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Mudbox vs Defold

Mudbox logo

Mudbox

Software

Digital painting and sculpting software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Defold logo

Defold

Software

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Defold has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mudbox a Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023); Defold the Defold License requires you to include the Defold license and copyright notice in any work you create with the engine
  • They diverge on capability: Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, Defold covers Lua scripting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mudbox and Defold actually diverge.

Attributes where Mudbox and Defold differ
AttributeMudboxDefold
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
Founded19822005

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

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 Mudbox

  • Digital sculpting
  • Texture painting
  • Retopology
  • PTEX support
  • Layer system
  • Stencils
  • Stamps
  • GPU tessellation

Only in Defold

  • Lua scripting
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite system
  • Particle effects
  • Sound management
  • Collection editor
  • Mobile optimization
  • Lightweight

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Mudbox

  • Character sculptingnot Defold
  • Texture creationnot Defold
  • Asset detailingnot Defold

Defold

  • Building 2D games for mobile, desktop, web and console from a single projectnot Mudbox
  • Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot Mudbox
  • Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot Mudbox

Where each one falls short

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

Mudbox

  • A Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)
  • Sold as monthly, annual or 3-year subscription terms with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)

Defold

  • The Defold License requires you to include the Defold license and copyright notice in any work you create with the engine
  • The licence forbids commercialising original or modified versions of the Defold editor or engine itself
  • Significant changes made to the Defold source must be documented under the licence terms

Pricing, plan by plan

Mudbox

$29/month
  • Mudbox$85/month
    • Full sculpting
    • Texture painting
  • M&E Collection$2390/month
    • Mudbox + Maya + 3ds Max + more

Defold

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • Lua scripting
    • Physics engine

Which should you pick?

Choose Mudbox if

  • You need digital sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want texture painting.
Mudbox review

Choose Defold if

  • You need lua scripting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want physics engine.
Defold review

Questions people ask

Is Mudbox or Defold better?
Neither clearly leads. Mudbox starts at $29/month and Defold at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mudbox or Defold?
Defold has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Mudbox and Free for Defold.
Does Mudbox or Defold run on more platforms?
Mudbox runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Defold for free?
Yes. Defold has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mudbox starts at $29/month.
What is Mudbox best used for?
Mudbox is most often used for character sculpting, texture creation, asset detailing. Of those, character sculpting and texture creation are not what Defold is typically brought in for.
What can Mudbox do that Defold cannot?
Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, Texture painting, Retopology, PTEX support. Defold covers Lua scripting, Physics engine, Sprite system, Particle effects. Both handle Windows support, Linux support.
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