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Games like Roblox to play with friends

Make my Bobble

Want the Roblox feeling somewhere else? These are the games and apps where you still get to build stuff, dress up an avatar and play with your friends in 2026.

Updated September 30, 2026By the Bobble team

Roblox is really three things at once: a place to build games, an avatar you dress up, and a hangout with your friends. Most games and apps like Roblox only nail one or two of those, so we sorted this list by what each one does best.

A lot changed in 2026. Rec Room shut down in June, Hytale finally came out, s&box launched on Steam, and Roblox now asks for an age check before you can chat. We checked every pick in September 2026: what it costs, where it runs, and what to watch out for.

Full disclosure: we make Bobble, and it's on this list. We tell you who each app fits, including when it's not us.

  1. 1

    Minecraft

    Mojang Studios (Microsoft)

    Building anything, alone or on a server with friends

    iPhone, Android, PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo SwitchOne-time purchase, optional Realms subscription

    If the part of Roblox you love is building, Minecraft is still the answer. Survival mode makes you earn every block, Creative mode hands you all of them, and servers and Realms let you build with your friends. The Bedrock version gets the new Vibrant Visuals graphics, with real shadows, fog and reflective water. Skins let you change your look, but your character stays blocky. There's no avatar shop culture like Roblox, which a lot of parents actually like. It's rated E10+ by the ESRB.

    Watch out: Unlike Roblox it isn't free, and public servers have open chat, so stick to Realms or friends-only servers if strangers bother you.

    Visit Minecraft ↗
  2. 2

    Fortnite (Creative and UEFN)

    Epic Games

    Playing and making custom islands with your squad

    iPhone, Android, PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo SwitchFree, in-app purchases (V-Bucks)

    Fortnite is the closest thing Roblox has to a rival. Beyond Battle Royale there are hundreds of thousands of player-made islands, from tycoons to horror maps, and you can build your own in Creative mode on any device. Serious creators use UEFN, Epic's editor on PC, and Epic says island creators have earned over $1 billion since 2023. Your skins and emotes follow you across every island. It's back on the App Store and Google Play, so it plays on phones again.

    Watch out: Fortnite is rated T for Teen, the skin shop pushes hard on your V-Bucks, and UEFN only runs on a Windows PC.

    Visit Fortnite (Creative and UEFN) ↗
  3. 3

    Hytale

    Hypixel Studios

    A fresh block game with adventure and modding built in

    PC (Windows), Mac (Apple silicon), Linux (experimental)Paid, from $19.99

    Hytale almost didn't happen. Riot Games cancelled it in June 2025, then co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme bought it back, and it launched in early access on January 13, 2026. It's a block world like Minecraft, but with more adventure, combat and creatures, plus tools for creators: an in-game asset editor, server plugins and camera tools for making videos. The team behind it ran Hypixel, the huge Minecraft server, so multiplayer is the focus. Updates land often.

    Watch out: It's early access on computers only, so expect bugs and no phone or console version yet.

    Visit Hytale ↗
  4. 4

    ZEPETO

    NAVER Z

    Dressing up a cute 3D avatar and posting it

    iPhone, AndroidFree, in-app purchases (ZEMs), optional membership

    If your favorite part of Roblox is the avatar editor, ZEPETO is built around exactly that. You make a 3D character, dress it with a huge mix of player-made and brand items, pose it for photos, and hop into worlds with friends. Creators can design and sell clothes in ZEPETO Studio or build their own worlds. The vibe is more K-pop and fashion than obby, and it doubles as a way to stream as a VTuber. We compare it with similar apps on our apps like ZEPETO page.

    Watch out: The best hair and outfits usually cost ZEMs, so it can get pricey if you want to keep up.

    Visit ZEPETO ↗
  5. 5

    VRChat

    VRChat Inc.

    Hanging out in player-made worlds, in VR or on a phone

    PC, Meta Quest, iPhone, AndroidFree, optional VRChat+ subscription

    VRChat is the hangout part of Roblox turned all the way up. Every world and avatar is made by players, and you can upload your own with Unity. You don't need a headset: it now runs on iPhone and Android too, and phone players can meet people on PC and Quest. It's great for talking, watching things together and exploring weird, beautiful worlds. The creator scene is huge, so if you want to learn 3D modeling, this is a fun reason to start.

    Watch out: Lots of players are adults and voice chat with strangers is the norm, so it's only a good fit for older teens who know how to block and leave.

    Visit VRChat ↗
  6. 6

    Highrise

    Pocket Worlds

    Fashion, rooms and chatting in a 3D hangout

    iPhone, AndroidFree, in-app purchases

    Highrise is all about the social side: you dress up an avatar from a catalog of over a million items, decorate rooms, join events and trade with other players. It feels a bit like Roblox's roleplay and hangout games without the obbies. There are weekly fashion drops and a creator program for people who build worlds in Highrise Studio. If you already spend most of your Roblox time in hangout games, this is the one to try.

    Watch out: The App Store rates it 16+ and earning currency without paying is slow, so it's not for younger teens.

    Visit Highrise ↗
  7. 7

    Bobble

    We make this

    An avatar that looks like the real you, with your real crew

    Web today, iPhone and Android coming soonFree

    Bobble isn't a game, and it won't replace Roblox. It fits one angle: your avatar is a 3D bobblehead of the real you, made from a selfie, with a vinyl-toy look and a spring body you dress up. In the app, coming soon to iPhone and Android, your friends are your actual crew. Their Bobbles show a status like gym, party or asleep, and you tap their heads to send a slap or a fire reaction. Today you can make your bobblehead for free on the web at getbobble.com/pack.

    Watch out: No building, no worlds, no games, and the app isn't out yet: today it's only the web bobblehead maker.

    Make your Bobble now →
  8. 8

    s&box

    Facepunch Studios

    Learning to make real games, like a grown-up Roblox Studio

    PC (Windows, via Steam)Paid, $9.99

    s&box is the follow-up to Garry's Mod from the studio behind Rust, and it's the closest thing to Roblox on PC for people who want to make games. It launched on Steam on April 28, 2026. You play hundreds of community-made games, or build your own in its editor with C# scripting on Valve's Source 2 engine. Creators can even export projects as standalone Steam games. Garry's Mod itself is still on Steam if you just want to mess around.

    Watch out: Steam reviews are mixed right now, and it's Windows PC only, so try it during a sale.

    Visit s&box ↗

Games like Roblox compared

GameBuildAvatarPhonePrice
MinecraftYes, the bestSkinsYesPaid
FortniteCreative, UEFN on PCSkins and emotesYesFree
HytaleYes, plus modsCustom characterNoFrom $19.99
ZEPETOItems and worldsBig focusYesFree
VRChatWorlds and avatars in UnityAnything goesYesFree
HighriseRooms and worldsBig focusYesFree
BobbleNoBobblehead of youComing soonFree
s&boxYes, real game devBasicNo$9.99

Want the full Roblox mix of building, avatars and friends on a phone? Fortnite comes closest. Just want to build? Minecraft. Just want to dress up? ZEPETO or Highrise.

Roblox safety in 2026: what teens should know

Safety has been the big Roblox story. Several US states sued the company over child safety, and in April 2026 Roblox agreed to pay $35.8 million to settle with West Virginia, Alabama and Nevada, with more state settlements since. Other cases, including Texas and Florida, are still going.

What changed for you:

The same rules work everywhere on this list: keep your profile private, never move a chat to another app because someone asked, don't share where you live or go to school, and block and report anyone who makes you uncomfortable. If a game has open voice chat with strangers, like VRChat, it's for older teens.

What happened to Rec Room, Dreams and Core?

Older lists of games like Roblox still recommend some that are gone or frozen, so here's the update.

How we picked the rest: each one had to be live and updated in 2026, let you build or dress up an avatar, and let you play with friends. We checked prices, platforms and age ratings on official sites and store pages in September 2026.

Want your Roblox-style avatar to look like the real you?

Roblox avatars are fun because they don't have to look like you. For ideas, open the Avatar tab in the Roblox app or on roblox.com, start from a free bundle in the Marketplace, then swap one thing at a time: hair, a jacket, a face. Roblox has also been testing a photo-to-avatar feature for creators, but it's still in alpha and only shows up inside certain experiences.

If what you really want is a 3D figure that looks like you in real life, that's a different kind of avatar maker. With Bobble, you take a selfie and get a 3D bobblehead of yourself, then dress it up. Read how it works on our 3D avatar page, or make your bobblehead now, free on the web.

Questions people ask

What is the best game like Roblox?

For most people it's Fortnite, because it has free player-made islands, a creator mode, skins and friends in one game, and it runs on phones, consoles and PC. If you mostly care about building, Minecraft is still the best. If you mostly care about dressing up an avatar, try ZEPETO.

Are there free games like Roblox?

Yes. Fortnite, ZEPETO, VRChat and Highrise are all free to download, with optional in-app purchases. Minecraft, Hytale and s&box cost money up front. Free games usually make their money from avatar items, so set a spending limit before you start.

Is Roblox safe for teens in 2026?

It's safer than it was. Since January 2026 you need an age check to chat, chat is limited by age group, and parents can link accounts to set limits. It still isn't risk free, so keep your profile private, don't move chats to other apps, and block and report anyone who makes you uneasy.

What happened to Rec Room?

Rec Room shut down on June 1, 2026. The company said the VR market shift and wider gaming slowdown made it too hard to become profitable. The app was removed from stores on June 2. If you played Rec Room, VRChat is the closest replacement for social worlds.

Can I make my Roblox avatar look like me in real life?

Inside Roblox you can get close by picking a similar skin tone, hair and outfit in the Avatar tab. Roblox is testing a photo-to-avatar tool, but it's still in alpha. For a 3D figure that actually looks like you, a selfie-based maker like Bobble builds a bobblehead from your photo.

What is the best Roblox avatar maker?

Roblox's own Avatar editor, in the app or on roblox.com, is the only one that changes your real in-game avatar. Try-on experiences inside Roblox let you test Marketplace items before buying them. Outside apps can make pictures of Roblox-style characters, but they can't put items on your account.

Make your own Bobble

Snap a selfie and meet your 3D bobblehead in about 30 seconds. Free, and it will be waiting in the app on launch day.

Make my Bobble

Keep exploring

Apps like Zepeto3D avatar apps to dress up and hang out.Games like IMVUAvatar games and virtual worlds worth your time.Best apps for friendsFun apps to stay close with your crew.Apps like LocketFriend widgets for your home screen.Zenly alternativesSee what friends are up to, with or without a map.Ready Player Me alternativesWhere to go now that Ready Player Me is gone.

Sources

Your bobblehead in secondsMake my Bobble