Meta has revised the way organizations deploy and manage Meta Quest VR headsets, introducing a mandatory Meta Horizon Managed Services (MHMS) subscription for corporate and educational users. This change - essentially a rebranding of the old "Quest for Business" program - has a major impact on the cost of using third-party mobile device management (MDM) platforms such as ArborXR and ManageXR. Meta and its partners tout benefits such as seamless enrollment and better control, but the new requirements come with significant new fees. Below, we break down exactly what companies will now have to pay (before and after the changes), uncover any hidden or ongoing costs, and assess whether the additional expense is offset by improved services or just a financial burden for VR fleets.
Before this changeover, companies could Consumer Quest devices (Quest 2, Quest 3) at a standard price and manage them with a third-party MDM solution. The cost structure was simple:
Hardware costsQuest 2 or Quest 3 at regular retail price (approx. 299-499 €)
MDM costse.g. ManageXR or ArborXR for approx. 7-10 € per device/monthso approx. 84-120 € per year
Meta fees: 0 USD (no compulsory subscription for administration or company accounts)
This method allowed organizations to purchase a Quest 3 for $499 and manage it for approximately $84 per year without having to make an additional payment to Meta. Large organizations could manage their headsets affordably and get all the benefits of an MDM solution without Meta-specific subscriptions.€
Many companies deliberately avoided the former Oculus for Business-program and instead used consumer models with MDM software by using developer accounts or workarounds such as sideloading.
There were No annual fees to Metaand companies only paid for hardware and MDM software.
In the year 2024/2025, Meta Meta Horizon Managed Services (MHMS) introduced - a new framework for the management of Meta Quest devices, which is now is mandatory for all new company quests. With the new MHMS system, companies can no longer add new Quest headsets to an MDM without a paid MHMS subscription. This means:
All new Quest devices must have MHMS to be used with ArborXR or ManageXR.
There is no more free enrollment. A consumer quest can no longer be set up for corporate purposes without further ado.
New costs for companies: Each device must pay an annual fee of 179.99 USD per year to Meta in order to be able to use MDM functions.
Meta advertises MHMS with "easier setup, better security and business support". In practice, however, this means that companies now have to make annual payments to continue using MDM.
With the switch to MHMS, the costs per device have increased significantly. Here is the New price structure:
Meta Quest 3S Business Edition: 399 USD instead of 299 USD (+100 USD surcharge), includes 2 years MHMS
From year 3: 179.99 USD per device/year for MHMS
In addition: MDM costs (ArborXR/ManageXR): approx. 84-120 USD per year
Companies must therefore on average 50 % more than before. This hits companies with a large number of headsets particularly hard: a fleet of 100 devices costs 28,100 USD more than before.
| Cost point | Before MHMS (consumer device + MDM) | With MHMS (mandatory subscription + MDM) |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware costs | €299-€499 | €399-€630 |
| MDM (ArborXR/ManageXR) | €84-€120/year | €84-€120/year |
| Meta fees | €0/year | €179.99/year from year 3 |
| 3-year costs per device | €551 (Quest 3, 3 years MDM) | €832 (Quest 3S, 3 years MDM + MHMS) |
| 4-year costs per device | €635 | €1.096 |
In addition to the obvious subscription fees, there are other cost traps:
Convert existing devices: Companies that want to transfer old Quest headsets to the MHMS structure must each individual device for 179.99 USD per year register.
Forced subscription renewals: After the 2 years of free MHMS, companies must renew the subscription, otherwise the headsets will lose all management functions.
Non-transferable subscriptions: MHMS is tied to the device - if a headset is defective, the subscription cannot be transferred to a replacement device.
Price increases possible: Meta has the power to further increase the MHMS price in the future so that companies pay more and more in the long term.
Meta presents MHMS as Progress for companiesbut in reality it is a massive Increase in the cost of the entire Quest management. Companies that previously only paid for hardware and MDM must now pay an additional €179.99 per device per year to Meta.
🔹 Quest management costs have increased by up to 50-100 %.
🔹 Companies must Thousands of euros more for their VR fleet.
🔹 If these additional costs do not appear to be justified, the alternative headsets (Pico, HTC) worth considering.
For companies that have already invested in Meta Quest, this is a bitter pill to swallow. The most important question remains: Is the cost increase really worth it or are there better alternatives?
As costs rise, the question arises: is this expenditure justified by corresponding improvements in service, or are companies primarily paying for Meta's new source of revenue?
For large companies with complex IT requirements, MHMS can be a sensible investment. But for many organizations, the additional costs are not commensurate with the added value. Meta is using its market power here to generate higher revenues - companies need to carefully consider whether they want to pay the price for this convenience.
Meta now demands a mandatory levy for MDM userswhat companies costs considerably more. Anyone who manages a large Quest fleet should carefully calculate whether these new costs are affordable - or whether Alternatives such as Pico or HTC are more economical.
If your company is affected by these changes, now would be the right time to analyze long-term costs and strategically consider whether switching to a different platform might make sense.
Are you interested in developing a virtual reality or 360° application? You may still have questions about budget and implementation. Feel free to contact me.
I am looking forward to you
Clarence Dadson CEO Design4real
