metaverse directory LAST VERIFIED · 06 Jun 2026

Metaverse Platforms

The honest directory of virtual worlds.

In 2026, “the metaverse” is really three overlapping things: mainstream social worlds like Roblox, VRChat, Fortnite and Minecraft; web3 platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox; and the “spatial computing” rebrand led by Apple Vision Pro and Meta. They are not the same thing — this directory compares them honestly.

Twelve listicles, a hundred Reddit threads, and one collapsed hype cycle. We are the directory that tells you which virtual worlds are actually alive in 2026, which pivoted, and which quietly closed last Tuesday.

Open the matcher → Browse all 15 →
Fresh entries Decentraland · Epic Store launch (Mar 31, 2026)
Closed this quarter Rec Room · 1 Jun 2026 · read alternatives
Status changes Meta Horizon Worlds → mobile-first (Mar 2026)

Three layers, one confused word.

The category lives in three places now. We sort every platform into one of them.

I.

Mainstream Living

Roblox, VRChat, Fortnite, Minecraft, Spatial, Zepeto. No crypto, real concurrent users, growing.

See the five →
II.

Web3 Pivot

Decentraland, The Sandbox, Somnium Space, Hyperfy. Wallet-era ending. Decentraland just launched on Epic Games Store.

See the three →
III.

Spatial Rebrand

Meta Horizon Worlds, Microsoft Mesh. Absorbed by hardware-led "spatial computing". Meta now mobile-first.

See the four →
The tool

Not sure where to start?

Answer five short questions. Get one to three platforms that actually fit you. No accounts, no tracking, no opinions disguised as algorithms.

I. of V.

Which device do you have on hand?

Pick all that apply.

II. of V.

What do you want to do?

Pick up to two.

III. of V.

How do you feel about crypto and NFTs?

One answer.

IV. of V.

Who's going to use it?

One answer.

V. of V.

Consume or create?

One answer.

Featured

Six places people are actually opening.

Ranked by verified engagement, not vendor decks.

Growing
Cluster — Japanese mobile and VR social platform, strong creator scene.

Cluster

Japanese mobile and VR social platform, strong creator scene.

DEVICES
iPhone / iPad · Android · PC (Windows) · Meta Quest
AGE
13+
COST
Free (in-app purchases)
CRYPTO
No
USERS
~2M monthly (vendor self-report) (2024, Cluster Inc (vendor))
Growing
Fortnite — Battle royale that became a metaverse via UEFN.

Fortnite

Battle royale that became a metaverse via UEFN.

DEVICES
PC (Windows) · Mac · iPhone / iPad · Android · Xbox · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Nintendo Switch
AGE
13+ — Officially 13+; widely played by younger with parental accounts.
COST
Free (in-app purchases)
CRYPTO
No
USERS
~236M MAU (widely cited, unverified) (2024, Industry estimate — verify Epic State of Unreal)
Growing
Minecraft — The block-building social world that quietly remained the metaverse.

Minecraft

The block-building social world that quietly remained the metaverse.

DEVICES
PC (Windows) · Mac · Linux · iPhone / iPad · Android · Xbox · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Nintendo Switch
AGE
7+ — ESRB E10+. Realms servers add moderation.
COST
Paid (one-time, ~$30)
CRYPTO
No
USERS
350M+ copies sold (2023, Mojang/Microsoft)
Growing
Roblox — The user-generated giant of the mainstream layer.

Roblox

The user-generated giant of the mainstream layer.

DEVICES
PC (Windows) · Mac · iPhone / iPad · Android · Xbox · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Meta Quest
AGE
6+ — 6+ with parental controls; under-16 accounts ≈ 50% of US base.
COST
Free (in-app purchases)
CRYPTO
No — Robux is in-platform currency, not crypto.
USERS
85.3M DAU (Feb 2025, Roblox (vendor))
Growing
Spatial — Browser-first social and event platform for creators and small teams.

Spatial

Browser-first social and event platform for creators and small teams.

DEVICES
Web browser · iPhone / iPad · Android · Meta Quest · Apple Vision Pro
AGE
13+
COST
Free (Pro and enterprise tiers exist)
CRYPTO
No — NFT integrations exist but never required.
USERS
10M+ registered (vendor self-report) (2024, Spatial (vendor))
Growing
VRChat — The largest social VR world. Avatars, worlds, anything goes.

VRChat

The largest social VR world. Avatars, worlds, anything goes.

DEVICES
PC (Windows) · Meta Quest · HTC Vive · Valve Index · iPhone / iPad · Android
AGE
13+ — 13+. Adult content filter since Sep 2023; Persona age-verify since Jan 2025.
COST
Free (VRC+ subscription optional)
CRYPTO
No
USERS
156,700 peak concurrent (Feb 15, 2026, Wikipedia (Sanrio VFes premiere))

Browse all fifteen platforms →

Explainers

The eight questions everyone asks.

Frequently asked

What is the metaverse?

In 2026, "the metaverse" describes three overlapping things: mainstream living social worlds like Roblox, VRChat, Fortnite and Minecraft; web3 platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox; and the "spatial computing" rebrand led by Apple Vision Pro and Meta. They are not the same thing.

Which metaverse platform has the most users?

Roblox, with 85.3 million daily active users as of February 2025 (vendor-reported). Fortnite is the next-largest in monthly engagement. VRChat reached a 156,700 peak concurrent record on February 15, 2026 during the Sanrio VFes premiere.

Do I need a VR headset for the metaverse?

No. Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, Spatial, Decentraland and Zepeto all run without VR. A headset only matters if you want VRChat in full-body immersion or Meta Horizon Worlds on Quest.

Is the metaverse free?

Most platforms are free with optional in-app purchases. Minecraft costs about $30 one time. Crypto-based platforms like The Sandbox require a wallet for land ownership but not for entry.

Do I need crypto to use the metaverse?

No, for the vast majority of users. Only Decentraland (for land) and The Sandbox (for land) genuinely require a wallet. Browser access to Decentraland works without one.

Is the metaverse safe for kids?

It depends entirely on the platform. Roblox has parental controls and an age policy of 6+; VRChat is 13+ with adult content filtered for under-18s; Meta Horizon Worlds opened to 10+ in October 2024. Read our kid-safety pillar for a per-platform breakdown.