Top 30 enterprise-friendly VR spaces

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For the past few years, virtual reality meetings, events, and classrooms haven’t taken off the way that proponents expected, due to inconvenience, usability issues, bandwidth requirements, the need for high-end computers, and expensive headsets, new software, and more. Nothing works right — it’s easier to have a phone call or video conference.

But over the past couple of months some virtual reality meetup, event and training spaces have reported huge earnings from sale of virtual land during coronavirus pandemic, and Second Life, once thought to be the fore-runner of the virtual metaverse, has run out of land due to high demand. Industry analysts are quickly revising their projections for the adoption of the technology in the wake of the epidemic.

There’s a chance that the coronavirus pandemic and related lockdowns may encourage more people and organizations to give immersive platforms a try. So far, none have seen the kind of explosive growth that Zoom has seen in video conferencing, but as the pandemic drags on, that might change.

The following thirty vendors are among those who might be potential candidates for a break-through this year as a result.

These platforms offer virtual meeting space for classes or work meetings, with different levels of support for virtual reality headsets. Some also offer additional features like whiteboards and imports of three-dimensional objects.

1. 8agora

With 8agora, companies, groups, and individuals can host events virtually. (Image courtesy 8Agora.)

8agora provides creative teams, individuals, and groups with customizable virtual reality avatars that they can use to attend meetings and events, three-dimension high definition graphics, instant chat, simultaneous translation from any language, and many other business-oriented tools.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

2. Acadicus

Acadicus is a tool for medical simulations and for training, and works both with or without a virtual reality headset.

It allows users to upload their own three-dimensional environments, edit it with scene-editing tools, then the user can invite people to explore the uploaded scenes together, and record the meetings or classes.

Pricing: $10,000 per year for a subscription of the Acadius Pro space with no limit to the number of users and avatars.

3. AltspaceVR

With AltSpace, companies, groups, and individuals can host virtual events where participants can use avatars to attend. (Image courtesy AltspaceVR.)

AltspaceVR allows people to host and attend live shows, meetups, and classes from anywhere around the world in virtual reality although not the most suitable tool for business and virtual reality collaboration.

The Microsoft-owned company is now compatible with Vive, Oculus headsets, and Gear VR, and users can also access it without a VR headset via a desktop app.

Pricing: AltspaceVR is free to use.

4. Arthur

Arthur provides a virtual development space for programmers to help them collaborate, visualize software architectures and find solutions to problems through collaboration and brainstorming.

Tools available include meeting rooms, whiteboards, mock-ups, and three-dimensional virtualization tools. It also allows the import of PDF documents and PowerPoint presentations. Arthur can also integrate with other project management tools.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

5. Avatour

Avatour remote presence tools allow employees to work virtually, for instance during the coronavirus outbreak. (Image courtesy Avatour.)

Avatour is a tool that lets people visit real places in real-time for experiences such as site visits, inspections, and site-specific training. The app works with a smartphone or tablet and can be used in combination with a low-cost 360 camera like the Ricoh Theta V or Insta 360 One X for telepresence.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

6. CAD Explorer

CardExplorer allows companies and experts to complete maintenance practice remotely in real-time. (Image courtesy Card Explorer. )

CAD Explorer allows you to upload different 3D file types for use with a mixed reality headset. You can place objects in any space by freely controlling them with gestures, including rotating, scaling, and splitting them to cross-sections for viewing to better understand them, alone or in collaboration with others.

Pricing: This platform is currently free of charge.

7. Connec2

Connec2  provides whiteboards, markers, and any other tools that allow you to do interactive presentations and your users can also make comments as you discuss projects together. Users are able to share content such as documents or 3D objects in a variety of formats. The tool works with virtual reality and augmented reality glasses as well as on smartphones and tablets. There is also a software development kit to build interactions.

The platform can be deployed on-premises, or via cloud.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

8. Dream

Dream is an app for the Oculus and Vive headsets that allows users to use Zoom and Skype, live stream on Twitch, share presentations, or watch 3D and VR videos together in virtual reality.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

9. Engage VR

Engage recently hosted this year’s Vive Ecosystem Conference with the full event taking place in there.

The virtual reality training and educational platform allows users to meet, collaborate, create, and share, and also to earn money by monetizing and selling virtual creations.

An Engage room can host up to 50 simultaneous users. Companies can also use the tool to let customers do walkthroughs of products and experience products to make decisions such as whether or not to buy the items showcased. Another aspect of the tool is to allow the creation of custom experiences and adjusting of the virtual environment using a library of virtual objects and virtual locations — it comes with 1,200 3D objects by default, and also allows users to build and customize new objects and features.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

10. Glue

With a feeling of presence: Using virtual avatars, employees can use Glue to meet, learn, share, plan, and create. (Image courtesy Glue.)

Glue is used training and teaching, particularly by healthcare institutions. It can be deployed in the public cloud or on a company’s own infrastructure.

Pricing: License packages pricing depends on the number of users. The team package for one to 10 users cost €500 per month while an organization’s package costs €150 per month for 11 to 100 users or €40 per user per month. The enterprise package costs €150 per month for 100 users and up, or €40 per user per month.

11. Immersed

Immersed allows teams of up to seven people to share multiple screens with each other. You can spawn up to five virtual screens from your computer whether in private mode alone or when sharing them with a team.

It works on the desktop allowing you to turn your desktop into a virtual reality device. It also supports the Oculus Go, and Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets. It is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux computers as well as mobile devices.

Pricing: The basic package is free forever for casual users. The elite package goes for $14.99 per month for regular users, with a 14-day free trial. The teams package costs $29.99 per user per month for advanced users.

12. InsiteVR

InsiteVR allows multiple users to play in the same virtual space. (Image courtesy InsiteVR.)

InsiteVR virtual reality environments allow users to import from a variety of 3D design platforms, including BIM 360, Navisworks, Revit, or Sketchup. Virtual meetings can be shared via web links.

The platform includes speech-to-text transcription and automatically generates meeting reports with the annotations ans screenshots.

It supports desktop access as well as virtual reality devices like Vive, Oculus Quest, and Oculus Go.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

13. IrisVR

The Prospect v2.10 in IrisVR allows project sharing and no-headset mode. (Image courtesy IrisVR.)

IrisVR allows you to upload 3D files from Revit, NavisWorks, Rhino, and FBX or other design tools and supports Windows, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets.

Pricing: Workstation package goes for $350 per month for teams using a shared virtual reality headset. The individual package costs $225 per month for individuals with access to their own personal headset. You can try the tool for free for 14 days.

14. Meetingroom.io

Workers using avatars to collaborate in virtual reality in MeetingRoom. (Image courtesy MeetingRoom.)

Meetingroom.io is a virtual reality business collaboration platform that works on Android, iOS, Apple, Windows, Vive and Focus, Rift and Go, Windows Mixed Reality and other devices, both with and without a VR headset.

Pricing: The basic user package is free for eight people per room or team. The standard package costs €99 per month and €990 annually plus €49 per month for additional rooms with up to five additional rooms available.

15. MeetinVR

MeetinVR allows users to cast information on screens and then share them. (Image courtesy MeetinVR.)

MeetinVR is a virtual reality business meeting platform for brainstorming, sketching, mind-mapping, prototyping and team-building. It supports videos, audio files, presentations, and 3D object uploads. Users can move objects, or sketch on them and interact with them in other ways.

Pricing: MeetinVR is €35 per user per month for five to 20 users, €30 per user per month for 20 to 50 users, and €25 per user per month for more than 50 users.

16. OssoVR

Students of Medical Sales College, San Diego undergo hands-on virtual reality surgical training using OssoVR equipment. (Image courtesy Medical Sales College.)

OssoVR is a virtual reality surgical training and assessment platform meant for surgeons, hospital staff, and sales teams to practice and demonstrate procedures, and allows students to watch.

There’s built-in physical — haptic — feedback in the controllers for a more immersive experience.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

17. Oxford Medical Simulation

Oxford Medical Simulation Distance program is offering free medical training to nurses and doctors during coronavirus outbreak. 17,000 nurses and doctors now trained. (Image courtesy Oxford Medical Simulation.)

Oxford Medical Simulation uses virtual reality to simulate medical care and patient care.

VR simulation with Oxford Medical Simulation tools allows students to practice medical emergencies as often as they need. (Image courtesy University of Oxford.)

The company works with NHS Foundation Trust, Patient Safety Movement, University of Oxford and Imperial College London, among many others. The University of Oxford, for instance, uses the technology to train their medical students. It works with Oculus headsets.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

18. REC Room

A room in Rec Room. Rec Room works with desktop personal computers, Oculus, Mac, and iOS devices. (Image courtesy Rec Room.).

REC Room is primarily designed for people to get together virtually to create and and play games, but can be also used for business meetings, collaboration and networking. It works with PlayStation VR, SteamVR, iOS, and Oculus.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

19. Rumii

Rumii is a virtual reality meeting platform that works on desktop personal computers, both Windows and Mac, as well as Android devices and the Oculus Go headset.

Pricing: Free for up to five people, and premium packages starts at $14.99 per user per month.

20. Sinespace

Sinespace live demo of Breakroom: Sinespace allows users to create content and use it collaboratively or to sell it. (Image courtesy Sinespace.).

Sinespace is a virtual platform that allows users to create and share environments, customize avatars, and even build interactive functionality. However, the advanced tools require knowledge of the Unity development and design platform.

Pricing: The basic package is free, and pemium packages run from $999 to $1,439 per month. See more details on premium pricing here.

21. Sketchbox

Sketchbox allows users to collaborate virtually in design work, in virtual reality. (Image courtesy Sketchbox.)

Sketchbox allows users to import 3D objects for collaboration, design review, brainstorming and virtual reality storyboarding.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

22. Softspace

Softspace is an virtual reality platform that allows users to share and organize videos, web references, and other 2D and 3D content, and supports sketching and annotation tools. SoftSpace works with Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, SteamVR, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. It also allows access by users without VR headsets via desktop apps for Windows and Apple computers.

Pricing: Currently free while in beta.

23. Somnium Space

Somnium Space is an open source virtual reality platform for meetups, business, educational and social activity in a single shared virtual world where users can create and sell digital content.

Pricing: Free to use, but land and content can be purchased in-world.

24. Spatial

Spatial allows individuals and teams to share augmented reality spaces remotely while collaborating, brainstorming, and sharing content.

Tools and features include lifelike avatars, three-dimensional telepresence, shared walls, work tools, and phone-based sharing of content to virtual reality environments. It supports HoloLens, MagicLeap, and Oculus Quest headsets. The platform also has a three-dimensional web browser and can import content including photos, documents, and 3D models.

The company claims Mattel and Ford X, Ford’s Innovation arm, among its customers.

Pricing: Free for individuals and groups who want to experience Spatial.

25. Surgical Theater

Surgical Theater allows doctors to collaborate and walk together in complex diagnosis procedures in virtual reality. (Image courtesy Surgical Theater.)

Surgical Theatre is a medical training platform for surgeons to practice surgery skills. It can also be used for surgery planning and patient education via the import of CT, MRI, and DTI scans.

It works with Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and other headsets, as well as the Precision virtual reality viewer.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

26. The Wild

The Wild XR platform fosters collaboration and is helping keep projects moving during this time of remote work. (Image courtesy The Wild.)

The Wild allows users to design and collaborate in virtual reality environments. For example, team members can review and comment on 3D designs imported from a variety of 3D modeling platforms including SketchUp, BIM 360, and Revit.

It works with the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The Wild allows users without VR headsets to access their content using augmented reality on iOS devices or on Windows or Mac computers.

Pricing: Starts at $195 per month.

27. VR Conference

VR Conference allows users to create and host their own online conference in virtual or augmented reality, using either a pre-made conference template or their own designs. Visitors can attend with VR or AR headsets, or without headsets with AR-capable smartphones. It supports live and pre-recorded video presentations, as well as PowerPoint presetnations, maps, Google documents, Excel spreadsheets, and supports integration with Trello and Jira collaboration platforms. Up to 500 people can visit a presentation room simultaneously.

The application works with iOS and and Android smartphones as well as the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive VR headsets. It also integrates with Slack, Instagram and Twitter.

Pricing: The virtual conference package costs €20 per user per day. Three-dimensional public meetings and presentations cost €10 per user per month billed annually, and virtual reality or augmented reality conference package costs €1,600.

28. Vspatial

Vspatial app tools and features such as voice artificial intelligence messaging, virtual presence, and three-dimensional messaging allow team work in virtual reality. (Image courtesy Vspatial.).

Vspatial is a platform for pre-scheduled and at-hoc virtual meetings and works on Windows and Macs, both with virtual reality devices such as the Oculus and without.

Pricing: The platform is currently free, including premium features.

29. Wave

Wave is a platform for large live audio and video virtual meetings, such as for artists and musicians who want to connect to their fans in virtual spaces and requires either the HTV Vive or an Oculus Rift headset, but viewers can attend without a VR headset via YouTube or Twitch.

You can watch previous live streams here. For instance, a recent Wave live stream by Lindsey Stirling was attended by 400,000 people from across the world on YouTube, Twitch, and Lindsey’s own Facebook page.

The company is experimenting with compatibility with the Windows Mixed Reality headset family.

Pricing: We contacted the company for pricing information but, as of deadline, there was no response. We will update the story if they get back to us.

30. Wonda VR

Wonder VR environments: The future of learning is immersive. (Image courtesy Wonder.)

Wonda VR is a virtual reality platform for training, onboarding, networking, and collaboration. It allows the import of photos, videos and 3D content using a drag-and-drop interface to position the objects in-world. It supports quizzes, custom buttons, hotspots and other types of interactive elements, as well as custom avatars, screen sharing, and role management features.

Pricing: Free immersive lab with shared community space and unlimited experiences, and $350 per month for a premium package offering private and branded hub, support for 4K and stereoscopic 360 degrees videos, and multi-user live sessions.

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