8th Wall built mobile AR on a WebAR renderer, a JavaScript engine running on a browser canvas. ViroReact replaces that with a native renderer that runs through ARKit and ARCore directly. Same browser-based authoring story via Studio, but the output ships as a real iOS or Android app, with native fidelity, native performance, and access to AR features the browser cannot reach.
Most of what people compare between mobile AR platforms, scene editors, asset pipelines, distribution, comes down to one underlying choice: where the AR runs. WebAR runs in a browser. ViroReact runs as a native app. That choice sets the ceiling on everything else.
Tracking and rendering happen inside mobile Safari or Chrome, on a WebGL canvas, via JavaScript. SLAM is handled in JS, the scene is rendered through the browser's graphics layer, and everything competes with the browser for memory and CPU. Distribution is the win: a URL or QR code, no install. The cost is a hard ceiling on fidelity, performance, and access to native AR features.
ViroReact compiles to a real iOS or Android app. Tracking goes straight to ARKit on iOS and ARCore on Android. Rendering goes to Metal or OpenGL ES, not WebGL. You get native performance, native AR feature access (people occlusion, LiDAR scene reconstruction, image tracking, world tracking), and a memory budget set by the device, not the browser. MIT licensed, open source on GitHub.
Things that were either rough or impossible in WebAR run cleanly through ViroReact, because the engine sits underneath the browser layer rather than on top of it.
60fps as a baseline, not a stretch goal. Direct access to the GPU through Metal and OpenGL ES means heavier scenes, more polygons, complex shaders, and post-processing all run without the browser's JS-bridge tax.
People occlusion, LiDAR scene reconstruction (on Pro devices), body tracking, depth API, multi-image tracking, and world anchors come straight from the platform APIs. No emulation, no polyfill, no waiting for a browser vendor to implement them.
Larger 3D models, realistic lighting, shadows, reflections, PBR materials, and particle systems behave the way they would on console-style mobile games, because the engine isn't compressed through WebGL into a mobile browser sandbox.
Push notifications, persistent state, offline content, deep links, and analytics behave the way they do in any iOS or Android app. The cost is an install. The trade is a user you actually retain, instead of a session that ends when the tab closes.
The honest comparison. WebAR has one real advantage: zero-install distribution. Almost everywhere else, native rendering wins on capability. This is what changes when you move a mobile AR project from 8th Wall's WebAR renderer to ViroReact.
| Capability | 8th Wall (WebAR) | ViroReact (Native) |
|---|---|---|
| Renderer | WebGL canvas, JavaScript engine | Native, Metal or OpenGL ES via ARKit and ARCore |
| Tracking source | Niantic SLAM in JavaScript | ARKit and ARCore directly |
| Frame rate target | 30fps typical, 60fps inconsistent | 60fps baseline, 120fps where supported |
| People occlusion | Not supported | Native ARKit people occlusion |
| LiDAR scene reconstruction | Not supported | Native, on iPhone Pro and iPad Pro |
| Body tracking | Not supported | Native ARKit body tracking |
| Image tracking | Custom WebAR image tracking | Native ARKit and ARCore image tracking |
| Cloud Anchors | Third-party services | Built into ReactVision Platform |
| Geospatial Anchors | Third-party services | Built into ReactVision Platform |
| 3D model size ceiling | Constrained by browser memory | Constrained by device memory |
| Open source renderer | Closed source, restrictive licensing | MIT licensed, on GitHub |
| Distribution | URL or QR code, no install | App Store and Play Store, with persistent users |
| Push notifications, retention | Not available | Standard mobile app capabilities |
One of the strongest things 8th Wall did was the editor: a browser-based scene authoring tool that creative teams could actually use. ReactVision Studio is built on the same shape, design AR scenes in your browser, no install, no Unity. The difference is what comes out the other side: a native app powered by ViroReact, not a webpage.
Browser-based scene editor. No code required. Drop in 3D assets, set up triggers, layer interactions. Same workflow your creative team already knows from 8th Wall Studio.
Test live on a real phone via StudioGo while the work is still in the editor. AR features need a physical device, this is how you keep the iteration loop tight.
The scene exports to ViroReact, the open-source renderer. From here, it's a real React Native project: TypeScript, native modules, native build pipeline, full source access.
Submit to the App Store and Play Store as a real iOS and Android app. Your users get an installed product. You get analytics, push, retention, and persistence the browser cannot offer.
rvApiKey and
rvProjectId from a ReactVision Studio account. ReactVision Studio is currently in Public Alpha.
Two paths, same destination. Pick the one that fits your team.
Sign up for ReactVision Studio and start rebuilding your first 8th Wall scene as a native AR project. The editor is free to try, ViroReact is open source on GitHub, so there's no commercial commitment to spin up a working prototype.
Bring us the 8th Wall mobile AR project you want to rebuild. We'll come back with a scoped plan: which AR features map cleanly to ViroReact, which ones get an upgrade by going native, and what the App Store path looks like for your team.
ViroReact is the open-source renderer and also supports VR rendering. ReactVision Studio is the browser-based scene editor and also powers Cloud Anchors and Geospatial features.
The 8th Wall hosting deadline is February 2027. The longer the runway, the cleaner the rebuild. Start with the editor your team already knows how to use, and ship the same idea as a real app.
Have a quick question or need feedback? Jump into our Discord for real-time chat, or post on r/ReactVision to get answers, code samples, and tips from thousands of fellow builders.
Need deeper help? Engage a trusted ViroReact Partner. Certified agencies and consultants can architect, build, or optimise your XR app, run performance audits, and guide store launches so you ship faster with confidence.
Find a Trusted Partner
© 2025 - 2026 ReactVision, Inc. All rights reserved.
Site version 2.1.0
llms.txt | Sitemap | Studio Privacy Policy | Play AR Privacy Policy
