Top 7 Free Open Source VR Creation Tools 2024

Looking to create VR content without breaking the bank? Here are 7 free, open-source tools to get you started:

A-Frame: Web-based VR framework
UltimateXR: Unity-based VR development toolkit
VR Builder: No-code VR creation for Unity
OpenXR SDK: Cross-platform VR/AR development API
Jahshaka: 3D modeling and VR scene builder
Open Brush: VR painting and 3D art tool
Qualisys: Motion capture for Unity (not open-source)

Quick comparison:

Tool	Best For	Ease of Use	Key Feature
A-Frame	Web developers	Easy	WebVR creation
UltimakeXR	Unity devs	Moderate	Cross-device support
VR Builder	Non-coders	Easy	Visual workflow
OpenXR SDK	Advanced devs	Moderate	Hardware compatibility
Jahshaka	3D artists	Moderate	Asset management
Open Brush	VR artists	Easy	3D painting
Qualisys	Animators	Moderate	Motion capture

These tools let you create VR experiences for multiple devices without expensive software. Pick based on your skills and project needs.

1. A-Frame

A-Frame is a free, open-source web framework for building VR experiences. It's perfect for web developers, designers, and even beginners who want to dive into VR creation.

What A-Frame can do

With A-Frame, you can create:

360° images and videos
3D environments
WebVR experiences
Hand tracking features

It uses HTML-like syntax, so web developers feel right at home. Here's a simple 3D scene in just a few lines:

<a-scene>
  <a-box color="grey" depth="2" height="2" width="2" position="0 2 -4" rotation="45 45 45"></a-box>
  <a-sky color="green"></a-sky>
</a-scene>

This code gives you a gray cube and a green sky. Easy, right?

Devices that work with A-Frame

A-Frame plays nice with:

VR headsets (Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality)
Mobile VR (Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream)
Desktop browsers
Mobile phones and tablets

So, your A-Frame project can reach pretty much anyone, anywhere.

How easy is it to use?

A-Frame is built to be user-friendly:

It uses familiar HTML
There's detailed documentation and a free course
You can get help on Slack, GitHub, or Stack Overflow
It has a built-in inspector for real-time tweaks

"A-Frame is super easy to build in. It makes use of declarative HTML." - Mel, eLearning Industry

Real-world A-Frame projects

Big names have used A-Frame to create some cool stuff:

Supermedium's "Moon Rider": A VR music game in space
CERN's "CMS / LHC Tour": A 360° tour of the Large Hadron Collider
NASA and Google's "Access Mars": Explore Mars using Curiosity rover data
Mozilla's "Hubs": A VR chat platform

These projects show how versatile A-Frame can be, from games to educational tours and social platforms.

2. UltimateXR

UltimateXR is a free, open-source Unity framework for VR app development. It's packed with tools to build immersive experiences.

Key Features

UltimateXR offers:

Cross-device support
Grab and manipulation tools
Avatar customization
Advanced UI elements
Various locomotion options

It's compatible with all Unity 3D rendering pipelines, including Universal and High-Definition.

Supported VR Devices

UltimateXR works with major VR headsets and SDKs:

Meta Quest
Pico XR
SteamVR
WaveXR
Windows Mixed Reality

This broad support makes it ideal for developers targeting multiple VR platforms.

User-Friendly and Community-Driven

UltimateXR prioritizes ease of use:

Comprehensive documentation
Full example scene for quick starts
Active community contributions

Enrique Tromp, VRMADA's Co-Founder and CTO, explains:

"We released it for free and open-source because we are passionate about our work and love the idea of sharing it with the world."

This open approach fuels ongoing toolkit improvements.

Industry Applications

UltimateXR serves various sectors:

Training: Immersive corporate scenarios
Collaboration: Virtual meeting spaces
Gaming: Interactive VR experiences

Its flexibility suits both indie developers and large companies entering VR development.

3. VR Builder

VR Builder is a free Unity plug-in that makes VR development a breeze. It's open-source and works for both coders and designers.

What VR Builder can do

VR Builder's got some cool tricks up its sleeve:

Drag-and-drop workflow creation
Visual tools for VR interactions
Built-in text-to-speech
Easy teleportation setup
Library of common VR actions

These features help you spend less time coding and more time creating awesome VR experiences.

How easy it is to use

VR Builder is all about keeping things simple. Its visual interface means you don't need to be a coding wizard to create VR workflows. It's perfect for teams with mixed skill levels.

If you're already using Unity, VR Builder fits right in. It works with Unity 2021.3 and up, so you're good to go with recent versions.

VR systems that work with VR Builder

VR Builder plays nice with lots of VR platforms:

VR System	Works?
Meta Quest	Yep
HTC Vive	Yep
HP Reverb	Yep
Valve Index	Yep
Pico	Yep
SteamVR	Built-in

This means you can create for multiple VR platforms without switching tools.

How different industries use VR Builder

VR Builder's flexibility makes it useful in all sorts of fields:

1. Construction

A big construction company used VR Builder to make safety training more engaging. They created VR simulations for risky situations like working at heights and dealing with faulty machinery. The result? A 40% drop in workplace accidents in just one year.

2. Education

The Info Box feature in VR Builder's UI Add-On is a hit in educational VR. It provides info boxes that guide users through complex topics, making learning in VR more interactive and fun.

3. Product Development

Companies are using VR Builder to create product demos. It's great for quickly prototyping VR experiences, helping product teams visualize and test designs before production.

4. Corporate Training

The Multiple Choice Box feature is spicing up corporate training. It allows for immersive VR quizzes and exams, adding a new dimension to learning programs.

VR Builder's open-source nature and active community mean it's always improving. If you're into VR development, it's definitely worth checking out.

4. OpenXR SDK

OpenXR SDK is a free, open-source tool for creating VR and AR apps that work across devices. Think of it as a universal translator for XR hardware and software.

What OpenXR can do

OpenXR simplifies XR development:

Build once, run everywhere
Works with many VR and AR devices
Ensures smooth experiences across platforms
Reduces the need to learn multiple APIs

Devices that work with OpenXR

OpenXR supports various XR devices:

Company	Devices
Varjo	XR-3, VR-3, Aero, XR-4
Magic Leap	Magic Leap 2.0
Sony	ELF-SR1, ELF-SR2
Meta	Quest Pro, Quest 3, Quest 2
HTC	VIVE Streaming, XR Elite, Focus 3
Canon	MREAL Display series

How to use OpenXR in development

Getting started with OpenXR:

1. Set up your environment

Use a Windows or Linux PC, install Visual Studio 2017+ (Windows) or Android Studio, and have XR hardware ready.

2. Include OpenXR in your project

Add the OpenXR loader or use the official NuGet package.

3. Configure your project

Select OpenXR as the XR plugin and add interaction profiles for your target controllers.

4. Start developing

Use OpenXR's API functions (they start with xr) and check out openxr-tutorial.com for practice.

Community involvement with OpenXR

The OpenXR community helps improve the standard through:

Open-source contributions on GitHub
Conformance testing
Feedback and feature requests

"The OpenXR specification is a crucial part of the Mixed Reality ecosystem. Where previously application developers had to develop for each XR headset separately using proprietary APIs, they now have the freedom to develop for many different devices at once." - Ron Bessems, OpenXR Working Group Chair and Distinguished Software Engineer at Magic Leap

OpenXR is reshaping XR app development. If you're serious about VR and AR, it's worth exploring.

5. Jahshaka

Jahshaka is a free, open-source toolkit for creating VR content. It's built to help you make, share, and profit from virtual assets, scenes, and worlds.

What Jahshaka can do

Jahshaka packs a punch with its VR creation tools:

Real-time VR scene building
3D modeling and animation
Visual effects with particle systems
Asset management
Custom shader support
Physics engine integration

Plus, it comes with Jahshaka Player for VR playback and Jahshaka Worlds for hosting interactive virtual spaces.

Devices that work with Jahshaka

Jahshaka plays nice with:

Device/Platform	Works?
Oculus Rift	Yep
Desktop PCs	Yep
Laptops	Yep
Mobile devices	Yep
4K displays	You bet

How easy it is to use and learn

Jahshaka tries to be friendly for newbies and pros alike. It offers:

Visual scene creation
Built-in tutorials and docs
Community forums for help
Regular updates

The current version (2.0 / VR 0.8.1 Beta) is still a work in progress, aiming to make things even easier.

Examples of Jahshaka projects

While specific examples are scarce, Jahshaka has been put to work in:

Architectural visualization
Game development
Educational simulations
Virtual art galleries

Its open-source nature (GPLv3 license) means you can use and tweak it for all sorts of VR projects.

6. Open Brush

Open Brush is a free VR 3D painting tool that grew out of Google's Tilt Brush. It's for everyone from hobbyists to pro artists.

What Open Brush can do

Open Brush is packed with cool features:

Paint in 3D virtual spaces
Use funky brushes (sparkles, fire, bubbles)
Advanced mode with shape guides and layers
Fly around your art easily
Merge sketches
See the real world while you paint
Snip and join your strokes
Import point clouds and WebM videos

VR systems that work with Open Brush

Platform	Works?
Windows	Yes
Linux	Yes
macOS	Yes
Meta Quest	Yes
HTC Vive	Yes
Oculus Rift	Yes
Windows Mixed Reality	Yes

How to use it

Open Brush is pretty simple:

Hold the trigger to paint
Use your other hand for menus
Tap controllers to switch hands
Hold buttons for undo/redo
Grip both controllers to scale/rotate

There's a user guide for the basics, and the community offers support and updates.

What people make with it

Open Brush is used for:

Virtual art galleries
3D concept art
VR storytelling

One user said: "A 13-year-old made their first artwork in Open Brush in just five minutes."

Plus, it's free for commercial use. That's why all kinds of VR artists love it.

7. Qualisys

Qualisys is a top-notch motion capture tool for Unity projects. It's not open-source, but it's a game-changer for VR development.

What Qualisys Can Do

Qualisys packs a punch with its Unity motion capture features:

Streams mocap data in real-time (super fast!)
Maps Unity's Mecanim bones to QTM segments automatically
Drives characters, rigid bodies, or any Unity object
Solves skeletons in real-time for one or more actors
Handles complex movements like crouching or wrestling

Qualisys-Compatible Systems

Platform	Works?
Unity	Yep
Windows	Yep
Mac	Yep
Linux	Yep

Using Qualisys with Unity

It's a breeze to set up:

Add the skeleton script to your Unity project
Set the QTM skeleton's actor name
Hit play

For rigid body tracking, just:

Add a script to the GameObject
Set the QTM rigid body name

Qualisys in Different Industries

Qualisys isn't just for VR. It's used in:

Gaming: Bringing characters to life
Film: Creating CGI characters
Sports: Analyzing athlete performance
Medical: Studying gait and aiding rehab

While not open-source, Qualisys is a go-to for devs who want top-notch mocap in their VR projects.

Comparing the tools

Let's break down how these 7 open source VR creation tools stack up. We'll look at what they offer, how easy they are to use, and the support you can expect.

Tool comparison table

Tool	Ease of Use	Key Features	Community Support	Instructions
A-Frame	High	WebVR, HTML integration, multi-device	Active	Comprehensive docs
UltimateXR	Moderate	Unity integration, multi-platform	Growing	Tutorials available
VR Builder	High	User-friendly, cross-platform	Supportive forums	Step-by-step guides
OpenXR SDK	Moderate	Unified VR hardware API, cross-platform	Strong industry backing	Detailed API docs
Jahshaka	Moderate	Asset management, immersive tools	Active development	User manuals
Open Brush	High	VR painting, brush options	Community-driven	Easy tutorials
Qualisys	Moderate	Motion capture for Unity	Industry-focused	Technical docs

A-Frame is your go-to for quick WebVR projects. It's perfect if you're a web dev looking to dip your toes in VR.

UltimateXR and VR Builder are all about Unity. VR Builder is a bit easier to use, so pick based on your Unity skills.

OpenXR SDK is for the tech-savvy devs who want their apps to work across VR platforms. It's powerful, but you'll need some coding chops.

Jahshaka is your Swiss Army knife for immersive content, while Open Brush is all about VR painting.

Qualisys isn't open-source, but it's great for Unity projects that need precise motion tracking.

When picking a tool, think about:

What does your project need?
How tech-savvy are you?
How much help will you need?

For example, if you're new to VR and want to create web stuff, A-Frame's your best bet. But if you're a Unity pro needing VR features, UltimateXR or VR Builder might be better.

Keep in mind, VR tech is always changing. Stay updated on these tools as you work on your projects.

Wrap-up

Open source VR tools are game-changers. They're flexible and cost-effective, but choosing the right one can be tricky.

When picking an open source VR tool, consider:

Project needs
Team skills
Device compatibility
Community support

The VR world moves fast, so stay updated.

Some quick tips:

Start with Google Cardboard for low-cost testing
Use Blender for free, non-commercial projects
Try SimLab VR's 21-day free trial for no-code VR

Open source tools are driving VR's future. More developers mean more innovation.

Keep an eye on:

Open source expertise demand in cloud and DevOps
Open source security focus
Containers and Kubernetes usage

The VR landscape is evolving. Open source tools are at the forefront, shaping how we create and experience virtual worlds.