The development of a virtual reality application poses a fundamental question for companies in 2025: Is a pure VR release enough, or is it worth the extra effort to provide the same experience on smartphones, tablets, desktops and in the browser? Current market data shows: A cross-platform approach increases technical reach by a factor of ≈ 300, significantly reduces marketing costs per user and opens up new traffic channels such as SEO and social sharing.
There are currently around 20 million Meta Quest headsets in circulation worldwide, plus several million Pico, PS VR 2 and Vision Pro devices. On the other hand 7.2 billion smartphones and a PC gaming community that reaches peak ratings of 37 million simultaneous users achieved. While the number of VR titles in the Horizon Store climbed to around 10,000 in 2024 alone, headset sales stagnated. Discovery and reach thus become the real challenge.
The choice of engine determines which audience is reached, which features are available - and how maintenance-intensive the application will be later on.
Essentially, two paths are open:
Native engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine compile binary builds for Meta Quest, Pico, Apple Vision Pro, PS VR 2 et al.
Web-based/hybrid frameworks such as PlayCanvas, A-Frame or a React/Capacitor wrapper deliver HTML + WebGL/WebGPU, which can be used via WebXR-button to switch to VR mode.
The following comparison highlights typical workflows, performance differences and store implications.
| Engine | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Unity | - Huge ecosystem, XR interaction toolkit with grab, teleport & haptics out-of-the-box Unity Manual - Fast iteration thanks to play mode & URP foveated rendering (quest optimization) | - License model (runtime fee from 2024) and fragmentation of older plug-ins |
| Unreal Engine 5 | - High-end visuals with Nanite mesh streaming & Lumen GI, now also in VR template via OpenXR 5.6 Epic Games Developers / Unreal Engine - C++ access down to driver level (e.g. eye-tracked foveation) Epic Games Developers | - Higher entry hurdle (C++, blueprint complexity), larger build sizes |
Maximum performance & frame stability - Engines run directly on Vulkan/OpenGL-ES, without browser overhead. Benchmarks on Meta Quest 3 show up to 35 % higher FPS compared to identical WebXR-Code developers.meta.com.
Deep hardware integration - access to haptics SDKs, passthrough cameras, hand tracking, etc. is often supported by Unity/Unreal earlier than Unreal Engine browsers.
Store compliance & monetization - Native bundles meet all VRC checks (performance, data protection) and can be monetized in-app with IAP or DLC; web apps have only been allowed in the Quest Store in a separate 2D category since 2024 The Verge.
| Framework | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| PlayCanvas | - Cloud editor & Git-like collaboration; engine + editor MIT open source since 07/2025 blog.playcanvas.com - WebGPU/WebXR support, deployment via URL, updates without store review | - WebXR on iOS Safari still limited; recent PlayCanvas threads report missing VR launch on iOS 18 PlayCanvas Discussion - Limited access to low-level features (foveated rendering, haptic feedback) |
| A-Frame (Three.js) | - HTML-like syntax, ideal for rapid prototyping Wikipedia | - Performance depends on the browser; officially "native-like latency" only with optimal pipeline and 90 fps cap |
Usage behavior and session lengths
Meta recommends that developers set a "Goldilocks window" of 20 to 40 minutes per VR session - anything less reduces the wow effect, anything more increases motion comfort risks.
Mobile apps, on the other hand, usually record microsessions of less than five minutes, albeit several times a day. For engagement KPIs, this means that VR generates deeper but less frequent interactions; flat platforms thrive on frequency.
An install via the Meta-Quest Ads Manager currently costs on average 10 USD.
On Android, CPI values are between USD 1.5 and USD 4 globally, on iOS between USD 1.5 and USD 3.5. Added to this is the leverage of owned media channels: deep links in social posts increased the conversion rate in 2024 by +77 %. This mechanism is missing in the closed headset ecosystem.
The creation of a medium-sized VR experience starts at ≈ 40,000 USD, but can rise to over 350,000 USD depending on the scope.
Porting increases the budget by 15 to 30 %, requires additional QA cycles and a responsive UI layout.
In the meantime, 95 % of studios with more than 50 employees use multiplatform pipelines - an indication that the extra effort pays off.
VR stores offer curated lists and a core target group with purchasing power, but the increasing number of titles is intensifying competition.
WebXR experiences can be indexed, benefit from organic search and do not require a download. Modern browsers - including Chrome and visionOS Safari - now support WebXR natively.
Flat ports on Steam or the Epic Games Store open up additional review streams and influencer reach.
| Criterion | Weight | VR-Only | Cross-platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 35 % | 2 | 9 |
| Immersion | 25 % | 10 | 6 |
| CPI efficiency | 15 % | 3 | 8 |
| Development effort (- = better) | 15 % | 7 | 4 |
| Sustainability | 10 % | 6 | 8 |
| Total score | 100 % | 5,9 | 7,4 |
Early access build for Quest and Pico to involve press and creators.
Browser preview with indexable landing pages for organic search.
React-Native or Flutter shell for push notifications and ASO.
Flat version on Steam/Epic for long-tail awareness.
A VR-only launch still delivers the most impressive immersion, but remains trapped in a hardware niche and incurs high acquisition costs. If you want to maximize visibility and brand awareness, combine VR premium content with flat and WebXR offshoots. This creates a multi-stage marketing funnel that serves all channels, from organic traffic to paid UA, without compromising on the quality of the experience.
Usage behavior and session lengths
Meta recommends that developers set a "Goldilocks window" of 20 to 40 minutes per VR session - anything less reduces the wow effect, anything more increases motion comfort risks.
Mobile apps, on the other hand, usually record microsessions of less than five minutes, albeit several times a day. For engagement KPIs, this means that VR generates deeper but less frequent interactions; flat platforms thrive on frequency.
An install via the Meta-Quest Ads Manager currently costs on average 10 USD.
On Android, CPI values are between USD 1.5 and USD 4 globally, on iOS between USD 1.5 and USD 3.5. Added to this is the leverage of owned media channels: deep links in social posts increased the conversion rate in 2024 by +77 %. This mechanism is missing in the closed headset ecosystem.
The creation of a medium-sized VR experience starts at ≈ 40,000 USD, but can rise to over 350,000 USD depending on the scope.
Porting increases the budget by 15 to 30 %, requires additional QA cycles and a responsive UI layout.
In the meantime, 95 % of studios with more than 50 employees use multiplatform pipelines - an indication that the extra effort pays off.
VR stores offer curated lists and a core target group with purchasing power, but the increasing number of titles is intensifying competition.
WebXR experiences can be indexed, benefit from organic search and do not require a download. Modern browsers - including Chrome and visionOS Safari - now support WebXR natively.
Flat ports on Steam or the Epic Games Store open up additional review streams and influencer reach.
| Criterion | Weight | VR-Only | Cross-platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 35 % | 2 | 9 |
| Immersion | 25 % | 10 | 6 |
| CPI efficiency | 15 % | 3 | 8 |
| Development effort (- = better) | 15 % | 7 | 4 |
| Sustainability | 10 % | 6 | 8 |
| Total score | 100 % | 5,9 | 7,4 |
Early access build for Quest and Pico to involve press and creators.
Browser preview with indexable landing pages for organic search.
React-Native or Flutter shell for push notifications and ASO.
Flat version on Steam/Epic for long-tail awareness.
A VR-only launch still delivers the most impressive immersion, but remains trapped in a hardware niche and incurs high acquisition costs. If you want to maximize visibility and brand awareness, combine VR premium content with flat and WebXR offshoots. This creates a multi-stage marketing funnel that serves all channels, from organic traffic to paid UA, without compromising on the quality of the experience.
Are you interested in the development of virtual reality or 3D scanning? You may still have questions about budget and implementation. Please feel free to contact me.
I am looking forward to you
Clarence Dadson CEO Design4real
