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Game Development · head to head

Construct 3 vs Perforce Helix Core

Construct 3 logo

Construct 3

Game Development

Create games without coding. Powered by the Scirra engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Perforce Helix Core logo

Perforce Helix Core

Game Development

Centralised version control for multi-terabyte binary game projects

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Construct 3 the free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account; Perforce Helix Core the free tier covers only a handful of users, which maps badly onto how the product is actually used, because asset version control is needed by the whole studio, artists and audio staff included, not by the engineers alone.
  • They diverge on capability: Construct 3 covers Visual event system, Perforce Helix Core covers Exclusive checkout.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Construct 3 and Perforce Helix Core actually diverge.

Attributes where Construct 3 and Perforce Helix Core differ
AttributeConstruct 3Perforce Helix Core
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded2007Unknown

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 Construct 3

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

Only in Perforce Helix Core

  • Exclusive checkout
  • Very large depots
  • Streams branching
  • Proxies and edge servers
  • Unreal and Unity integration
  • Fine grained permissions

What people use each for

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

Construct 3

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

Perforce Helix Core

  • A studio where artists and designers version hundreds of gigabytes of uncompressed assetsnot Construct 3
  • Unreal Engine projects that want the engine to talk to source control directlynot Construct 3
  • Console development where platform holders and publishers expect an auditable centralised depotnot Construct 3
  • Distributed teams with outsourcing partners who need path-level access to part of the project onlynot Construct 3

Where each one falls short

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

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

Perforce Helix Core

  • The free tier covers only a handful of users, which maps badly onto how the product is actually used, because asset version control is needed by the whole studio, artists and audio staff included, not by the engineers alone.
  • Beyond the free tier pricing is quoted per seat and renewed annually, and it does not scale down for contractors or outsourcing partners who touch the depot for a single milestone and still consume a full licence.
  • It is centralised, so when the server or the connection to it is unavailable, work stops for everyone; edge servers reduce this but add another system to run.
  • Administration is a genuine role. Depot layout, streams, protections, proxies, checkpoints and backups all need someone who knows Perforce, and that person is expensive and hard to replace.
  • Exclusive checkout prevents merge conflicts on binaries but blocks colleagues outright; a file locked by someone on leave needs administrator intervention, which turns a holiday into a production stoppage.

Pricing, plan by plan

Construct 3

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

Perforce Helix Core

Free
  • Helix Core$undefined/year
    • Free for a small number of users and workspaces, intended for evaluation and very small teams
    • Beyond that, per user licensing quoted annually by Perforce sales
    • Cloud-hosted and self-managed deployments both available

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Perforce Helix Core if

  • You need exclusive checkout.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want very large depots.
Perforce Helix Core review

Questions people ask

Is Construct 3 or Perforce Helix Core better?
Neither clearly leads. Construct 3 starts at Free and Perforce Helix Core at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Construct 3 or Perforce Helix Core?
Construct 3 starts at Free and Perforce Helix Core at Free.
Does Construct 3 or Perforce Helix Core run on more platforms?
Construct 3 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Perforce Helix Core runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Construct 3 for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Construct 3 best used for?
Construct 3 is most often used for building 2d browser games without writing code, publishing html5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one project. Of those, building 2d browser games without writing code and publishing html5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one project are not what Perforce Helix Core is typically brought in for.
What can Construct 3 do that Perforce Helix Core cannot?
Construct 3 covers Visual event system, Drag-and-drop editor, Physics engine, Sprite editor. Perforce Helix Core covers Exclusive checkout, Very large depots, Streams branching, Proxies and edge servers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Perforce Helix Core: Why not just use Git with LFS?

Git assumes text files that merge and a full local history. Game projects have terabytes of unmergeable binaries. LFS handles the size but not the locking or the clone time, which is why studios past a certain size move to Perforce.

Perforce Helix Core: How much does it cost?

Perforce does not publish prices. It is free for a small number of users and workspaces, after which licensing is quoted per user annually and depends on volume and support level.

Perforce Helix Core: Can programmers keep working in Git?

Partly. Helix4Git bridges Git repositories into the Helix Core depot, but it is another component to run and does not remove the difference in workflow between the two systems.

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