Software · head to head
Defold vs PlayCanvas
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; PlayCanvas private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects
- They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Defold and PlayCanvas actually diverge.
| Attribute | Defold | PlayCanvas |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | freemium |
| Platforms | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2005 | 2013 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 PlayCanvas
- Cloud-based editor
- Real-time collaboration
- WebGL rendering
- Visual scripting
- Asset library
- Version control
- Instant deployment
- Slack
Both cover
- Physics engine
- GitHub
- Web deployment
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 PlayCanvas
- Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot PlayCanvas
- Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot PlayCanvas
PlayCanvas
- Building WebGL games and interactive 3D that run in a browsernot Defold
- Browser based collaborative 3D editing across a teamnot Defold
- Web AR and VR experiences, product configurators and playable adsnot 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
PlayCanvas
- Private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects
- The Free plan is capped at 1GB of storage, Personal at 10GB and Organization at 50GB
- Personal costs $15 per month and Organization costs $50 per seat per month
- Team management is only available on the Organization plan
- Private projects become locked and inaccessible if the subscription is cancelled, unless they are made public
- There is no formal educational discount
- There is no self serve trial of the Personal or Organization plan; an upgrade code must be requested from sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Defold
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Lua scripting
- Physics engine
PlayCanvas
Free- FreeFree
- Cloud editor
- WebGL export
- Community projects
- Pro$19/month
- Private projects
- Advanced features
- Priority support
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.
Choose PlayCanvas if
- You need cloud-based editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want real-time collaboration.
Questions people ask
- Is Defold or PlayCanvas better?
- Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and PlayCanvas at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Defold or PlayCanvas?
- Defold starts at Free and PlayCanvas at Free.
- Does Defold or PlayCanvas run on more platforms?
- Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. PlayCanvas runs on Web, Mobile.
- 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 PlayCanvas is typically brought in for.
- What can Defold do that PlayCanvas cannot?
- Defold covers Lua scripting, Sprite system, Particle effects, Sound management. PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Real-time collaboration, WebGL rendering, Visual scripting. Both handle Physics engine, GitHub, Web deployment.