Essentials

What you can build

Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Whether you’re a mobile developer exploring VR for the first time or a game studio looking to reach millions of users, Meta Horizon is the world’s most accessible platform for building immersive experiences. This page introduces what’s possible and why developers are building for Meta Horizon. When you’re ready to start building, head to the Quick start guide.

What you can build

Meta Horizon supports a wide range of experiences across entertainment, productivity, fitness, education, and social:

Immersive gaming — Full VR games with hand tracking, controllers, and spatial audio (Beat Saber⁠, Asgard’s Wrath 2⁠)

Fitness and wellness — Movement-based apps that track calories, heart rate, and performance (Supernatural⁠, FitXR⁠)

Social and entertainment — Multiplayer social spaces, live events, and media apps (VRChat⁠)

Skill building and creativity — Reimagine physical workspaces with mixed reality to enable people to design with greater ease, achieve tasks with greater efficiency, and collaborate with deeper feelings of social presence

Mixed reality — Spatially aware experiences that deliver seamless interactions between users, virtual content, and physical spaces

2D panel apps — Any Android mobile or web developer can ship experiences to Meta Horizon OS using familiar skills, languages, and frameworks. Bring your app as-is or reimagine classic 2D apps as immersive, spatialized experiences with Meta Spatial SDK or WebXR.

Why build for Meta Horizon

Meta Horizon is the leading VR platform, powered by tens of millions of Meta Quest devices in the hands of consumers:

Massive installed base — Meta Quest is the best-selling VR headset family worldwide, giving your app immediate access to millions of potential users.

Standalone and accessible — No PC, no wires, no external sensors. Users pick up the headset and start using your app in seconds.

Proven monetization — Developers have generated over $2B in revenue on the Meta Horizon Store. Multiple paths to revenue: paid apps, in-app purchases, subscriptions, and free-to-play.

Growing ecosystem — Building for Meta Horizon today positions your app for the next generation of Meta hardware.

Familiar tools — Build with Unity, Unreal Engine, Meta Spatial SDK, or native Android. Use the engine and language you already know.

Case studies

Real developers building real businesses on Meta Horizon:

Supernatural⁠ (Within) — Subscription fitness app acquired by Meta; proved the VR fitness category

Demeo⁠ (Resolution Games) — Tabletop RPG became a top-selling Quest title; expanded to PC and mobile

Among Us VR⁠ (Schell Games) — Brought a beloved 2D game to VR; demonstrated cross-platform IP potential

Racket Club⁠ (Fast Travel Games) — Launched as a Quest exclusive; strong retention through competitive multiplayer

See Success Stories for more examples.

Business models on Quest

Plan your monetization strategy early — it shapes your app design, feature set, and audience. These are the revenue models available on the Meta Horizon Store:

Paid apps — One-time purchase, typically $10–30 for premium experiences. Simplest model with predictable revenue per install

Free-to-play with in-app purchases (IAP) — Free download with purchasable items, upgrades, or currencies. Drives the highest install volume

Subscriptions — Recurring revenue for apps with ongoing content (fitness, productivity, social). Strong for retention

Try Before You Buy (TBYB) — Users demo your app before purchasing. Apps using TBYB see higher conversion rates than cold purchases

Bundles and season passes — Group multiple apps or content drops together to drive incremental revenue from your existing user base

Most successful Quest developers combine models — for example, a paid app with IAP for cosmetics, or a free app with a subscription tier. See Monetization overview for implementation details.

The VR app lifecycle

The stages of building a successful VR app — from idea to growth.

Building a successful VR app follows a predictable lifecycle. Understanding these stages helps you plan your development and make smart decisions early.

Stage	What to do	Key resources
Ideation and prototyping	Define your concept, target audience, and core interaction model. Build a rough prototype and test on-device early	Quick start guide
Design	Design for VR from the ground up — comfort, spatial UI, accessibility, and onboarding all matter	Design documentation
Development	Build core features, integrate platform services (achievements, multiplayer, IAP), and profile performance early and often	Build path docs, Platform SDK, OVR Metrics Tool
Polish and testing	Meet technical requirements, test across headset models, and beta test with real users	VRC checklist, Release channels
Launch	Prepare your store listing (screenshots, trailer, description), complete data and org verification, choose your monetization model, and submit for review	Data Use Checkup, Pre-launch listings
Growth	Track installs, sessions, revenue, and ratings. Engage your community and run promotions	Developer Dashboard⁠, Developer Posts, Bundles

For a more in-depth understanding of the key milestones and requirements your app will encounter on its journey, from development to submission, use this interactive flow-chart⁠.