Hubs

Overview

Hubs is a browser-based platform for gathering in shared 3D rooms, with access by URL and support for VR and 2D browsing. It best suits organizers who want to shape a virtual venue for a class, conference, art showcase, or remote social gathering. Its open-source Community Edition offers control over hosting and administration, but self-hosting brings separate costs and the documentation carries an outdated-content warning.

Rooms combine spatialized audio and text chat with shared images, videos, 3D models, and other media. Guests can join without an account, though some features require sign-in. Invite-only access and persistent rooms suit planned communities and events, rather than unrestricted drop-in spaces. The Community Edition documentation says its database does not store personally identifying information.

For a broader comparison of room-based tools, see Virtual Meeting Room Software.

Key features

Shared rooms and media

Hubs supports screen sharing, spatial audio, text chat, and shared media, with a stated room capacity of 25 participants. That limit is a reasonable fit for smaller sessions, but organizers planning larger gatherings should account for the per-room ceiling. Persistent rooms let groups return to a space, while invite-only access gives hosts a more controlled way to manage entry.

Build and administer spaces

Spoke is a browser-based editor for assembling environments from 3D models, images, videos, and other assets. Its media discovery integrates with Sketchfab, giving creators a way to find content while building. Community Edition administrators can customize the instance, import assets, manage users, and moderate contributed content. That flexibility is valuable for organizations willing to take responsibility for their own environment; it also means Hubs is less turnkey than a hosted service.

Device access and accounts

Hubs works with VR headsets and can also be explored in 2D on desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. The platform supports guest access, reducing friction for participants who only need to join a room. An email address is the only information required to create an account, according to the Community Edition documentation, though some features require sign-in.

Pricing

Hubs Community Edition: free. The software is open source and self-hosted, so this is not the total cost of running an instance: hosting, a domain, and email service may cost extra. A Foundation setup guide estimates at least $38 USD per month for its DigitalOcean hosting example, plus domain and possible email-service charges; that figure is a hosting example, not a Hubs subscription price. The same guide estimates capacity of 30–60 concurrent users for that deployment, with less possible under heavy use.

The no-cost edition is best for teams that can manage deployment and administration themselves and want control over a customizable instance. Organizations seeking a managed setup should weigh those operational costs and responsibilities before treating the free software price as a free service.

Platforms

Hubs is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, self-hosted deployments, the web, and Windows. There are no mobile apps; mobile access is through supported browser-based 2D exploration rather than a dedicated app.

Who it's for

Hubs fits educators, event organizers, artists, and remote groups that want a persistent shared 3D venue with spatial audio and media, and have the capacity to run or customize Community Edition. Its 25-participant room limit supports smaller gatherings. It is a weaker fit for teams that need a polished, managed service or dependable guidance for self-hosting: the Foundation warns that a significant portion of its documentation is outdated and says Hubs by Mozilla and Hubs Cloud are obsolete.

Community support is directed through Discord, with email contact for private questions. That route may suit technically capable administrators, but teams needing formal, guaranteed support should consider their support needs carefully.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Open-source, self-hosted control: Community Edition administrators can customize the instance, import assets, manage users, and moderate contributions.
• Flexible shared spaces: Persistent rooms combine spatial audio, text chat, screen sharing, and shared media, with guest access for participants.
• Browser-based creation: Spoke builds environments from varied media and includes Sketchfab discovery integration.
• Privacy-conscious database claim: Community Edition documentation says its database does not store personally identifying information.

Cons

• Self-hosting is not cost-free: Hosting, domain, and possible email charges sit outside the free software price.
• Room size is capped: Capacity is 25 participants, making it a poor fit for larger single-room events.
• Documentation is partly outdated: The Foundation warns that a significant portion needs updating and identifies Hubs by Mozilla and Hubs Cloud as obsolete.
• No dedicated mobile apps: Mobile users rely on browser access rather than an app.

Alternatives

WorkAdventure is worth considering for a free plan capped at 10 users but allowing unlimited duration, especially if its listed Android, iOS, desktop, web, API, and self-hosted platform range better matches your setup.

Samudaia may suit teams seeking a free early-access workspace with no credit card requirement, though paid plans for large organizations are in development.

Topia is another freemium option, with a 50-person DEMO capacity and listed Android, iOS, and web support; compare its broadcasting and screensharing limits against Hubs' 25-person rooms.

flat.social may be a better fit for groups of up to five people who want unlimited session length and spatial audio with video rooms on the web.

Glue is an alternative for teams that value a defined free allowance of 10 members, 10 team spaces, 30 minutes per session, and 2GB of team file storage.

Watch2Gether is another option to compare.

Overte is another option to compare.

Tangle is another option to compare.

Verdict

Choose Hubs if you want an open-source, customizable 3D venue, need persistent rooms for small groups, and can take on self-hosting and administration. Its mix of shared media, spatial audio, guest access, and scene-building tools gives organizers meaningful control. Look elsewhere if you need a larger room, dedicated mobile apps, or a more current documentation base and managed support.