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Defold vs Clickteam Fusion

Defold logo

Defold

Software

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

Clickteam Fusion

Software

Professional visual game development software

From
$99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Defold has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Defold the Defold License requires you to include the Defold license and copyright notice in any work you create with the engine; Clickteam Fusion listed on Steam, the vendor's own storefront, at $99.99 for a perpetual licence of Clickteam Fusion 2.5, published directly by Clickteam
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, Clickteam Fusion covers Visual event system.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Clickteam Fusion actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Clickteam Fusion differ
AttributeDefoldClickteam Fusion
Starting priceFree$99/one-time
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20051996

Identical on both: platforms (Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web), 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 Defold

  • Lua scripting
  • Sprite system
  • Particle effects
  • Sound management
  • Collection editor
  • Mobile optimization
  • Lightweight
  • Visual Studio Code

Only in Clickteam Fusion

  • Visual event system
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Sound and music
  • Sprite animation
  • Extensions support
  • Multi-core support
  • Fast compiler
  • Steam

Both cover

  • Physics engine
  • Local deployment
  • Mobile deployment
  • Web deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Defold

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

Clickteam Fusion

  • 2D game developmentnot Defold
  • Professional gamesnot Defold
  • Cross-platform developmentnot Defold

Where each one falls short

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

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

Clickteam Fusion

  • Listed on Steam, the vendor's own storefront, at $99.99 for a perpetual licence of Clickteam Fusion 2.5, published directly by Clickteam

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

Clickteam Fusion

$99/one-time
  • Standard$99/one-time
    • Visual event editor
    • Desktop export
    • HTML5 export
  • Premium$199/one-time
    • All Standard features
    • Android export
    • iOS export

Which should you pick?

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 sprite system.
Defold review

Choose Clickteam Fusion if

  • You need visual event system.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want drag-and-drop interface.
Clickteam Fusion review

Questions people ask

Is Defold or Clickteam Fusion better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and Clickteam Fusion at $99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Clickteam Fusion?
Defold has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Defold and $99/one-time for Clickteam Fusion.
Does Defold or Clickteam Fusion run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Defold for free?
Yes. Defold has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clickteam Fusion starts at $99/one-time.
What is Defold best used for?
Defold is most often used for building 2d games for mobile, desktop, web and console from a single project, shipping small-footprint html5 games, teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on games. Of those, building 2d games for mobile, desktop, web and console from a single project and shipping small-footprint html5 games are not what Clickteam Fusion is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that Clickteam Fusion cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Sprite system, Particle effects, Sound management. Clickteam Fusion covers Visual event system, Drag-and-drop interface, Sound and music, Sprite animation. Both handle Physics engine, Local deployment, Mobile deployment, Web deployment.
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