Softwr

Game Development · head to head

Defold vs Plasticity

Defold logo

Defold

Game Development

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Plasticity logo

Plasticity

3D & CAD

CAD for artists

From
On request
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; Plasticity limited plugin ecosystem compared to Rhino; fewer third-party extensions available
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, Plasticity covers Smooth surface modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Plasticity actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Plasticity differ
AttributeDefoldPlasticity
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, macOS, Linux, Ubuntu
CategoryGame Development3D & CAD
Founded20052023

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 Defold

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

Only in Plasticity

  • Smooth surface modeling
  • Fillet operations
  • Boolean operations
  • Mesh export
  • Fast workflow
  • Artist-friendly
  • Blender
  • Game engines

Both cover

  • 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 Plasticity
  • Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot Plasticity
  • Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot Plasticity

Plasticity

  • Concept designnot Defold
  • Hard surface modelingnot 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

Plasticity

  • Limited plugin ecosystem compared to Rhino; fewer third-party extensions available
  • Young product with shorter track record; fewer industry case studies and community resources
  • No parametric history tree; may require different workflow for some users accustomed to feature-based modeling
  • Premium pricing for Indie users despite being positioned as affordable alternative

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

Plasticity

On request
  • Indie$149/one-time

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 physics engine.
Defold review

Choose Plasticity if

  • You need smooth surface modeling.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Ubuntu.
  • You also want fillet operations.
Plasticity review

Questions people ask

Is Defold or Plasticity better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and Plasticity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Plasticity?
Defold has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Defold and On request for Plasticity.
Does Defold or Plasticity run on more platforms?
Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Plasticity runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Ubuntu.
Can I use Defold for free?
Yes. Defold has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Plasticity starts at On request.
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 Plasticity is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that Plasticity cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Physics engine, Sprite system, Particle effects. Plasticity covers Smooth surface modeling, Fillet operations, Boolean operations, Mesh export. Both handle Windows support, Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plasticity: What is Plasticity designed for?

Plasticity is a NURBS-based 3D modeler designed for concept and product design, prioritizing an artist-friendly workflow over parametric history-based modeling.

Source
Plasticity: What platforms does Plasticity support?

Plasticity runs on Windows, macOS (Intel and M-Series), Linux, and Ubuntu using Parasolid's geometric modeling kernel.

Source
Plasticity: What is the pricing model for Plasticity?

Plasticity is a one-time purchase: Indie tier costs $149 and Studio tier is available at a higher price point. A 30-day free trial is available.

Source
Plasticity: Does Plasticity integrate with Blender?

Yes. Plasticity includes a Blender Bridge add-on that enables live-linking between Plasticity and Blender, allowing you to preview Plasticity models inside Blender with proper materials and lighting.

Source
Plasticity: What key features distinguish Plasticity from other CAD tools?

Plasticity features streamlined UI with context-sensitive widgets, chordal fillets, key bindings familiar to Blender users, radial menus, Dimension and Measure commands for absolute constraints, and handles complex Boolean operations on dense geometry.

Source
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