Software · head to head
Horizon Worlds vs Quill
The short version
- Only Horizon Worlds has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Horizon Worlds free to download but its full multiplayer VR experience requires Meta Quest headset hardware; the iOS/mobile app is a companion rather than a substitute for the headset; Quill quill.art, run by Smoothstep LLC, discloses no pricing anywhere on its own site (confirmed by direct fetch); Quill was originally a Facebook/Meta product and was handed to its creator Inigo Quilez in 2021 when Meta open-sourced the Quill file format and stopped supporting the original Oculus Store listing, so buyers today are dealing with a small independent studio rather than a large platform vendor.
- They diverge on capability: Horizon Worlds covers World building, Quill covers VR illustration.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Horizon Worlds and Quill actually diverge.
| Attribute | Horizon Worlds | Quill |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $24.99/one-time |
| Pricing model | free | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2004 | 2021 |
Identical on both: platforms (Vr, Quest), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Horizon Worlds
- World building
- Social spaces
- Games
- Events
- Meta accounts
- Quest integration
- Creator tools
Only in Quill
- VR illustration
- Animation timeline
- Layers
- Brushes
- FBX export
- Video export
- Alembic
Both cover
- Vr support
- Quest support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Horizon Worlds
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Quill
- VR Gaming
- AR Marketing
- Virtual Training
- 3D Visualization
- Immersive Experiences
Both are used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization, immersive experiences, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Horizon Worlds
- Free to download but its full multiplayer VR experience requires Meta Quest headset hardware; the iOS/mobile app is a companion rather than a substitute for the headset
- Mobile app requires iOS 15.1 or later, per the App Store listing
Quill
- quill.art, run by Smoothstep LLC, discloses no pricing anywhere on its own site (confirmed by direct fetch); Quill was originally a Facebook/Meta product and was handed to its creator Inigo Quilez in 2021 when Meta open-sourced the Quill file format and stopped supporting the original Oculus Store listing, so buyers today are dealing with a small independent studio rather than a large platform vendor.
Pricing, plan by plan
Horizon Worlds
Free- FreeFree
- World creation
- Social features
- Events
Quill
$24.99/one-time- Quill$24.99/one-time
- VR illustration
- Animation
- Export
Which should you pick?
Choose Horizon Worlds if
- You need world building.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Vr, Quest.
- You also want social spaces.
Choose Quill if
- You need vr illustration.
- You work on Vr, Quest.
- You also want animation timeline.
Questions people ask
- Is Horizon Worlds or Quill better?
- Neither clearly leads. Horizon Worlds starts at Free and Quill at $24.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Horizon Worlds or Quill?
- Horizon Worlds has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Horizon Worlds and $24.99/one-time for Quill.
- Does Horizon Worlds or Quill run on more platforms?
- Both run on Vr, Quest, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Horizon Worlds for free?
- Yes. Horizon Worlds has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Quill starts at $24.99/one-time.
- What is Horizon Worlds best used for?
- Horizon Worlds is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization.
- What can Horizon Worlds do that Quill cannot?
- Horizon Worlds covers World building, Social spaces, Games, Events. Quill covers VR illustration, Animation timeline, Layers, Brushes. Both handle Vr support, Quest support.
Related pages
More on Horizon Worlds
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