKit, ARCore, and OpenXR. The renderer is MIT licensed and free. Persistent and geospatial infrastructure is optional via ReactVision Platform.

Explore ViroReactAdd the MCP server
$npm install @reactvision/react-viro

Choose Unity, or choose ReactVision

Both are real tools with real strengths. The honest split comes down to whether you are building a game in a game engine, or an app with a software team.

Choose Unity when

  • →Your team already builds in Unity and knows the editor
  • →You are shipping a AAA, console, or PC game
  • →You need Unity's full render pipeline, the Asset Store ecosystem, or established XR plugins

Choose ReactVision when

  • +Your mobile or product team already works in TypeScript or React Native
  • +You want no engine licence and no per-seat cost on the renderer
  • +You want phones and Meta Quest from one API
  • +You want AI coding agents to write and test scenes
  • +You want a visual editor in the browser plus a free renderer

Unity vs ReactVision, line by line

Where the two sit for a team building AR and VR apps. Scroll the table sideways on smaller screens.

CapabilityUnityReactVision
LanguageC# in the Unity EditorTypeScript / React Native
Renderer licenceProprietary engineViroReact, MIT, open source
Cost at scaleFree to $200K revenue, then paid seatsRenderer free forever; optional paid Platform tiers
React Native / mobile app fitNative embed via Unity as a LibraryFirst-class React Native library
One codebase for AR and VRSeparate build targets and workflowsOne API across phones and Quest
Visual editorUnity Editor, desktop installReactVision Studio, in the browser
Geospatial / cloud anchorsSelf-managed via ARCore extensions and Google CloudManaged on ReactVision Platform
Agent / MCP supportNo official agent toolingOfficial ViroReact MCP server
Headset supportBroad, including PC VR and consoleMeta Quest today; visionOS preview; Android XR coming
Ramp-up for a software teamMonths: new engine, new languageDays for React Native developers
Where Unity still wins: photoreal games, large existing Unity organisations, and the Asset Store's depth. If that is your project, use Unity. ReactVision is for shipping AR and VR apps from the skills a mobile or web team already has.

What each part of ReactVision does

ViroReact

The open-source native XR renderer. One TypeScript API mapped onto ARKit, ARCore, and OpenXR. MIT licensed, free forever.

Studio

The browser-based visual editor and CMS for XR scenes. Free to sign up.

Platform

Managed Cloud Anchors, Geospatial Anchors, asset hosting, and Environment Testing, accessed with an rvApiKey and rvProjectId.

MCP server

How coding agents use the stack: live ViroReact knowledge plus tools to validate, run, and test scenes.

ViroReact is MIT licensed and free forever. Studio and Platform are managed products: Cloud Anchors, Geospatial Anchors, asset hosting, Environment Testing, and the MCP server. iOS (ARKit), Android (ARCore), and Meta Quest (OpenXR) are supported today. visionOS is in internal preview. Android XR is coming.

Proof it ships

~10,000

npm installs of ViroReact per month

140,000+

npm installs in 2025

3 platforms

iOS, Android, and Meta Quest supported today

Shipped on ViroReact: Looking Glass (geospatial AR heritage storytelling), Pikd (brand AR for Red Bull and Burger King), InkStory (AR image recognition, built solo). The ViroReact MCP server is listed in the Claude Connectors Directory.

Getting started without Unity

From nothing to a native AR scene, no engine install. If you are coming from AR Foundation, the concepts map cleanly: planes, anchors, image targets, and hit testing all exist as React components. The React Native AR guide has the full walkthrough with code.

01

Install the renderer

Add ViroReact to a React Native or Expo app with npm install @reactvision/react-viro, or start from the Starter Kit. There is no engine download and no editor licence.

02

Create a development build

AR runs on native ARKit and ARCore modules, so ViroReact cannot run in Expo Go. Build a development client with EAS Build or npx expo run, and test AR on a physical device.

03

Write or generate your first scene

Scenes are React components with typed props. Write them by hand, connect the ViroReact MCP server so your coding agent writes and validates them, or build visually in Studio.

04

Add Platform features when you need them

Local AR ships free on the renderer alone. Cloud Anchors, Geospatial Anchors, and asset hosting are optional managed services that need an rvApiKey and rvProjectId from a free Studio account.

Common questions

Is there an open-source alternative to Unity for AR and VR?
Yes. ViroReact, the renderer in the ReactVision stack, is MIT licensed and open source. It maps one TypeScript API onto ARKit on iOS, ARCore on Android, and OpenXR on Meta Quest, so you build native AR and VR without a C# game engine. The renderer is free forever; managed infrastructure like Cloud Anchors and Geospatial Anchors is optional via ReactVision Platform.
Can I build AR without Unity?
Yes. If your team works in TypeScript or React Native, install ViroReact with npm install @reactvision/react-viro and write AR scenes as React components. You need a development build rather than Expo Go, and AR requires a physical iOS or Android device. There is no engine to download and no seat licence.
What is a good Unity AR Foundation alternative for mobile teams?
ReactVision. AR Foundation wraps ARKit and ARCore inside the Unity engine, which means C#, the Unity Editor, and Unity's licensing. ViroReact wraps the same native APIs behind a React Native library, so a mobile team keeps its existing language, toolchain, and CI, and reaches Meta Quest from the same codebase.
How much does Unity cost compared to ReactVision?
Unity is free up to $200K revenue, then requires paid seats. The ViroReact renderer is MIT licensed and free at any scale. ReactVision charges only for managed Platform services: hosted Cloud Anchors, Geospatial Anchors, asset hosting, Environment Testing, and higher AI and API limits, on tiered Studio plans with a free tier.
When is Unity still the better choice?
For AAA and console games, photoreal rendering, and teams already invested in Unity. Unity's full render pipeline, the Asset Store, and its mature XR plugin ecosystem are real advantages there. ReactVision is the better fit when the product is a mobile or cross-platform app built by a software team rather than a game studio.
Do I need to know React Native to use ReactVision?
The best path today is React Native or Expo, and TypeScript is the working language. Non-developers can build scenes visually in ReactVision Studio, and coding agents can build against the stack through the MCP server. The company goal is one XR API mapped onto native platform APIs, usable by developers, Studio users, and agents.

Related comparisons and guides

Build AR and VR without a game engine

Install the MIT-licensed renderer, connect the ViroReact MCP server to your coding agent, and ship native AR and VR from one TypeScript codebase. For Cloud Anchors, Geospatial Anchors, and asset hosting, create a free Studio account.

Add the MCP serverCreate a free Studio account
$npm install @reactvision/react-viro