Avatar Marketplace FAQ for Sellers

Official Official Notes
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Hello!

This post is an FAQ targeted at creators interested in the Avatar Marketplace. While you might find some “general” questions/answers here, keep in mind it’ll be creator-focused!

For more general information, check out the other post here!

Feel free to ask your questions – we’ll try to answer them as we can. Likewise, we’ll keep this post updated as we do.

(Also, check out this video on how the Creator Economy works.)

How the Marketplace Works

Q: Why can’t you download source files from the Avatar Marketplace?

A: There are a few reasons why we decided to take this route. The short version, though, is that we felt it would be a better experience for both users and creators.

For users, we felt that the best experience was one where they instantly had access to an avatar. No extra steps, no worrying about backups, no worrying about learning new software – just an avatar they can instantly use.

For creators, one of the constant pieces of feedback we heard was how overburdened they felt in supporting users unfamiliar with the tools needed to upload (or customize) their avatar.

This method reduces that burden, allowing them to spend more time creating and less time filtering through Discord messages.

It also increases file security. While we do not – and cannot – promise an impenetrable system, it does slightly mitigate risk compared to alternative methods.

Q: Can I grant source file access to buyers who have purchased my avatar on VRChat?

A: Yes, but be aware that VRChat does not officially support this. Choosing to share source files off-platform significantly increases the risk that your content may be pirated.

Q: Where will purchased avatars be available in the UI? (ex: New section that isn’t Uploaded, Favorites, or Other?)

A: In the “My Avatars” section of the Avatars Tab, under the “Purchased” category.

Q: Will purchased avatars be unable to be cloned/made Public?

A: Purchased avatars cannot be made public, and they cannot be cloned unless the person cloning has also purchased that avatar.

Q: Can I upload avatars I’m currently selling in other marketplaces?

A: Yes. We do not require exclusivity. Likewise, you are free to upload avatars you’ve previously published on other platforms.

Q: How can I share my avatar listings outside of VRChat (ex: social media)?

A: You can share links to your avatar’s page on VRChat.com, but at launch, users will need to make purchases through the client.

Application Process

Q: I’m an avatar creator! How can I join the marketplace? What are the requirements?

A: Check out the application form! It explains the requirements and how to join. Please remember that we’re still working on the marketplace, so we can only accept a limited number of applicants. We appreciate your interest!

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Nice, Now I can watch most creators private their public avatars only to make them public on the marketplace so you have to pay for them.

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What will this mean for nsfw avatars?

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Yeah, I’m not sure if this is the best idea. I like the idea of finding a cool avatar out in the wild for free more than going to a shop menu and paying $10 for one.

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Will you be allowing people to sell avatars with NSFW features?

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Not totally against this, but the most immediate question that comes to mind is: What happens if the avatar uploader deletes their account or gets banned? Do purchasers lose access to the content they paid for?

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To piggyback on this, what if someone sells an avatar that gets a copyright claim on it and has to be removed. Do the buyers get a refund?

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How does this work for buying clothes and accessories for your avatar? Can you just buy them and put them on like second life?

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Will creators be able to list avatars for free on the Marketplace? And if so, will those avatars be cloneable like public avatars are currently?

Will we be able to update our avatars post-purchase (e.g., fixes, improvements)?

Can we offer different variants (e.g., performance levels, styles) of the same avatar as part of a single listing?

Will users be able to gift avatars or buy them for others?

Will creators be able to remove avatars from the Marketplace after listing them? And if they do, will buyers still retain access to the avatars they’ve purchased?

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I don’t see why we couldn’t have optional source file downloads (with a required instant availability upload).

One of the biggest things about buying an avatar for me has always been being able to customize it to add things that don’t often get added to avatars (FitOSC support, VRCLens, face tracking, haptics support) - or being able to customize outfits (removing stuff I don’t need for optimization sake).

This seems designed explicitly to discourage creativity from customers, and that’s really disappointing to see. Even the wording here seems to be discouraging creators from providing source files externally - it seems like VRC wants to be a closed ecosystem and wants to dry out that fountain of creativity at the source.

EDIT: Also the recent change in Creator Guidelines:

Haï~ on X: “Sometime between the 6th of April 2025 and now, the VRChat Creator Guidelines was updated: “Do not create or use software, scripts, or applications that upload content such as worlds, avatars, or other similar asset types on a user’s behalf, whether server-hosted or client-run.” https://t.co/SLy63aihe1” / X

Seems to indicate that tools like VRCFury or Vixen, which do automatic non-destructive workflow editing, will be banned. It seems the intent is to destroy the creator community.

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Are there any provisions for ‘co-authoring’ avatars that are heavy edits of someone else’s work? A way to split the payment of the ‘purchase’ to multi creators? Along with edits, this will also apply to prefabs or other systems that do not offer unlimited licenses. To name a specific case, the KhnFuCat is a very heavy edit of Tosca’s Cat Redux that still requires the purchase of the original base; however it is by no means that avatar anymore. If there is no provision for allowing co-ops there are very talented and wonderful creators that are just unable to use this system entierly.

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For the purpose of VRC’s Creator Guidelines, are avatars listed on the Avatar Marketplace always considered “public”?

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In the case of providing source files, (which I’m very disappointed now I’ll have the burden thrown onto me for that) what ways will creators have to confirm a user has purchased an avatar on VRChat?

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I understand the added simplicity of not providing source files on the marketplace but it does feel like a big missed opportunity, especially with vrchat not having any in-game customisation tools currently (unless a creator manually adds toggles, which would make the avatar very poor).
Making it easier to get avatars for people who can’t access Unity is great, but this feature seems pretty useless for everyone else, especially since avatar search worlds already exist. The avatar testing feature seems nice for discoverability, but I know I personally won’t be buying anything through vrchat if I know I can’t edit the avatar at all or use the model on other platforms. I hope this get reconsidered, or perhaps some kind of customisation system is being looked at for the future.
There could even be a good opportunity for creators to sell a cheaper version of their avatar with no source files, and an optional add-on payment that gives you access to the files to customise.

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So, I get the two points about not sharing source files.

However, as many have experienced with “buying” digital media, movies most commonly, history has shown issues of “bought” content being taken down, and those who bought X item is no longer able to access it.

Sony has done it on Playstation, because the owners of select movies decided to take the movies off Sony’s store. Anyone who paid full price (same price as the physical copy), were left without.

Amazon has done the same.

Now I know in both scenarios one thing can be done differently. The buyer can go out of their way to find a copy they can “own” in their hands (at least, so to speak).

If I may suggest a middle ground that would make everyone happy? Two ideas…someone would have to fill in the technical gaps, but otherwise possible.

  1. A digital code they can redeem elsewhere, to grant them the option to download a copy of the avatar, while still getting it easily within the game. That way, in the event the avatar is taken down for any reason, the buyer had/has the option to obtain their bought copy for their own use. Even adjust said avatar to meet requirements, if the original was no longer following them.
  2. Creators can link back to their own store page (Jinxxy, Payhip, etc.), granting users the option to pick between buying on the marketplace, or own a copy they downloaded. Personally if I had the skills to make an avatar, I’d sell a Marketplace version for half what I’d sell a downloadable version.

Lastly, not so much related above…
Creators who do re-textures or swap props. Many base-avatar creators don’t want their base avatar sold by others, even if there’s been significant changes. Split the sales between the OG avatar creator and the creator(s) of the changed assets?

As I think about it… able to see any all avatar variations of a base avatar would benefit creators a lot.

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Does VRCFury have any function that uploads an avatar for you? All the stuff I’ve done with it, you the user still need to be the one uploading the avatar.

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Will users be allowed to message the creator at a later time for the files if they wish to customize it themselves if the creators agree?

Is there there timed exclusivity for the avatar for a year, or is it permanent?

If a model creator releases a model for free on the marketplace, will be required for exclusivity?

If the avatar is broken, who maintains the avatar?

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The way the avatars are built and uploaded currently would not allow for that.