Meta Quest Store and App Lab: The Complete Guide to Finding VR Games

The Meta Quest Store is the main way to buy VR games on Quest headsets. But there’s a whole world of games beyond the curated storefront, and knowing how to find them can make or break your VR experience.

If you own a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 2, the Meta Horizon Store (still commonly called the Quest Store) is your default gateway to VR content. But the store has changed a lot over the years, and understanding how it works today (including what happened to App Lab and how to discover hidden gems) will help you get far more out of your headset.

What Is the Meta Quest Store?

The Meta Quest Store (formerly the Oculus Store) is Meta’s official digital storefront for VR games, apps, and experiences on Quest headsets. Think of it like the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android, but for virtual reality.

You can access the Quest Store in three ways:

• On-headset: Open the store directly from your Quest home screen
• Mobile app: Browse and buy through the Meta Quest mobile app on your phone
• Web browser: Visit meta.com/experiences to browse the catalog from your computer

When you buy a game on the Quest Store, it downloads directly to your headset and runs standalone. No PC required, no wires, no extra hardware. That’s what sets the Quest platform apart from PC VR headsets that need a gaming computer.

The store is curated by Meta, meaning developers need to submit their apps and pass a review process before they appear in the main store listings. This curation is meant to ensure a baseline of quality, but it also means many experimental, early-stage, or niche games don’t make it through the front door.

That’s where App Lab comes in.

What Is App Lab?

App Lab is Meta’s alternative distribution channel for Quest apps. Launched in February 2021, it was created to solve a real problem: too many developers were getting rejected from the main Quest Store, and players were missing out on interesting games as a result.

With App Lab, developers can publish Quest apps without going through the full store curation process. The apps still need to meet basic technical requirements (no crashing, no malware, minimum performance standards), but the bar is much lower than the main store’s quality and content review.

Here’s the key difference: App Lab games were originally not browsable in the main Quest Store. You needed a direct link to find them. If you didn’t know a game existed, you couldn’t discover it through normal store browsing. This made third-party discovery platforms essential.

How App Lab Changed Over Time

App Lab has gone through several significant changes since its 2021 launch:

2021: Launch and early growth. App Lab launched with a handful of titles. Developers could self-publish, but discoverability was almost zero on the Quest itself. Third-party sites like SideQuest became the primary way to browse and discover App Lab content.

2022-2023: Growing catalog. The number of App Lab titles grew into the thousands. Some App Lab games became massive hits, proving that curation wasn’t the only path to success. Gorilla Tag, which gained early traction through SideQuest and App Lab, became one of the most-played VR games of all time.

2024: Store integration and merger. On April 22, 2024, Meta announced that App Lab would be phased out in two stages: first by placing App Lab access inside a tab in the store, and later by merging all App Lab content into the main store. On August 23, 2024, Meta completed the merger. The store was rebranded as the Meta Horizon Store, and App Lab titles became fully browsable alongside curated titles. Meta also stopped rejecting submissions based on taste or quality, lowering the bar for all developers.

2025-2026: Post-merger landscape. With the merger complete, there is no longer a separate “App Lab” section. All Quest apps live in the same Meta Horizon Store. The practical distinction now is between apps that went through full curation review and those that were published under the lighter technical-only review that App Lab originally offered.

What Was the Difference Between App Lab and the Main Store?

Before the August 2024 merger, there were some practical differences between App Lab and fully curated store titles:

Curation level. Main store titles went through a full review by Meta covering quality, content, and market fit. App Lab titles only needed to pass basic technical checks (no crashes, minimum performance).

Discoverability. Main store titles were featured in categories, recommendations, and editorial picks. App Lab titles were initially hidden from browsing entirely, and even after the April 2024 tab integration, they were less prominently surfaced.

Quality range. Main store titles generally had a higher baseline due to stricter curation. App Lab ranged from rough prototypes to fully polished games that simply hadn’t gone through the review process.

Pricing. App Lab had many free titles, and paid ones were often priced lower than main store equivalents.

The most important takeaway: App Lab was never “worse” than the main store. Some of the best VR games available today came through App Lab. The difference was about curation process, not quality.

Famous Games That Started on App Lab

Several of the biggest VR games on Quest got their start on App Lab before graduating to the main store:

Gorilla Tag

Gorilla Tag is the most well-known App Lab success story. This physics-based multiplayer game where you swing your arms to move like a gorilla was originally developed as a solo project by Kerestell Smith. It first launched via SideQuest and SteamVR in February 2021 before moving to App Lab the following month. From there it grew steadily, eventually graduating to the main Quest Store in December 2022. By June 2024, it had crossed 10 million players and $100 million in revenue.

Other Notable Titles

Many other popular Quest games were distributed through App Lab or SideQuest before becoming available in the main store. Games like Hand Physics Lab (a hand-tracking showcase), Ancient Dungeon VR (a voxel roguelike dungeon crawler), Tea For God (a roomscale walking experience using impossible geometry), and Contractors (a tactical multiplayer shooter with a large modding community) all built significant audiences outside the main store’s curation process.

The common thread: developers who couldn’t get through Meta’s front door found alternative paths to reach players, and the players rewarded good games regardless of where they were listed.

How to Find Games That Were on App Lab

Since App Lab was merged into the Meta Horizon Store in August 2024, all titles are now in one place. Here are the best ways to discover games:

1. Search the Meta Horizon Store Directly

The simplest approach. Open the store on your headset or through the Meta Quest app and search for a game by name. Former App Lab titles now appear in search results alongside all other titles.

2. Use SideQuest

SideQuest remains the most comprehensive third-party directory for App Lab content. Their website and app let you browse, filter, and sort App Lab games by rating, popularity, category, and more. You can click through to the Quest Store listing directly from SideQuest.

3. Browse VR Game Databases

Dedicated VR game databases like VRDB track prices, deals, and availability across all VR platforms. This can be especially useful for comparing prices, tracking sales, and discovering games you might not find through normal store browsing.

4. Check Reddit and Discord Communities

Subreddits like r/OculusQuest, r/QuestAppLab, and r/VRGaming regularly feature App Lab recommendations. Game-specific Discord servers are also good sources for finding similar titles.

5. Follow VR Content Creators

YouTube and TikTok creators regularly showcase App Lab finds. Searching “best app lab games” or “hidden gem quest games” surfaces plenty of curated recommendation videos.

The Sideloading Alternative

Beyond App Lab, there’s another way to get content onto your Quest: sideloading. This involves connecting your headset to a computer and installing APK files directly, bypassing the store entirely.

SideQuest offers a desktop app that simplifies this process. Some developers distribute games exclusively through sideloading, either because they haven’t submitted to App Lab or because their content doesn’t meet even App Lab’s basic requirements.

Sideloading requires enabling Developer Mode on your Quest headset, which involves creating a free Meta developer account. It’s worth noting that sideloaded apps don’t go through any review process, so the quality and safety bar is entirely on you.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of the Quest Store

Use the Refund Policy

Meta offers refunds for Quest apps under certain conditions. Check the Meta refund policy for current details on eligibility windows and usage limits. The refund policy applies to all store titles. Don’t be afraid to try something that looks interesting, knowing you may be able to return it if it doesn’t work out.

Watch for Sales

The Meta Horizon Store runs regular sales, especially during major events like Meta Connect, Black Friday, and holiday seasons. Using a price tracking tool like VRDB can help you spot deals and set up notifications for games on your wishlist.

Check Cross-Buy Availability

Some games offer cross-buy between Quest and PC VR (Rift) versions. If you buy the Quest version, you get the PC version for free (or vice versa). This is listed on each game’s store page. Not all games support it, but when they do, it’s great value if you also have a PC VR setup.

Read Recent Reviews

VR games update frequently, and a game that was rough at launch might be polished now (or vice versa). Sort reviews by “most recent” rather than “most helpful” to get a current picture of the game’s state.

The Future of the Quest Store and App Lab

With the App Lab merger complete as of August 2024, Meta has fully opened up the store to more developers.

With the growth of the Quest platform and increasing competition from devices like the PlayStation VR2 and upcoming headsets running Android XR, Meta has every incentive to make its store as comprehensive and developer-friendly as possible. More games means more reasons to buy and keep using a Quest headset.

For players, this means the Quest ecosystem has more variety than ever before. Between the main store, App Lab, and sideloading, there are thousands of VR experiences available, from AAA-quality titles to experimental indie projects. The challenge isn’t finding games to play. It’s filtering through the catalog to find the ones worth your time.

Price tracking tools like VRDB, along with community recommendations on Reddit and Discord, can help narrow things down.

Whether you’re a new Quest owner just getting started or a VR veteran looking for something new, understanding the full landscape of the Meta Quest Store and App Lab is the first step to getting the most out of your headset.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is App Lab on Meta Quest?

App Lab was Meta’s alternative distribution channel for Quest VR apps, launched in February 2021. It allowed developers to publish games without going through Meta’s full curation review. In August 2024, Meta merged App Lab into the main Meta Horizon Store, so all titles now live in one place.

Is App Lab still available?

App Lab as a separate section no longer exists. Meta completed the merger into the Meta Horizon Store in August 2024. Games that were previously on App Lab are now browsable alongside all other Quest titles in the same store.

Are App Lab games safe to download?

Yes. App Lab games go through a basic technical review by Meta before being listed. They need to meet minimum performance standards and can’t contain malware. The review is less strict than the main store’s full curation, but there is still a baseline safety check.

How do I find App Lab games on my Quest?

Since the August 2024 merger, former App Lab titles appear in the Meta Horizon Store alongside all other games. You can search for them by name on your headset, through the Meta Quest mobile app, or on meta.com/experiences. Third-party sites like SideQuest and VRDB also help with discovery.

What is the difference between App Lab and sideloading?

App Lab games were distributed through Meta’s official store (just with lighter curation). Sideloading means installing apps directly onto your Quest from a computer, completely bypassing the store. Sideloaded apps have no review process at all, while App Lab apps went through basic technical checks.

Can I get a refund on Quest games?

Meta has a refund policy for Quest purchases. Check the Meta refund policy page for current eligibility details, including time windows and usage limits.