Social virtual reality (Social VR) is a simulated environment where VR users can meet, interact, and participate in shared activities like watching movies, playing games, attending concerts, or even collaborating at work.
Social VR is one of the most important applications of virtual reality technology. It will allow users on opposite sides of the world to come together, meet, and be productive in an almost lifelike setting – effectively overcoming geographical barriers.
According to a July 2021 Marketing Insights Report, the social VR market is expected to grow at a 14.1 percent CAGR between 2021 and 2027, and the interactive qualities of the technology have myriad applications.
For example, it can aid in therapy and counseling sessions where users are unable to travel. Research has also found that 30 percent of users are more comfortable discussing negative experiences in VR than in person.
All of this indicates an optimistic market environment for social VR apps. Here is our roundup of the best social apps in VR that you can explore in 2022:
1. AltspaceVR
AltspaceVR is a social VR platform launched in 2025 that was eventually acquired by Microsoft in 2017. Microsoft uses several elements of AltspaceVR for its enterprise collaboration technology, Mesh.
Accenture has even created an entire VR campus on Mesh, built on AltspaceVR, where employees can come together for communication, collaboration, and day-to-day interactions.
2. BeanVR
BeanVR is a social VR app that is compatible with a variety of headsets like Steam, Meta Quest, and HTC VIVE. It recreates social media experiences in a VR environment and has rooms with different themes that mimic social media groups.
In a room, you can participate in live events, play games, view a presentation, or host private experiences that are closed to public users.
3. Bigscreen
Bigscreen is an extremely popular social app for VR that started out as a video watching app. Today, it works as a television and movie theater, where users can consume content alone or with friends.
You can also meet new Bigscreen users from around the world and have conversations via chat. The popular social media app has a workspace capability for collaborative coding and group meetings.
4. Couch
The premise behind the Couch app is simple: it allows you to watch YouTube with your friends in virtual reality. You can create public or private rooms and invite friends to a room to watch a YouTube video together.
Public rooms are open to all Couch users, giving you an opportunity to meet others with similar interests. Couch is available on Meta Quest too.
5. Horizon Worlds
Horizon Worlds is Meta’s very own social gaming experience for Questers. Meta (formerly Facebook) offers an integrated game creation system inside of Horizon Worlds, which doubles as both a social gaming platform and a development tool.
In December 2021, Horizon Worlds was released to adult users in the US and Canada.
6. Horizon Venues
Like Worlds, Venues is another social VR app in the Meta Horizon family. It allows Oculus users to attend live concerts and events in virtual reality. Like real-world events, anyone can attend the free or paid events on Horizon Venues.
Organizers from around the world schedule concerts, religious meets, aerospace launches, and other events on Venues, and there are also a few always-on events you can explore.
7. Rec Room
Rec Room is a cross-device social gaming platform that works in virtual reality as well as your smartphone. When you enter Rec Room, you will be assigned a unique and customized avatar.
There are spaces where you can play games, create content, learn new skills, join a club, and much more. Rec Room has its own economy, which means that you can sell your own creations within the VR environment.
8. Sensorium Galaxy
Sensorium Galaxy offers a metaverse-like experience called Prism. It is compatible with HTC VIVE and Oculus, and provides you with AI-powered virtual avatars that accompany you as you navigate Prism’s multiple social experiences.
To date, artists like David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Armin van Buuren, and others have held events inside this social VR world.
9. Sansar
Sansar is a social VR platform developed by Linden Lab currently owned by immersive technology company Wookey Technologies. Sansar hosts live social events in VR, which can be attended via Oculus, Vive, Steam, and desktop PC devices.
Importantly, Sansar allows you to monetize events through pre-show merchandise sales and post-show after-parties. Friends can also meet at the event venue and exchange merchandise, take selfies, and much more.
10. VRChat
VRChat is a social and world-building application compatible with all major VR headsets. You can customize your avatar and explore hundreds of VR worlds designed by the app’s community members. Inside these spaces, you can meet people, chat, draw, collaborate, and attend events.
The platform also has its own Unity SDK that allows you to create infinite worlds of your own and customize the avatar as much as you would like.
11. VRzone
VRzone is a social VR app designed for art galleries and exhibitions. It is essentially a multiplayer platform where users can come together and attend art-related events.
These events can also be persistent, which means that you can visit a gallery, a museum, or an exhibition, whenever you choose.
Some of the world’s leading artists have added their work to VRzone. For instance, inside Room 6, you will find works by Banksy, titled “Banksy VR: the VeRy unauthorized exhibition.”
12. vTime XR
vTime XR is an extended reality social network that lets you meet friends and make new ones in a variety of virtual destinations, while constantly updating its destination library.
It supports all platforms, including Oculus VR, Windows Mixed Reality, and 2D experiences on Android smartphones or iPhones. vTime XR has a unique 360 gallery that replays your VR memories in 3D.
These are some of the best social VR apps available today. When Facebook rebranded as Meta, social experiences were always at the heart of its future vision. Meta, along with the companies we discussed, are now leading the rise of social VR across the globe.
