AR/VR App Development
Augmented and virtual reality development covers mobile AR apps, headset-based VR simulations, and browser-based WebXR experiences. StepTo builds immersive applications for training, product visualisation, marketing, and industrial use cases — combining Unity and native AR engineering with 3D asset production. As part of our custom software development services, our Serbian engineers (from a national pool of 60,000+ IT professionals) deliver AR/VR work at $35–75/hr, 40–60% below Western immersive-technology studios.
AR/VR Solutions We Build
- AR product visualisation: True-to-scale furniture, equipment, and product placement in the customer's space via ARKit/ARCore, plus virtual try-on experiences.
- VR training simulations: Safety procedures, equipment operation, and soft-skills scenarios for Meta Quest and PC VR, with scoring and progress tracking.
- WebXR experiences: No-install 3D configurators, virtual showrooms, and marketing experiences built with Three.js/Babylon.js that run in the browser.
- Industrial AR: Assembly guidance, remote-assist overlays, and maintenance instructions anchored to physical equipment for manufacturing and field service.
- Virtual tours & digital twins: Navigable 3D replicas of venues, factories, and real-estate developments, from photogrammetry or CAD/BIM sources.
- 3D content pipelines: CAD-to-real-time conversion, asset optimisation (LODs, texture budgets), and animation for performant experiences on mobile and standalone headsets.
- AR SDK integration: Adding AR modules to existing iOS, Android, or React Native apps without a rebuild.
Technology Stack
- Engines: Unity (URP, XR Interaction Toolkit), Unreal Engine for high-fidelity visualisation
- Mobile AR: ARKit, ARCore, RealityKit; React Native and Flutter AR bridges for existing apps
- WebXR: Three.js, Babylon.js, 8th Wall-class browser AR, glTF/USDZ asset pipelines
- Headsets: Meta Quest 2/3/Pro, PICO, PC VR (SteamVR/OpenXR), Apple Vision Pro (visionOS)
- Backend & analytics: Node.js/.NET services for content delivery, multiplayer sessions, xAPI/SCORM reporting into LMS platforms
Engagement Models & Pricing
- Prototype sprint (4–6 weeks): Validate the core interaction on target hardware for roughly $15,000–35,000 before committing to production. Rates $35–75/hr; see pricing.
- Fixed-scope production: Full experience development with asset production, QA on physical devices, and store or MDM deployment.
- Dedicated team: From $13,500/month for ongoing immersive programmes — new training scenarios, seasonal campaigns, expanding device support.
- Staff augmentation: Unity/AR engineers for your in-house team from $4,500/month per engineer.
Why StepTo for AR/VR
- Engineering-led, not demo-led: We build for frame-rate budgets, device thermals, and offline distribution — the constraints that decide whether immersive apps survive contact with real users.
- Full pipeline in one team: 3D assets, application code, backend, and analytics — no coordination across separate studios.
- Cost structure: Immersive development is iteration-heavy; at $35–75/hr you afford two to three times the iteration cycles of a Western studio budget.
- CET timezone: Real-time collaboration with European clients and 6+ hours of US East Coast overlap for device-in-hand review sessions.
Development Process
- Use-case definition (1–2 weeks): Target users, devices, success metrics, and the single interaction that must feel right.
- Prototype: Greybox build on target hardware; test with real users before investing in polish.
- Asset production: 3D modelling or CAD conversion in parallel with application development.
- Production build: Two-week sprints, continuous on-device testing across the target device matrix.
- Deployment: App stores, enterprise MDM, headset fleet management, or web hosting for WebXR.
- Measurement & iteration: Usage and outcome analytics feeding the next scenario or feature.
FAQ: AR/VR Development
- How much does AR or VR app development cost?
- A focused AR feature inside an existing mobile app — product try-on or 3D preview — typically costs $25,000–60,000 over 2–4 months. A standalone VR training module with one scenario runs $50,000–120,000 including 3D asset production. Multi-scenario training platforms with analytics and LMS integration range from $120,000 to $400,000+. StepTo rates are $35–75/hr, 40–60% below Western European or US immersive-tech studios.
- Should we build native AR, a Unity app, or WebXR?
- It depends on distribution. If users already have your iOS/Android app, native ARKit/ARCore (or React Native with AR modules) keeps AR one tap away. Unity is the right choice for VR headsets and complex 3D interactions, with one codebase across Quest and PC VR. WebXR wins when you cannot ask users to install anything — marketing experiences and product configurators that run straight from a link. We prototype in the cheapest medium first and only commit to a platform once the interaction is validated.
- Do you produce the 3D content as well as the code?
- Yes. We handle 3D asset workflows end to end: modelling and optimisation (polygon budgets, texture atlases, LODs), CAD-to-real-time conversion for industrial clients, photogrammetry-based capture where physical products exist, and animation. Well-optimised assets are the difference between an experience that runs at 72+ fps on a headset and one that makes users motion-sick.
- Can VR training integrate with our LMS and measure results?
- Yes. We instrument training scenarios with event tracking (task completion, errors, timing) and report results over xAPI or SCORM to LMS platforms, or into a custom analytics dashboard. This turns VR training from a demo into a measurable programme where you can compare cohorts and demonstrate competency.
- What does an AR/VR engagement look like?
- Most clients start with a 4–6 week prototype (roughly $15,000–35,000) to validate the core interaction on target hardware before committing to full production. Production then runs as a fixed-scope project or, for ongoing programmes, a dedicated team from $13,500/month. If you have an internal team, we supply Unity or AR engineers via staff augmentation from $4,500/month per engineer.