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Game Development · head to head

Aseprite vs Construct 3

Aseprite logo

Aseprite

Game Development

Animated sprite editor and pixel art tool

From
$19.99/once
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Construct 3 logo

Construct 3

Game Development

Create games without coding. Powered by the Scirra engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Construct 3 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aseprite a one-off purchase with no free tier, only a trial; Construct 3 the free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account
  • They diverge on capability: Aseprite covers Pixel art tools, Construct 3 covers Visual event system.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aseprite and Construct 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Aseprite and Construct 3 differ
AttributeAsepriteConstruct 3
Starting price$19.99/onceFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, LinuxWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
Founded20012007

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Game Development).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aseprite

  • Pixel art tools
  • Animation timeline
  • Onion skinning
  • Layers
  • Tilemap editor
  • Color palettes
  • Sprite sheets
  • Scripting (Lua)

Only in Construct 3

  • Visual event system
  • Drag-and-drop editor
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite editor
  • Particle effects
  • Sound effects
  • Web-based
  • HTML5 support

Both cover

  • Local deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aseprite

  • Pixel art creation for gamesnot Construct 3
  • Frame-by-frame sprite animationnot Construct 3
  • Exporting sprite sheets and GIFsnot Construct 3
  • Scripting repetitive export tasks through the command linenot Construct 3

Construct 3

  • Building 2D browser games without writing codenot Aseprite
  • Publishing HTML5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one projectnot Aseprite

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aseprite

  • A one-off purchase with no free tier, only a trial
  • Deliberately narrow: a pixel art and sprite animation editor rather than a general image editor
  • The site does not state supported platforms or licence terms, which are on GitHub instead

Construct 3

  • The free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account
  • Free projects are limited to 2 layers, 2 special effects, 1 timeline animation of up to 5 seconds and 1 web font
  • The free version can only publish to HTML5 and the Construct Arcade, so desktop, Android, iOS and Facebook Instant Games all need a paid plan
  • Licences are per seat and annual, at $129.99 for Personal, $168.99 for Startup Business and $468.99 for Business

Pricing, plan by plan

Aseprite

$19.99/once
  • License$19.99/once
    • Full feature set
    • Free updates
    • Commercial use

Construct 3

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Web-based editor
    • HTML5 export
    • Asset library
  • Personal$99/year
    • All Free features
    • Offline editor
    • Advanced export

Which should you pick?

Choose Aseprite if

  • You need pixel art tools.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want animation timeline.
Aseprite review

Choose Construct 3 if

  • You need visual event system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want drag-and-drop editor.
Construct 3 review

Questions people ask

Is Aseprite or Construct 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Aseprite starts at $19.99/once and Construct 3 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aseprite or Construct 3?
Construct 3 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19.99/once for Aseprite and Free for Construct 3.
Does Aseprite or Construct 3 run on more platforms?
Aseprite runs on Windows, Macos, Linux. Construct 3 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Construct 3 for free?
Yes. Construct 3 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aseprite starts at $19.99/once.
What is Aseprite best used for?
Aseprite is most often used for pixel art creation for games, frame-by-frame sprite animation, exporting sprite sheets and gifs, scripting repetitive export tasks through the command line. Of those, pixel art creation for games and frame-by-frame sprite animation are not what Construct 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Aseprite do that Construct 3 cannot?
Aseprite covers Pixel art tools, Animation timeline, Onion skinning, Layers. Construct 3 covers Visual event system, Drag-and-drop editor, Physics engine, Sprite editor. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support, Macos support, Linux support.
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