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Mozilla Hubs vs Niantic Lightship

Mozilla Hubs logo

Mozilla Hubs

Software

Open-source social VR platform for the web

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Niantic Lightship logo

Niantic Lightship

Software

Build real-world AR experiences at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mozilla Hubs the Internet Archive's capture of Mozilla Hubs' homepage on 31 December 2022 priced the Early Access Hub at $20 USD/month for unlimited spaces, 25 online guest capacity, and 2GB asset storage; the product's own support URL now redirects to a page titled 'end-support-mozilla-hubs', indicating the service has since been discontinued.; Niantic Lightship platform migration in 2026 requires developers to move projects to new infrastructure
  • They diverge on capability: Mozilla Hubs covers Browser-based VR, Niantic Lightship covers Visual Positioning System.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mozilla Hubs and Niantic Lightship actually diverge.

Attributes where Mozilla Hubs and Niantic Lightship differ
AttributeMozilla HubsNiantic Lightship
PlatformsWebvr, Web, Vr, MobileiOS, Android, Unity
Founded19982010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 Mozilla Hubs

  • Browser-based VR
  • Room creation
  • Avatar system
  • Spatial audio
  • Spoke editor
  • Custom assets
  • Webhooks
  • Webvr support

Only in Niantic Lightship

  • Visual Positioning System
  • Semantic segmentation
  • Meshing
  • Multiplayer
  • Unity
  • 8th Wall
  • Niantic games
  • Ar support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Mozilla Hubs

  • VR Gaming
  • AR Marketing
  • Virtual Training
  • 3D Visualization
  • Immersive Experiences

Niantic Lightship

  • 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.

Mozilla Hubs

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Mozilla Hubs' homepage on 31 December 2022 priced the Early Access Hub at $20 USD/month for unlimited spaces, 25 online guest capacity, and 2GB asset storage; the product's own support URL now redirects to a page titled 'end-support-mozilla-hubs', indicating the service has since been discontinued.

Niantic Lightship

  • Platform migration in 2026 requires developers to move projects to new infrastructure
  • VPS (Visual Positioning) requires online connectivity unlike ARKit/ARCore
  • Smaller developer community compared to Apple ARKit and Google ARCore
  • Location-based features limit use cases compared to device-only AR systems
  • Less mature ecosystem of third-party tools and assets compared to Unity AR Foundation

Pricing, plan by plan

Mozilla Hubs

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Public rooms
    • Avatar customization
    • Screen sharing

Niantic Lightship

Free
  • FreeFree
    • ARDK access
    • VPS
    • Semantic segmentation

Which should you pick?

Choose Mozilla Hubs if

  • You need browser-based vr.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Webvr, Web, Vr, Mobile.
  • You also want room creation.
Mozilla Hubs review

Choose Niantic Lightship if

  • You need visual positioning system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Unity.
  • You also want semantic segmentation.
Niantic Lightship review

Questions people ask

Is Mozilla Hubs or Niantic Lightship better?
Neither clearly leads. Mozilla Hubs starts at Free and Niantic Lightship at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mozilla Hubs or Niantic Lightship?
Mozilla Hubs starts at Free and Niantic Lightship at Free.
Does Mozilla Hubs or Niantic Lightship run on more platforms?
Mozilla Hubs runs on Webvr, Web, Vr, Mobile. Niantic Lightship runs on iOS, Android, Unity.
Can I use Mozilla Hubs for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mozilla Hubs best used for?
Mozilla Hubs is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization.
What can Mozilla Hubs do that Niantic Lightship cannot?
Mozilla Hubs covers Browser-based VR, Room creation, Avatar system, Spatial audio. Niantic Lightship covers Visual Positioning System, Semantic segmentation, Meshing, Multiplayer.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Niantic Lightship: What does Niantic Lightship provide for AR developers?

Niantic Lightship includes tools for visual positioning (VPS) for real-world location-based AR, depth sensing, occlusion, mesh generation, semantic segmentation, and shared multiplayer AR experiences across Unity, Swift, and Kotlin.

Source
Niantic Lightship: What is the Niantic Spatial Platform transition in 2026?

Lightship.dev is being decommissioned as of February 27, 2026. Projects must migrate to scaniverse.nianticspatial.com starting February 20, 2026.

Source
Niantic Lightship: Does Niantic provide maps for developers?

Yes. Lightship Maps for Unity allows developers to utilize the same base maps that Niantic uses for its own games like Pokemon Go, enabling real-world mapping integration.

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