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Game Development · head to head

Defold vs Flax Engine

Defold logo

Defold

Game Development

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flax Engine logo

Flax Engine

Game Development

Modern 3D game engine with visual editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Flax Engine flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Flax Engine actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Flax Engine differ
AttributeDefoldFlax Engine
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox
Founded20052017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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 Defold

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

Only in Flax Engine

  • 3D graphics rendering
  • Visual editor
  • C# scripting
  • Audio system
  • Skeletal animation
  • Material system
  • Lighting system
  • C#

Both cover

  • Physics engine
  • Particle effects
  • Local deployment
  • Windows 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 Flax Engine
  • Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot Flax Engine
  • Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot Flax Engine

Flax Engine

  • Building 3D games in C# and C++ with full engine source accessnot Defold
  • Multi-platform deployment from one editornot Defold
  • Prototyping with the bundled Flax Samples projectsnot 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

Flax Engine

  • Flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
  • Free use is granted for non-commercial or educational usage; commercial releases fall under the royalty
  • Users must accept the Flax Engine End-User License Agreement before using the engine or its tools, so it is not an OSI open source licence despite the source being on GitHub
  • Non-game uses such as in-house tools or SaaS products need a custom licence negotiated with the vendor, and no rate card is published for per-seat or flat-fee options

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

Flax Engine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine
    • Visual editor
    • C# scripting

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 Flax Engine if

  • You need 3d graphics rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
  • You also want visual editor.
Flax Engine review

Questions people ask

Is Defold or Flax Engine better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and Flax Engine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Flax Engine?
Defold starts at Free and Flax Engine at Free.
Does Defold or Flax Engine run on more platforms?
Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Flax Engine runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
Can I use Defold for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Flax Engine is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that Flax Engine cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Sprite system, Sound management, Collection editor. Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Visual editor, C# scripting, Audio system. Both handle Physics engine, Particle effects, Local deployment, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Defold: How much does Defold cost?

Defold is completely free with no up-front cost, no licensing cost, no royalties, and no runtime fees. The game engine is free forever, supported by the Defold Foundation with source code available under a developer-friendly license.

Source
Flax Engine: How much does Flax Engine cost?

Flax Engine is free during development. Once you ship a game commercially, you pay a 4% royalty on earnings only if your quarterly revenue exceeds $250,000 in a calendar quarter. Below that threshold, there is no royalty charge.

Source
Defold: Is Defold free to use commercially?

Yes, Defold is free forever with no royalties or revenue sharing required. Developers can create and monetize commercial games without any fees to Defold.

Source
Flax Engine: Is Flax Engine free for educational and uncommercial projects?

Yes. Flax Engine is free for uncommercial or educational usage. You only pay royalties when you release a commercial product that exceeds the $250,000 quarterly earnings threshold.

Source
Flax Engine: Do all Flax Engine users get access to the same features?

Yes. There is one version of Flax Engine. All users get full engine access with all features, supported platforms, complete editor source code on GitHub, sample projects, and free deployment to all supported platforms.

Source
Flax Engine: Does Flax Engine offer custom licensing options?

Yes. For non-game industries or specific needs, Flax Engine offers custom licensing including per-seat licensing (monthly or yearly) or flat fees per project, with pricing based on team size and product use case.

Source
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