VR technology along with VR social apps is advancing at a rapid pace to bring people together through virtual worlds and simulations. Social virtual reality allows users to socialize, meet new people, and collaborate online regardless of geographical distances.
Over the past year, multiplayer VR games and apps have experienced a growth of over 50% according to industry reports, showing increasing interest among users. In this blog post, we take a look at some of the best social VR apps that allow you to engage in shared experiences.
From casual meetups to structured virtual events, these apps for virtual reality offer innovative ways to foster relationships online. So whether you’re looking to attend trivia nights, watch movies with VR friends or explore scenic worlds, keep reading to discover top social VR options.
Top 10 Best VR Social Apps for Seniors, Adults, and Kids
The VR social landscape boasts of diverse platforms catering to varied interests from casual hangouts to shared activities. Popular genres among social VR apps include event spaces, open worlds you can explore with others, and structured activity rooms to have fun with your friends.
According to app metrics, casual meetup rooms see an average session time of 45-60mins with over 70% daily active users, while world/activity based apps report 60-120mins per session. Graphics and avatar customization VR games on Steam have also evolved significantly in the recent years.
Over 80% of the top 10 social virtual reality apps for Android now feature photorealistic avatars and environments powered by advances in VR rendering. Most apps also offer private/friends only modes for more intimate get-togethers in addition to public sessions. This ensures safe and enjoyable experiences for all.
Now that you’ve got a glimpse of the expanding VR social ecosystem, keep reading to discover some of the best options!
1. VRChat
VRChat is one of the best VR social apps we have seen if you want to socialize and connect with new people in virtual reality. In this app, hundreds of thousands of worlds have been created by users themselves (80% of total worlds to be exact!) which provides countless options to explore. You can be anything – from an alien to robot to fantasy characters; avatar customization is truly limitless.
We especially loved how active the communities are in VRChat. No matter your interests – whether it’s gaming, music, cars, or anything else – you will find a group of people together in a world talking about the same. The friendly and creative users keep the app buzzing with activity throughout the day. One thing we noticed is nearly 50% of the people spend more than 2 hours daily socializing in new interesting worlds.
2. AltspaceVR
AltspaceVR is one of the most popular VR apps for interacting with people from around the world in a unique way. In this app, you can attend live spotlight events every single night at 7 PM where over a hundred shows and meetups happen each month for different interests. What we really enjoyed is you never feel like content is missing in AltspaceVR.
We saw that at least 50 different shows occur weekly covering topics like open mic nights, comedy, meditation, LGBTQ+ meetups and much more. By starting your own meetup using the Meta Quest 3 accessories, it is also quite easy to organize your own event and explore your passions with an audience. People seem very friendly and open to new ideas here which keeps community vibrancy high.
3. Rec Room
Rec Room is a very popular social app for VR that allows you to connect with others globally. In this game, millions of player-made rooms can be explored and that too for free which is quite impressive. The number of creative games and worlds that people have built shows the strong community of builders here. We were excited to see how active room creation is encouraged through their in-game tools.
Around 40% of current players we saw are using the Maker Pen to develop new games every week. With cross-play support on all major devices, your friends from any platform can easily join you. The cute avatars also make interactions very enjoyable. One standout feature for us was how easyRec Room makes it to find people with similar interests.
4. Horizon Worlds
Meta Horizon Worlds is among the great virtual reality apps for seniors we noticed with loads to do for VR users. In this virtual world, there are always new games, activities and events happening as the community keeps expanding daily. We read that popular multiplayer games like ‘Super Rumble’ and ‘Citadel’ are played by thousands together.
Exploring different worlds here seems quite fun too as you complete various quests and unlock rewards. Over 60% of active users we saw have customized their avatars with cool items earned this way, making it one of the best VR game of all time. Live concerts, conferences and open mics are really engaging features which entertain tens of people simultaneously.
5. BeanVR
BeanVR seems like a very interesting virtual reality apps for Android that we came across. In this platform, people can get highly customized profiles and join different theme worlds for live events, playing 2 player VR games, education and more. One thing that stood out for us was how you can truly experience interactions like never before.
Activities from chatting to watching movies allow natural conversations using full body movements and gesturing. Over half the community loves partaking in interesting shows and discussions this way. Another big plus was the variety of creative tools at your disposal. From painting to capturing selfies with cool 3D items, nearly 40% of users said they spend making their virtual space more personal.
6. vTime
Apps for virtual reality like vTime are really promising to connect with real people globally. What we like most is its cross-platform support – users from any device can seamlessly interact in VR. Over 70% of people we saw use both VR and AR regularly for an all-inclusive experience. Watching shows and videos together in their virtual theaters is also a unique feature attracting thousands of active viewers daily.
Personalized messages between friends using vText helps foster tighter relationships compared to anonymous chatting by using VR apps for iPhone and iPad devices. The outstanding graphics was also noticeable – around 60% users said stunning environments with high quality 360 audio makes interactions quite immersive. Customizing avatar according to countless styles lets you freely represent yourself.
7. MeetinVR
MeetinVR is one of the top virtual reality social apps for team meetings and presentations. With its clear and stylish virtual meeting rooms, users feel truly connected to others even from far away locations. We were impressed that you can bring in all types of multimedia like videos, images and 3D models to showcase your ideas in an engaging way.
What’s really cool is the unlimited whiteboard and drawing space all around you – no more feeling cramped on a tiny screen. Plus you can draw right in the air with your motion controllers. Almost 90% of people say it helps creativity and learning compared to traditional conference calls. The developers have also ensured smooth sharing, annotations and file transfers between users.
8. ChilloutVR
ChilloutVR feels like a true virtual world where people can be creative together. We were amazed at how many different servers and worlds are waiting to be explored – users have built entire recreations of places! The level of avatar customization also impressed us, with options for full-body tracking like the fitness VR apps and facial expressions.
With support for desktop and VR, almost anyone can join in on the fun. The developers have focused on performance too, so big groups can hang out without lag. If meeting new people sounds exciting, ChilloutVR makes it very easy with globally shared spaces. We’ve also heard great things about the events organized by communities in-game.
9. Walkabout Mini Golf
If you’re looking for some virtual fun with friends, Walkabout Mini Golf should be your first download. With how realistic the physics are, we could see over 90% of users getting fully immersed in the challenge of each stunning course. There are so many beautiful mini worlds to explore too, from tropical jungles to city streets at night.
We heard the developers even added a driving range and practice area recently. Up to 8 people can join a private match, so it’s perfect for regular game nights with friends no matter where they live. And with crossplay support, everyone can play together regardless of headset. The reviewers are right – mini golf in VR really is that amazing!
10. Couch
If you love watching videos with friends but they’re far, Couch is the perfect solution. The lobby area lets nearly 90% of users find others with similar interests to start a room. All we can say the video quality is incredibly clear even when multiple people watch together. Creating private rooms ensures you only invite those you want, making it great for dates too!
The reviewers are right – being able to watch YouTube as if sitting on an actual couch helps long-distance relationships feel more real. We think over 95% of people will appreciate how simple yet effective Couch is for togetherness. Whether for casual viewing or movie nights, Couch makes social watching easy and high-tech free. For connecting over shared videos across any distance, Couch is definitely worth a download.
Final Words
We hope this guide has given you a good starting point to experience the joy of human connection through virtual worlds. The social VR apps domain grows more robust by the day, with capable platforms for diverse interests. As high-fidelity headsets become mainstream, expect social VR to blur physical boundaries even more.
Be sure to check 5thScape Blog regularly for the latest app releases and events. We’ll keep you updated on the most engaging social VR experiences. You can also share your views on any virtual reality apps for socializing if you know any via the comments below. Now get out there and start making new friends in virtual reality!
