LUMENOIRLumenoir vs Skybox VR Video Player
Choose Skybox if you want an established player you can buy today, with SMB, DLNA, PC streaming through AirScreen, YouTube and, in its opt-in preview, watching together. Choose Lumenoir, once it is released, if you want a free download with Plex and Jellyfin in the standard version, no account and no ads. Lumenoir is not on the store yet.
Written by Thomas Bidault, the developer of Lumenoir. Lumenoir is not released yet. Skybox facts come from its Meta store page, its official forum, the trackers vrdb.app and queststoredb.com, and one 2026 hands-on review (vrpupu.com), checked on 22 October 2026. Prices and features change: check the official Skybox page before you buy. This page is comparative advertising by the publisher of Lumenoir. Skybox is a trademark of its owner and Lumenoir is not affiliated with it. Spot an error? Write to [email protected] and we correct it within 7 days.
The verdict in two lines
Skybox is a paid player (9.99 EUR in France) released in 2019, with network shares and PC streaming in its stable version and Plex, Jellyfin, Blu-ray 2D ISO and Rooms in its 2.0 preview.
Lumenoir is free to download, with Plex, Jellyfin, headset files and USB in the free version, a one-time Premium for unlimited 3D, VR and NAS, and no account or ads. It is not released yet.
Feature by feature
Skybox has two versions on the Meta Quest: the stable 1.2.1 that everyone gets, and an opt-in 2.0 preview channel (latest build posted on 10 October 2026). Features marked preview are not in the stable version.
| Feature | Skybox 1.2.1 (stable) | Skybox 2.0 (opt-in preview) | Lumenoir (not released yet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 9.99 EUR, in-app purchases listed. Lowest recorded: 5.99 EUR (15 Dec 2025 to 5 Jan 2026) | Same app | Free. Premium 19.99 EUR, one-time (indicative price in France) |
| Subscription | No | No | No |
| Account | None mentioned. Google sign-in for YouTube | Rooms need a Meta Avatar | None |
| Ads | Not documented | Not documented | None |
| Headset files and USB | Yes | Yes | Yes, free |
| SMB and DLNA | Yes | Yes | SMB with Premium. Other protocols still in testing |
| Plex and Jellyfin | Not listed | Yes, plus Emby and WebDAV | Plex and Jellyfin, free. No Emby |
| PC streaming | AirScreen (free client) | AirScreen | No streaming app. A shared folder over SMB (Premium) |
| YouTube | Built in (2026 review) | Built in (2026 review) | No |
| Video | AV1, MP4, MKV, MOV, TS, WEBM, HDR | Adds Dolby Vision | MP4, MKV, 4K, HDR10 and HLG |
| 3D SBS and OU | Yes, auto stereo detection | Adds frame-sequential 3D | Yes, from metadata or file name. 20 min a day free, unlimited with Premium |
| VR180 and 360 | Yes, plus 200 and 220 degrees | Yes | Yes. 20 min a day free, unlimited with Premium |
| iPhone spatial video (MV-HEVC) | Not listed | Yes (build of 10 Oct 2026) | Yes |
| Blu-ray | Not listed | 2D Blu-ray ISO with disc menus. 3D ISO not supported | No MVC 3D. Disc playback still in testing |
| Spatial sound | Not listed in store text | Ambisonic, 5.1 and 7.1 spatial audio | 7.1 binaural (HRTF, head tracking). 20 min a day free, unlimited with Premium |
| Theaters | Cinema, Ultra Cinema, Void, Space, Moon; adjustable seat; curved screen (2026 review) | Same | Classic cinema (free, 12.4 m screen), large-format 1.43:1 theater (25.7 by 18 m, Premium), starry night, darkness, passthrough |
| Ambient light from the film | Not documented | Not documented | Yes. 20 min a day free, unlimited with Premium |
| Watch together | No | Rooms, 5 people in the cinema scene | No |
| Meta store rating (22 Oct 2026) | 4.4 / 5 (4,895 ratings) | Same listing | Not released, no ratings |
Not documented means we found no statement either way in the sources listed below. It does not mean the feature is missing.
Choose Skybox if
- You want a player you can install today, with a long store history (released May 2019).
- You stream from a PC: Skybox has its free AirScreen client; Lumenoir has no PC streaming app.
- You watch YouTube in the same app.
- You want SMB and DLNA included in the base price, without an upgrade.
- You use Emby, want Blu-ray 2D ISO with disc menus, Dolby Vision or watching with friends, and you are fine with the opt-in preview channel.
- You play 200 or 220 degree footage: Skybox documents it.
Choose Lumenoir if
- You want Plex or Jellyfin without joining a preview channel, in the free version. See Plex on Meta Quest.
- You want to start free: headset files, USB drives, Plex and Jellyfin cost nothing, with no ads or watermark. See USB drives on Meta Quest.
- You care about the room: modeled theaters, a large-format 1.43:1 screen, 7.1 binaural sound that follows your head, and light from the film on the walls. Try it in your browser on the home page.
- You want no account at all.
- You can wait for the release, and accept the limits: 3D, VR180, 360, 7.1 sound, the large-format theater and ambient light are 20 minutes a day without Premium, NAS shares need Premium (19.99 EUR once), and there is no MVC 3D, no Emby, no YouTube and no watch together. Details on the Premium section.
What each one costs
Skybox is paid up front: 9.99 EUR on the French store on 22 October 2026, with in-app purchases listed. Our sources do not say what those purchases contain. Its price has dropped during sales, down to 5.99 EUR between 15 December 2025 and 5 January 2026.
Lumenoir is free to download. Premium is a one-time purchase of 19.99 EUR (indicative price in France, set by the store in your currency), valid on all your Meta headsets with the same account. If you only need SMB shares and you watch 3D every day, Skybox's base price is lower. If you use Plex or Jellyfin and watch mostly 2D, Lumenoir's free version covers it.
How to switch from Skybox
Your files stay where they are. Neither app moves or converts them, and you can keep both installed.
- Install Lumenoir from the Meta Horizon Store once it is released.
- Files on the headset: open Headset files and allow access to videos. Files in Movies or Download show up.
- USB drive: plug it in, choose Headset folder or USB drive, and select the drive. exFAT is recommended for files over 4 GB.
- Plex: choose Plex, then enter the code shown on plex.tv/link from your phone or computer.
- NAS or PC shares (Premium): choose Network drive (NAS), enable SMB 2 or 3 on the NAS, and enter its address and share name if it is not found. Same Wi-Fi network as the headset. More in NAS on Meta Quest.
- 3D and VR files: they are detected from their metadata. If one is not, add SBS, OU, 180 or 360 to the file name, or pick the format during playback. More in 3D movies on Meta Quest.
- Lumenoir does not read Skybox's settings or history, so resume points start fresh. With Plex, resume points come from your Plex server.
Dated facts and sources
- Price 9.99 EUR, in-app purchases listed, rating 4.4 / 5: Skybox on the Meta store, French store, 22 Oct 2026.
- Exact rating count (4,895), release date (21 May 2019) and stable version 1.2.1: vrdb.app, 22 Oct 2026.
- Lowest recorded price 5.99 EUR: queststoredb.com, 22 Oct 2026.
- 2.0 preview with Plex, Emby, Jellyfin, WebDAV, spatial audio and Rooms: Skybox forum, announced 14 May 2025. Latest preview build posted 10 Oct 2026.
- Theaters, YouTube and account details: vrpupu.com review, updated 10 Sep 2026.
- Lumenoir: its own feature list, before release, not yet confirmed by users.
- To re-check at each update: Skybox store price, whether 2.0 has left the preview channel, and Lumenoir's server protocols and disc playback once tested on real hardware.
Questions
Is Skybox VR free?
No. On 22 October 2026, Skybox VR Video Player costs 9.99 EUR on the French Meta store, with in-app purchases listed. Its lowest recorded price is 5.99 EUR, during a sale from 15 December 2025 to 5 January 2026.
What is a good Skybox alternative on Meta Quest?
It depends on the need. 4XVR documents 3D Blu-ray (MVC) and many sources with a one-time Premium. Moon has many theaters and ambient light. Bigscreen Beta is built for watching with others. Lumenoir, not released yet, offers Plex and Jellyfin free with no account. See the player comparison.
Skybox vs 4XVR: what is the difference?
Skybox costs 9.99 EUR and includes SMB, DLNA, USB and AirScreen PC streaming; Plex and Jellyfin are in its preview. 4XVR is free to download, and its 29.99 EUR Premium unlocks MVC 3D Blu-ray, USB and network sources. Facts as of 22 October 2026.
Does Skybox support Plex or Jellyfin?
Yes, in its opt-in 2.0 preview channel, announced on 14 May 2025, along with Emby and WebDAV. They are not listed for the stable 1.2.1 version.
Skybox or Bigscreen for watching movies?
Skybox plays files from the headset, USB, SMB and DLNA, and our sources mention no account. Bigscreen Beta is free, requires an account, and focuses on social viewing with rooms up to 30 people; a 2026 test found its local playback limited to the Movies folder and DLNA.
Does Skybox have ads or need an account?
Our sources mention no Skybox account; a Google sign-in is used for YouTube. Ads are not documented either way. Lumenoir has no account and no ads.
Do I lose my files if I switch from Skybox?
No. Both apps read your files where they are, on the headset, a USB drive, Plex or a NAS. You can keep both installed. Resume points stored in Skybox do not carry over.
Is Lumenoir available now?
Not yet. It is coming soon to the Meta Horizon Store, so it has no ratings or reviews. You can try its theater in your browser on the home page.