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Oliver Edis

Migrating from 8th Wall: Is ViroReact the Right Alternative for Your AR Project?

Migrating from 8th Wall: Is ViroReact the Right Alternative for Your AR Project?

With 8th Wall shutting down today, many developers are still figuring out what to do with their existing AR experiences.

If you are focused on mobile AR and either already have your AR embedded within an app, or you are exploring a more powerful app-based solution to replace your current 8th Wall setup, ViroReact could be a great fit.

What is ViroReact?

ViroReact is an open-source AR renderer designed for native mobile applications.

  • Developer-Friendly: It allows developers to write in TypeScript and React Native, complete with full Expo support.
  • Native Rendering: It renders AR natively by tapping directly into ARKit on iOS and ARCore on Android.
  • Advanced Capabilities: It supports complex features like depth-based occlusion, custom shaders, physics, geospatial anchors, and cloud anchors.
  • Cost & Infrastructure: ViroReact itself is open-source under an MIT license, so it is completely free to use. If you want to take advantage of ReactVision’s platform for asset storage, asset creation, or geospatial and cloud anchors, you can. It integrates directly into ViroReact for a seamless connection between renderer and infrastructure. ReactVision Studio offers a free plan, as well as paid plans ranging from $25/month to $75/month.

Cloud and Geospatial Anchors are currently in closed beta and coming to all users in March 2026

When it is a good replacement for 8th Wall

ViroReact is an ideal alternative when you are looking for an app-based AR experience. Because it renders natively rather than through a browser, it offers significantly smoother performance and greater access to advanced OS-level features that simply aren’t available in WebAR.

Whether your AR experience is already housed in a native app, or you are looking to make the leap from web to app to unlock that better performance, ViroReact provides the infrastructure to get there.

When it is not a fit

The distinction is straightforward: ViroReact is not WebAR. If you have a web-based experience and it is critical that users do not have to download an app to access your AR content, ViroReact is not the right tool for your project.

Need help with your migration?

If you need support migrating your project or want to explore your options, speak with one of our partners: ReactVision.xyz/partners