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Unreal Engine VR vs Unity

Unreal Engine VR logo

Unreal Engine VR

Software

AAA-quality VR development with Unreal Engine

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unity logo

Unity

Software

Create beautiful interactive content with the world's leading real-time engine

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Unreal Engine VR steep system requirements with demanding GPU and CPU for rendering high-quality VR experiences; Unity unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
  • They diverge on capability: Unreal Engine VR covers Photorealistic rendering, Unity covers Visual editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Unreal Engine VR and Unity actually diverge.

Attributes where Unreal Engine VR and Unity differ
AttributeUnreal Engine VRUnity
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl
Founded19952004

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Unreal Engine VR

  • Photorealistic rendering
  • Physics simulation
  • Blueprint scripting
  • Motion controllers
  • SteamVR
  • Oculus
  • OpenXR
  • PSVR

Only in Unity

  • Visual editor
  • Physics engine (PhysX)
  • Animation system
  • Particle system
  • Built-in audio engine
  • Scripting with C#
  • Asset Store
  • Version control integration

What people use each for

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

Unreal Engine VR

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

Unity

  • Building 2D and 3D games for desktop, mobile, web, AR and VRnot Unreal Engine VR
  • Shipping console titles under a Pro or Enterprise licencenot Unreal Engine VR
  • Real time 3D for manufacturing, automotive and retail visualisationnot Unreal Engine VR
  • Live operations and in-app purchase management for mobile gamesnot Unreal Engine VR

Where each one falls short

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

Unreal Engine VR

  • Steep system requirements with demanding GPU and CPU for rendering high-quality VR experiences
  • Only free with 5% royalty after $1 million in revenue, which may impact indie developers at scale

Unity

  • Unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
  • Unity Pro costs $210.00 per month or $2,310.00 per year per seat
  • Businesses with more than $25M in annual revenue are required to be on Unity Enterprise, which is custom priced and requires contacting sales
  • Deploying to game consoles and to Apple Vision Pro requires Unity Pro or above
  • Splash screen customization is not available on Unity Personal
  • Unity Personal is licensed for gaming and entertainment applications only
  • Read-only engine source code access is an Enterprise feature and carries an additional cost
  • Asset Manager storage on Personal is capped at 10 GB per organization
  • Unity AI tools are free for a 14 day trial on Personal, after which a paid subscription is required
  • Enterprise terms note that minimum subscription or spending commitments may apply

Pricing, plan by plan

Unreal Engine VR

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Unreal Engine VR review.

Unity

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Full engine access
    • Asset Store access
    • Community support
  • Professional$399/month
    • All Personal features
    • Priority support
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Unreal Engine VR if

  • You need photorealistic rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want physics simulation.
Unreal Engine VR review

Choose Unity if

  • You need visual editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
  • You also want physics engine (physx).
Unity review

Questions people ask

Is Unreal Engine VR or Unity better?
Neither clearly leads. Unreal Engine VR starts at Free and Unity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Unreal Engine VR or Unity?
Unreal Engine VR starts at Free and Unity at Free.
Does Unreal Engine VR or Unity run on more platforms?
Unreal Engine VR runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Unity runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
Can I use Unreal Engine VR for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Unreal Engine VR best used for?
Unreal Engine VR is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Unity is typically brought in for.
What can Unreal Engine VR do that Unity cannot?
Unreal Engine VR covers Photorealistic rendering, Physics simulation, Blueprint scripting, Motion controllers. Unity covers Visual editor, Physics engine (PhysX), Animation system, Particle system.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unreal Engine VR: Does Unreal Engine support VR and AR development?

Yes. Unreal Engine provides the highest-quality solution for creating augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) experiences, supporting development for VR, AR, gaming consoles, PCs, and mobile devices.

Source
Unreal Engine VR: Is Unreal Engine 5 free to use?

Unreal Engine 5 is free for most uses with no upfront cost. If a project earns over $1 million, a 5% royalty applies to future sales.

Source
Unreal Engine VR: What platforms does Unreal Engine support for VR development?

Unreal Engine supports macOS and Linux development with some limitations, though Windows 10 (64-bit) is the primary development platform. It supports VR development targeting various VR headsets.

Source
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