Is augmented reality a good investment?

Augmented reality could be a good investment. It's a large and growing market opportunity. Many of the largest technology companies are actively investing in AR to capitalize on this growth trend. However, there aren't many pure-play AR companies, making it a smaller market opportunity than other major tech growth trends such as AI.

Who is the leader in augmented reality?

No single company has yet to emerge as the dominant leader in AR. Several companies are building leading AR businesses, including Meta Platforms, Apple, and Qualcomm.

Does AR have a future?

Yes, AR has a future. Companies like Meta Platforms see a bright future for combining AR and AI into glasses. The company has partnered with Ray-Ban to develop smart glasses that can provide an advanced AR experience in the real world.

How are AR stocks different from virtual reality (VR) stocks?

AR companies focus on augmenting the real world with digital displays and overlays that you can often view on your smartphone or tablet. VR stocks focus on fully immersive digital worlds and often require a specialized headset (e.g., Meta Quest or Apple Vision Pro).

Can AR stocks provide dividends?

Yes, some AR stocks can provide dividends (e.g., Apple, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia). However, yields on many AR stocks are low due to high valuations and low dividend payout ratios, as AR companies retain most of their earnings to reinvest in business growth.

7 Best Augmented Reality Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

By Matthew DiLallo – Updated Aug 17, 2026 at 3:57 PM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Statista projects that the AR market will grow to $62 billion by 2029.
Investors don't have any pure play AR investment options, leading them to look more broadly at tech companies.
Top companies like Meta, Alphabet, and Apple are leaders in AR innovation.

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Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market capMarket cap calculated using publicly traded shares outstanding only. Does not include unlisted, private, or dual-class non-traded shares. Implied market cap may vary.	Industry
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)	$1.5 trillion	Interactive Media and Services
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)	$4.2 trillion	Interactive Media and Services
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA)	$5.4 trillion	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)	$4.5 trillion	Technology Hardware, Storage and Peripherals
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)	$3.7 trillion	Software
Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM)	$174.1 billion	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Unity Software (NYSE:U)	$20.4 billion	Software

Data as of Aug 17, 2026. Showing 7 of 7 total entries.

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Here's a closer look at these top growth tech stocks focused on augmented reality.

1. Meta Platforms

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NASDAQ: META

Meta Platforms

Today's Change

(-3.54%) $-20.88

Current Price

$568.97

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1.5T

Day's Range

$564.75 - $590.24

52wk Range

$520.26 - $790.80

Volume

17.2M

Avg Vol

18.1M

Gross Margin

81.75%

Dividend Yield

0.36%

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Social media giant Meta Platforms (META -3.54%) has been investing heavily in building other technology platforms. The company's Reality Labs segment is developing augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) tools and services, including Oculus, Spark AR, and AI Glasses. The company is the biggest investor in the VR space and remains focused on making this business sustainable.

Meta Platforms has partnered with Ray-Ban to develop smart glasses technology. The glasses can take photos and videos, make calls, and livestream. With Meta AI, it can, for example, translate text in real time or tell you the history of a building you are looking at.

The company sees a massive opportunity for AI-powered AR glasses. CEO Mark Zuckerberg commented on the company's opportunity in glasses on its fourth quarter earnings conference call in early 2026:

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Billions of people wear glasses or contacts for vision correction. I think that we're at a moment similar to when smartphones arrived, and it was clearly only a matter of time until all those flip phones became smartphones. It's hard to imagine a world in several years where most glasses that people wear aren't AI glasses.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

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2. Alphabet

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NASDAQ: GOOG

Alphabet

Today's Change

(-0.61%) $-2.09

Current Price

$341.45

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$4.2T

Day's Range

$339.57 - $345.05

52wk Range

$197.46 - $404.47

Volume

12.6M

Avg Vol

22.3M

Gross Margin

60.94%

Dividend Yield

0.25%

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Alphabet (GOOG -0.61%) is the corporate umbrella company that holds the iconic Google search engine and YouTube online entertainment channel. The company also has several "other bets," including cybersecurity company Wiz and autonomous driving technology venture Waymo.

Google is using AR in various ways. For example, Live View on Google Maps allows users to quickly orient themselves and know which way to go via directions overlaid on the live view. Meanwhile, Google Lens allows users to search for what they see. They can scan and translate text, search for an item that caught their eye, or identify plants and animals. The company's AR technology is making it easier for people to discover the world around them.

Google is also developing AI-powered AR glasses. The company plans to launch its first intelligent eyewear products in the fall of 2026. They will feature Google's Gemini AI assistant and help wearers get directions, send texts, and take pictures. Future products will have more AR features.

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3. Apple

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NASDAQ: AAPL

Apple

Today's Change

(-0.11%) $-0.34

Current Price

$305.59

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$4.5T

Day's Range

$302.94 - $307.66

52wk Range

$223.78 - $344.57

Volume

38.1M

Avg Vol

56.2M

Gross Margin

48.65%

Dividend Yield

0.35%

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Apple (AAPL -0.11%) is a leader in developing technology to make life easier. It's increasingly using AR to enhance the physical world. Apple has the world's largest AR platform, with hundreds of millions of AR-enabled devices and thousands of AR apps available on its App Store. Users can download AR-enabled apps such as Snapchat (SNAP -4.25%), IKEA Kreativ, iScape, and others that enhance the physical world through an iPhone or iPad.

In addition, the company is exploring many ways to use virtual reality with AR. Apple is developing wearable computing technology. The company launched its first AR/VR product, Apple Vision Pro, in early 2024. The spatial computing product blends digital content with your physical space. The company plans to release a cheaper, lighter version (Vision Air) by 2028 or 2029.

Apple is also joining its fellow tech titans in trying to tap the massive potential market opportunity for smart glasses. It aims to launch its smart glasses by the end of 2027. Future glasses products could eventually integrate AR technologies to improve how people see.

4. Microsoft

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NASDAQ: MSFT

Microsoft

Today's Change

(-3.04%) $-15.05

Current Price

$480.35

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$3.7T

Day's Range

$478.41 - $492.66

52wk Range

$349.20 - $553.72

Volume

29.6M

Avg Vol

40.6M

Gross Margin

67.94%

Dividend Yield

0.72%

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Microsoft (MSFT -3.04%) is investing in leading-edge technologies like cloud computing, AI, and AR/VR. The company launched its first mixed-reality product, HoloLens, which overlays digital images in the physical world. The updated HoloLens 2 is a holographic device designed to help businesses improve accuracy and output. However, it has since discontinued those products. It also handed over its $22 billion U.S. Army AR headset program based on HoloLens to Anduril Industries in 2025, though it will provide cloud and AI capabilities for the program.

Microsoft is working on other aspects of AR, including AI, AR software, processing, lenses, and sensors to create even more immersive experiences for users. For example, it's also working on AR smart glasses featuring its co-pilot AI technology. The company sees lots of business uses for the technology, including training, support, and customer service across a range of industries.

5. Qualcomm

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NASDAQ: QCOM

Qualcomm

Today's Change

(-2.18%) $-3.61

Current Price

$162.18

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$174B

Day's Range

$161.45 - $166.34

52wk Range

$121.99 - $259.92

Volume

Avg Vol

17.9M

Gross Margin

54.23%

Dividend Yield

2.17%

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Qualcomm (QCOM -2.18%) is working to build the foundational technology needed to make AR a reality. This technological base includes immersive 3D graphics, computer vision, machine learning, intuitive security, and 5G technologies. The company's Snapdragon XR Platform is an end-to-end computing solution that can power the AR world.

In addition to developing AR technology, Qualcomm is investing in innovative AR start-ups. Qualcomm launched its $100 million Snapdragon Metaverse Fund to invest in extended reality (XR) technologies.

These investments are starting to pay some dividends. The company unveiled its Snapdragon AR1+ Gen 1 processor in 2025. The technology enables companies to install on-glass generative AI (Gen AI), creating what it calls the world's most advanced solution for AI smart glasses. Qualcomm believes smart glasses could eventually become as big as smartphones.

6. Nvidia

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NASDAQ: NVDA

Nvidia

Today's Change

(-0.07%) $-0.15

Current Price

$225.01

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$5.4T

Day's Range

$224.86 - $227.92

52wk Range

$164.07 - $236.54

Volume

93.4M

Avg Vol

146.6M

Gross Margin

74.15%

Dividend Yield

0.12%

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Nvidia (NVDA -0.07%) is also working on the technology needed to make VR a reality. For example, Nvidia CloudXR delivers VR and AR across 5G and Wi-Fi networks. It allows users to stream AR through devices without using wires.

Nvidia is also developing technology that incorporates AR into cars. The Nvidia Drive AR processor gathers information and displays it for a driver using AR. The system will show driving stats, points of interest, alerts, and other information.

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7. Unity Software

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NYSE: U

Unity Software

Today's Change

(-1.73%) $-0.80

Current Price

$45.45

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$20B

Day's Range

$45.02 - $46.68

52wk Range

$16.78 - $52.15

Volume

10M

Avg Vol

9.5M

Gross Margin

58.44%

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Unity (U -1.73%) develops a game engine for creating video games. Developers can use its platform to create 2D, 3D, VR, and AR video games and other applications for smartphones, PCs, tablets, and other devices.

The company has created an integrated platform that enables developers to bring immersive AR projects to life. Unity's solution combines a leading software development platform with purpose-built tools that allow creators to bring their vision to life. In 2026, Unity and Meta extended their multi-year partnership to support Meta's VR platform.

Unity Software's solutions go beyond gaming. For example, its technology can help transform healthcare systems by enhancing medical training and patient care through immersive XR technology.

How to invest in augmented reality stocks

Here's a step-by-step guide to adding augmented reality stocks to your portfolio:

Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments. If you don't have one yet, take a look at our favorite brokers and trading platforms to find the right one for you.
Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

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Benefits and risks of investing in augmented reality stocks

Augmented reality has both benefits and risks that investors should consider before buying stocks focused on the sector. Some of the pros of investing in augmented reality stocks include:

Growth potential: AR has the potential to be a large and growing market.
Enhances other technologies: Increased AR usage could drive additional growth for technologies such as video games, smart glasses, and e-commerce.
Exposure to other trends: Most leading AR companies also offer exposure to major tech growth trends, such as cloud computing and AI.

On the other hand, there are some cons to investing in AR stocks:

Few pure plays: Most of the early AR leaders are large technology companies with diversified businesses. As a result, there are limited AR investment opportunities.
A smaller market opportunity: While AR is a potentially multi-billion-dollar market, it's not as large as other major tech megatrends, such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, and AI.
Product flops: Tech companies have a spotty track record of launching AR products, with several flopping.

Methodology: How these stocks were chosen

There aren't any pure-play augmented reality stocks. As a result, I had to look more broadly at technology companies investing in AR. This group stood out as the best way for investors to gain some exposure to AR.

Should you invest in augmented reality stocks?

AR is increasingly becoming a vital part of our lives. It's helping to revolutionize retail by increasing consumer purchase intent and giving buyers the confidence to pay more for a product when they can view it in AR. Meanwhile, AI-driven AR solutions are making the technology even more immersive and accessible, further increasing engagement and conversion for companies that use it. That makes it a potentially compelling investment opportunity.

However, it's a smaller market opportunity compared to other major tech trends, and there aren't any pure-play augmented reality stocks. Given these factors, investors might consider buying a basket of AR companies to gain exposure to this trend.

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Investing in augmented reality stocks: FAQ

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About the Author

Matt DiLallo has been a contributing Motley Fool stock analyst specializing in the energy, industrials, and real estate sectors since 2012. He also covers dividend-paying stocks, pre-IPO companies, ETFs, and other investing topics. He holds an MBA from Liberty University.

TMFmd19

@MatthewDiLallo

Matt DiLallo has positions in Alphabet, Apple, and Meta Platforms and has the following options: short May 2026 $280 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Unity Software. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

7 Best Augmented Reality Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

Key Points

1. Meta Platforms

Key Data Points

2. Alphabet

Key Data Points

3. Apple

Key Data Points

4. Microsoft

Key Data Points

5. Qualcomm

Key Data Points

6. Nvidia

Key Data Points

7. Unity Software

Key Data Points

How to invest in augmented reality stocks

Benefits and risks of investing in augmented reality stocks

Methodology: How these stocks were chosen

Should you invest in augmented reality stocks?

Related investing topics

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Investing in augmented reality stocks: FAQ

About the Author

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Investing in augmented reality stocks: FAQ

Is augmented reality a good investment?

Who is the leader in augmented reality?

Does AR have a future?

How are AR stocks different from virtual reality (VR) stocks?

Can AR stocks provide dividends?

1. Meta Platforms

2. Alphabet

3. Apple

7. Unity Software

Benefits and risks of investing in augmented reality stocks

Methodology: How these stocks were chosen

Should you invest in augmented reality stocks?

Related investing topics

Seven top augmented reality stocks for 2026

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

4. Microsoft

5. Qualcomm

6. Nvidia

How to invest in augmented reality stocks