Game Development · head to head
Cocos2d-x vs PlayFab
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Cocos2d-x cocos2d-x is MIT licensed with no commercial tier, and the vendor's own site directs users toward its newer engine, Cocos Creator, as the actively developed product, leaving Cocos2d-x without a first-party paid support or upgrade path.; PlayFab a title in development mode can only have up to 1,000 lifetime player account creations
- They diverge on capability: Cocos2d-x covers 2D rendering, PlayFab covers Player authentication.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cocos2d-x and PlayFab actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Cocos2d-x
- 2D rendering
- Physics engine (Chipmunk)
- Particle effects
- Animation system
- Audio engine
- Touch input handling
- Tilemap support
- Sprite batching
Only in PlayFab
- Player authentication
- Data storage
- Analytics
- Multiplayer features
- Economy system
- Matchmaking
- Cloud saves
- Leaderboards
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Cocos2d-x
- Mobile game developmentnot PlayFab
- 2D gamesnot PlayFab
- Lightweight gamesnot PlayFab
- Cross-platform gamesnot PlayFab
PlayFab
- Backend as a service for live games, covering accounts, leaderboards and player datanot Cocos2d-x
- Hosting dedicated multiplayer game servers on Azurenot Cocos2d-x
- LiveOps, in-game economy and player segmentation for game studiosnot Cocos2d-x
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Cocos2d-x
- Cocos2d-x is MIT licensed with no commercial tier, and the vendor's own site directs users toward its newer engine, Cocos Creator, as the actively developed product, leaving Cocos2d-x without a first-party paid support or upgrade path.
PlayFab
- A title in development mode can only have up to 1,000 lifetime player account creations
- Multiplayer server costs are billed per VM compute hour on Azure virtual machines and vary by region and VM family
- Network egress is charged per GB and varies by zone, at $0.05 in Zone 1, $0.08 in Zone 2 and $0.20 in Zone 3
- Pricing is consumption based across a set of separate meters rather than a flat plan
- The vendor states prices are subject to change and that actual costs depend on the PlayFab plan and usage
Pricing, plan by plan
Cocos2d-x
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine source
- MIT License
- Community support
PlayFab
Free- FreeFree
- 100K monthly active users
- Basic API
- Player authentication
- Professional$100/month
- Unlimited MAU
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Cocos2d-x if
- You need 2d rendering.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
- You also want physics engine (chipmunk).
Choose PlayFab if
- You need player authentication.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cross-platform.
- You also want data storage.
Questions people ask
- Is Cocos2d-x or PlayFab better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cocos2d-x starts at Free and PlayFab at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cocos2d-x or PlayFab?
- Cocos2d-x starts at Free and PlayFab at Free.
- Does Cocos2d-x or PlayFab run on more platforms?
- Cocos2d-x runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. PlayFab runs on Cross-platform.
- Can I use Cocos2d-x for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Cocos2d-x best used for?
- Cocos2d-x is most often used for mobile game development, 2d games, lightweight games, cross-platform games. Of those, mobile game development and 2d games are not what PlayFab is typically brought in for.
- What can Cocos2d-x do that PlayFab cannot?
- Cocos2d-x covers 2D rendering, Physics engine (Chipmunk), Particle effects, Animation system. PlayFab covers Player authentication, Data storage, Analytics, Multiplayer features.