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Defold vs Houdini

Defold logo

Defold

Software

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Houdini logo

Houdini

Software

Procedural 3D animation and VFX

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; Houdini houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, Houdini covers Procedural modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Houdini actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Houdini differ
AttributeDefoldHoudini
Pricing modelfreesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, MacOS, Linux
Founded20051987

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

Only in Houdini

  • Procedural modeling
  • VFX
  • Simulations
  • Particle systems
  • Pyro FX
  • Ocean tools
  • Rigging
  • Rendering

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

Houdini

  • Procedural 3D modelling and environment generationnot Defold
  • Visual effects simulation for pyro, fluids, cloth and rigid bodiesnot Defold
  • Building reusable procedural assets for a studio pipelinenot 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

Houdini

  • Houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • Houdini Indie cannot be used in the same pipeline as commercial versions of Houdini
  • Houdini Indie and Apprentice save to their own .hipnc file format, which commercial Houdini pipelines do not share
  • The free Apprentice edition is non commercial, caps render resolution at 1920x1080 and watermarks output images
  • Houdini Indie ships with only 2 render tokens
  • Full DOP level simulation node access requires Houdini FX at $4,495 per workstation; Core at $1,995 exposes only SOP level pre built simulation assets
  • Extra render tokens cost $195

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

Houdini

Free
  • ApprenticeFree
    • Learning version
    • Non-commercial
  • Indie$269/month
    • Revenue limit $100K
  • Core$1995/month
    • Full commercial
  • FX$4495/month
    • Full + simulations

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 Houdini if

  • You need procedural modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want vfx.
Houdini review

Questions people ask

Is Defold or Houdini better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and Houdini at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Houdini?
Defold starts at Free and Houdini at Free.
Does Defold or Houdini run on more platforms?
Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Houdini runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
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 Houdini is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that Houdini cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Physics engine, Sprite system, Particle effects. Houdini covers Procedural modeling, VFX, Simulations, Particle systems. Both handle Windows support, Linux support.
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