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AR/VR & Metaverse · head to head

Unity AR Foundation vs Virtual Desktop

Unity AR Foundation logo

Unity AR Foundation

AR/VR & Metaverse

Unified AR development framework for Unity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Virtual Desktop logo

Virtual Desktop

AR/VR & Metaverse

Stream your PC to VR wirelessly

From
$19.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Unity AR Foundation has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Unity AR Foundation requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features; Virtual Desktop requires 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection for optimal performance
  • They diverge on capability: Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection, Virtual Desktop covers Wireless PC VR.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Unity AR Foundation and Virtual Desktop actually diverge.

Attributes where Unity AR Foundation and Virtual Desktop differ
AttributeUnity AR FoundationVirtual Desktop
Starting priceFree$19.99/one-time
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity EditorMeta Quest, Pico, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, Samsung Galaxy XR
Founded20042016

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (AR/VR & Metaverse).

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 Unity AR Foundation

  • Plane detection
  • Image tracking
  • Face tracking
  • Point clouds
  • ARKit
  • ARCore
  • OpenXR
  • Magic Leap

Only in Virtual Desktop

  • Wireless PC VR
  • Desktop streaming
  • Virtual environments
  • Low latency
  • SteamVR
  • Oculus PC
  • Windows desktop
  • Vr support

What people use each for

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

Unity AR Foundation

  • VR Gamingnot Virtual Desktop
  • AR Marketingnot Virtual Desktop
  • Virtual Trainingnot Virtual Desktop
  • 3D Visualizationnot Virtual Desktop
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Virtual Desktop

Virtual Desktop

  • Streaming PC desktop to VR headsetsnot Unity AR Foundation
  • Playing games in virtual cinema environmentnot Unity AR Foundation
  • Watching movies on giant virtual screensnot Unity AR Foundation
  • Browsing web content in VRnot Unity AR Foundation

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Unity AR Foundation

  • Requires platform-specific plugins (ARCore, ARKit) to actually implement AR features
  • Performance varies significantly by device, with battery drain and heat generation on mobile
  • Emulators cannot accurately test AR experiences due to missing camera and sensor data
  • No WebXR support for browser-based AR experiences
  • Occlusion features show lower performance at 25-40 FPS compared to other features at 40-60 FPS
  • Limited access to latest platform-specific features compared to native ARKit or ARCore

Virtual Desktop

  • Requires 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection for optimal performance
  • VR-ready GPU needed for high-quality game streaming

Pricing, plan by plan

Unity AR Foundation

Free
  • Included with Unity PersonalFree
    • Free for individuals and small teams with under $200K revenue/funding
    • AR Foundation package included
    • Access to all core AR features
  • Included with Unity Pro$185/month
    • Professional tier licensing
    • AR Foundation package included
    • All core AR features plus Pro-level support

Virtual Desktop

$19.99/one-time
  • Virtual Desktop$19.99/one-time
    • PC streaming
    • VR gaming
    • Virtual screens

Which should you pick?

Choose Unity AR Foundation if

  • You need plane detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor.
  • You also want image tracking.
Unity AR Foundation review

Choose Virtual Desktop if

  • You need wireless pc vr.
  • You work on Meta Quest, Pico, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, Samsung Galaxy XR.
  • You also want desktop streaming.
Virtual Desktop review

Questions people ask

Is Unity AR Foundation or Virtual Desktop better?
Neither clearly leads. Unity AR Foundation starts at Free and Virtual Desktop at $19.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Unity AR Foundation or Virtual Desktop?
Unity AR Foundation has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Unity AR Foundation and $19.99/one-time for Virtual Desktop.
Does Unity AR Foundation or Virtual Desktop run on more platforms?
Unity AR Foundation runs on iOS, Android, visionOS, HoloLens 2, Meta Quest, Unity Editor. Virtual Desktop runs on Meta Quest, Pico, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, Samsung Galaxy XR.
Can I use Unity AR Foundation for free?
Yes. Unity AR Foundation has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Virtual Desktop starts at $19.99/one-time.
What is Unity AR Foundation best used for?
Unity AR Foundation is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Virtual Desktop is typically brought in for.
What can Unity AR Foundation do that Virtual Desktop cannot?
Unity AR Foundation covers Plane detection, Image tracking, Face tracking, Point clouds. Virtual Desktop covers Wireless PC VR, Desktop streaming, Virtual environments, Low latency.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unity AR Foundation: Is Unity AR Foundation free?

Yes, AR Foundation is free and included with Unity. It is a package within the Unity engine, though you need a Unity license (available free for personal use with under $200K revenue).

Source
Unity AR Foundation: What platforms does AR Foundation support?

AR Foundation supports iOS (via ARKit), Android (via ARCore), visionOS, HoloLens 2 (via OpenXR), and Meta Quest (via OpenXR). Testing in the Unity Editor is available through XR Simulation.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Do I need additional plugins to use AR Foundation?

Yes. AR Foundation is an abstraction layer and requires platform-specific plugins: ARCore XR Plugin for Android and ARKit XR Plugin for iOS. These plugins implement actual AR features using native SDKs.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Can I test AR experiences in the Unity Editor?

AR Foundation supports XR Simulation in the Editor for early testing, but accurate AR testing requires real devices because emulators cannot replicate camera and sensor data accurately.

Source
Unity AR Foundation: Does AR Foundation support web-based AR?

No, AR Foundation does not support WebXR. Unity has stated there are no current plans to add WebXR support to AR Foundation. Web AR requires alternative solutions like 8th Wall.

Source
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