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Game Development · head to head

Defold vs GDevelop

Defold logo

Defold

Game Development

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Game Development

Create games without coding

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; GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, GDevelop covers Visual event editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and GDevelop actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and GDevelop differ
AttributeDefoldGDevelop
Founded20052010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web), 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
  • Bob build system

Only in GDevelop

  • Visual event editor
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Sprite editor
  • Sound editor
  • Scene editor
  • Extensions support
  • Firebase
  • Discord

Both cover

  • Physics engine
  • Particle effects
  • GitHub
  • Local deployment
  • Mobile deployment
  • Web deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Linux support
  • Ios support
  • Android 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 GDevelop
  • Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot GDevelop
  • Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot GDevelop

GDevelop

  • Building 2D games with visual event logic rather than codenot Defold
  • Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot 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

GDevelop

  • The free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day
  • Free accounts get one leaderboard per game
  • Publishing to the iOS App Store requires the Gold plan, which caps those exports at 15 a month
  • AI credits are metered per tier, from 40 a month on free to 3,000 a week on Pro

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

GDevelop

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • Cross-platform export
    • Asset library

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 GDevelop if

  • You need visual event editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want drag-and-drop interface.
GDevelop review

Questions people ask

Is Defold or GDevelop better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and GDevelop at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or GDevelop?
Defold starts at Free and GDevelop at Free.
Does Defold or GDevelop 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?
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 GDevelop is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that GDevelop cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Sprite system, Sound management, Collection editor. GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Sprite editor, Sound editor. Both handle Physics engine, Particle effects, GitHub, Local deployment.

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
GDevelop: How much does GDevelop cost?

GDevelop offers a free plan. Silver, Gold, and Pro tiers are available with monthly and yearly billing options that provide up to 40% savings for annual commitment, but specific prices are not displayed on their website.

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
GDevelop: What does GDevelop's free plan include?

The free plan includes a fully featured, open-source game engine with 3 cloud projects, 40 free AI credits per month, and limited publishing of 1 per day for desktop and Android.

Source
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