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Corona Renderer vs Defold

Corona Renderer logo

Corona Renderer

3D & CAD

Modern high-performance rendering

From
$414/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Defold logo

Defold

Game Development

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: Corona Renderer plugs into 3ds Max and Cinema 4D only, so it is not available for Blender, Maya or standalone use; 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: Corona Renderer covers Unbiased rendering, Defold covers Lua scripting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corona Renderer and Defold actually diverge.

Attributes where Corona Renderer and Defold differ
AttributeCorona RendererDefold
Starting price$414/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOSWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
Category3D & CADGame Development
Founded20092005

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

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 Corona Renderer

  • Unbiased rendering
  • Interactive rendering
  • LightMix
  • Scatter
  • Materials
  • 3ds Max
  • Cinema 4D
  • License management

Only in Defold

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

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Corona Renderer

  • Photorealistic architectural visualisation rendersnot Defold
  • Interior and exterior stills from 3ds Maxnot Defold
  • Motion graphics rendering from Cinema 4Dnot Defold
  • Rendering with minimal setup thanks to defaults tuned for archviznot Defold

Defold

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

Where each one falls short

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

Corona Renderer

  • Plugs into 3ds Max and Cinema 4D only, so it is not available for Blender, Maya or standalone use
  • Sold by subscription rather than perpetual licence, from $414 a year for Corona Solo
  • Asset library access is metered by tier, at 15,000 assets on Solo against 18,500 on Premium
  • AI credits are capped monthly, at 100 on Solo and 500 on Premium
  • Real-time ray tracing through Vantage requires the Corona Collection tier at $994.80 a year

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

Corona Renderer

$414/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Corona Renderer review.

Defold

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Corona Renderer if

  • You need unbiased rendering.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want interactive rendering.
Corona Renderer 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 Corona Renderer or Defold better?
Neither clearly leads. Corona Renderer starts at $414/year and Defold at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Corona Renderer or Defold?
Defold has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $414/year for Corona Renderer and Free for Defold.
Does Corona Renderer or Defold run on more platforms?
Corona Renderer runs on Windows, macOS. 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. Corona Renderer starts at $414/year.
What is Corona Renderer best used for?
Corona Renderer is most often used for photorealistic architectural visualisation renders, interior and exterior stills from 3ds max, motion graphics rendering from cinema 4d, rendering with minimal setup thanks to defaults tuned for archviz. Of those, photorealistic architectural visualisation renders and interior and exterior stills from 3ds max are not what Defold is typically brought in for.
What can Corona Renderer do that Defold cannot?
Corona Renderer covers Unbiased rendering, Interactive rendering, LightMix, Scatter. Defold covers Lua scripting, Physics engine, Sprite system, Particle effects. Both handle Windows support.
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