Is VRChat free? If you asked that question a little while ago, the answer would have been a resounding yes. VRChat was one of the first companies to introduce us to the potential of the metaverse, immersive collaboration, and digital communities without a monthly fee.
Although wearing a VR headset while using VRChat is a great way to elevate your experience – you don’t need one to access the platform. Anyone can use VRChat, even if they’re just checking out virtual worlds on their desktop computer.
However, like many companies helping to shape the metaverse and the future of XR experiences, VRChat has evolved over the years. In November 2023, VRChat began investing in a new “creator economy” solution with VRChat+ paid subscriptions.
What is VRChat? A Quick Reminder
Before we dive deeper into the question, “Is VRChat free?” let’s look at what it is. VRChat is a social virtual reality platform and one of the earliest companies to highlight the opportunities in the “metaverse.”
It’s often described as a VR gaming platform. After all, it’s brimming with gamified experiences, like capture the flag or “battle discs.” However, VRChat isn’t just for the gamer community. Available on Steam, the Meta store, and VIVEPORT, VRChat delivers immersive social experiences to everyone.
On the platform, users can access a Unity SDK to create their own virtual worlds and unique avatars. You can express yourself through gestures and emotes, leverage lip-syncing and eye-tracking features to showcase your mood through your avatar, and even enjoy spatial sound.
For teams in the enterprise landscape, VRChat even offers an opportunity to chat, collaborate, draw, sculpt, and design in real time. Some of the earliest examples of “immersive collaboration” occurred in VRChat or social platforms like it.
Is VRChat Free? The Launch of Paid Subscriptions
So, is VRChat free? When it first launched, the platform was entirely free to access, and you can still use the “free” version of VRChat today. The free experience still includes all the great features that make VRChat ideal for XR-driven collaboration and conversations.
However, in November 2023, VRChat introduced its new vision for a metaverse “creator economy,” starting with the launch of paid subscriptions. This new feature will allow users to support their favorite creators on the platform financially and give developers a chance to monetize their content.
Creators can link content to subscriptions through the “Udon” programming language. When they do, users who purchase “VRChat Credits” can buy subscriptions to a virtual world or experience for one month, three months, or a year.
These subscriptions give fans direct access to subscriber-only content, like VIP chat rooms, unique items, or exclusive events. VRChat says creators get around 50% of the revenue, while 30% of the cash goes to the charges imposed by platforms like Steam and Meta.
How Do Paid Subscriptions on VRChat Work?
The VRChat Creator economy allows users to purchase credits with real-life money. The XR developer is powering this process by partnering with the payment platform Tilia. The Tilia platform was explicitly designed to support “digital economies,” according to the press release.
Already, Tilia powers the creator-based economy for Second Life, another well-known metaverse platform. The paid subscriptions also work alongside VRChat’s custom scripting language, Udon, which means creators can craft unique experiences for subscribers according to their needs.
Plus, the feature integrates with VRChat’s existing systems, allowing pre-existing communities and developers to monetize content with minimal effort.
Users can spend the VRChat credits they buy on the platform on perks creators set via Groups. Users can click on a “Store” button and see everything they can purchase, such as subscriptions, unique avatar components and other special “extras.”
Whenever a customer purchases something from a creator, they’ll receive “earned credits.” You’ll then need to submit a payment request to exchange earned credits for actual cash.
Sellers need to apply to be eligible to offer subscriptions through VRChat. There are various “eligibility guidelines” to follow. For instance, your account needs to be active and in good standing, and you need a VRChat Plus subscription.
Is VRChat Free? Exploring VRChat+
Alongside the new creator economy features, which allow developers to earn money through the VRChat platform, VRChat also introduced VRChat Plus (or VRChat+). This is a new way for fans of VRChat to support the platform itself rather than any individual creator.
VRChat Plus is accessible on Steam or Meta Quest devices for $9.99 per month or $99 per year. When you subscribe, you get a few bonus “extras” from VRChat, such as:
- Custom Nameplate: With VRChat+, users can personalize their VRChat nameplate with a new icon. You can upload images directly or take a picture in VRChat. You can save up to 64 different icons so that you can swap between them whenever.
- Photo invites: VRChat+ users can send photos of their avatars to friends and colleagues when inviting them to a meeting or event. This is just a way to make invites more eye-catching and attractive.
- Favorite avatar slots: With VRChat+, users get 300 “favorite avatar” slots. This means you can create dozens of full-body avatars for other use cases. You might have one for professional meetings and another for client conversations.
- Menu drops: New parallel menu drops create various beautiful backdrop options for your VR experience. Once again, this is more of an aesthetic upgrade than anything else.
You also get a supporter badge for your profile to advertise your advocacy for VRChat. Plus, your “trust rank” on the platform will increase. This means more of your avatar features will be visible by default. VRChat also says they’re actively developing new features for subscribers.
Is VRChat Free? Yes and No
The answer to “Is VRChat free?” is yes and no. On the one hand, the core experience available from VRChat is still free, and the company has no plans to change that. They created VRChat Plus to give users a way to support the platform.
Subscriptions will help VRChat fund development and server costs and create new user experiences in the metaverse. At the same time, creator economy subscriptions should make VRChat more appealing to content producers who want to monetize their metaverse experiences.
Co-founder and CEO of VRChat, Graham Gaylor, says the team is planning on rolling out more features going forward to support every use case in the creator economy. The company wants all creators on the platform to thrive and make an income.
Additionally, VRChat’s upcoming launch on channels like Pico 4 and Android are set to introduce discovery tools and features to help creators find their community.
So technically, VRChat is still free, but now there are more ways for fans to support the platform and its creators through paid subscriptions.
FAQ
How do VRChat Plus subscriptions work?
VRChat+ subscriptions and benefits are tied to a VRChat account and a platform-specific account. If you purchase your subscription through Steam, you’ll need to connect it with your VRChat account on Meta to access the benefits on both platforms.
How do you use custom user icons on VRChat+?
Active supporters of VRChat can upload images to their account through the VRChat website. Whenever you use the platform, you can select an icon you want to use. Users can upload and manage their icons through the sidebar in the VRChat Home interface.
Can you gift VRChat Plus?
It is possible to send a VRChat Plus gift to a friend. If they already have a VRChat+ subscription, this will just extend the time they have until their subscription runs out. The length of time you can gift will vary depending on the platform you use.
How much does VRChat Plus cost?
You can pay $9.99 per month for VRChat Plus or subscribe for an entire year for $99, which gives you a 16% discount on the overall fee. You’ll need to renew your subscription to continue accessing the extra benefits.
How can you join the VRChat Creator Economy?
Users who want to sell subscriptions through the VRChat creator economy need to adhere to the “program eligibility guidelines” set by the platform. You’ll need to be at least 18, have a current subscription to VRChat Plus, and have an active account in good standing.
