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Defold vs Stencyl

Defold logo

Defold

Software

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stencyl logo

Stencyl

Software

Create games with visual programming

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; Stencyl the free Starter tier can publish to the web only
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, Stencyl covers Visual block programming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Stencyl actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Stencyl differ
AttributeDefoldStencyl
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash
Founded20052011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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
  • Bob build system

Only in Stencyl

  • Visual block programming
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Sprite animation
  • Sound and music
  • Tilemap editor
  • Actor system
  • Haxe support
  • Dropbox

Both cover

  • Physics engine
  • Visual Studio Code
  • 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 Stencyl
  • Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot Stencyl
  • Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot Stencyl

Stencyl

  • Building 2D games with visual block based logicnot Defold
  • Publishing the same project to web, desktop and mobilenot 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

Stencyl

  • The free Starter tier can publish to the web only
  • Desktop publishing requires the Indie plan at $99 a year
  • iOS and Android publishing require the Studio plan at $199 a year
  • Licences are annual, so continuing to publish means continuing to pay

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

Stencyl

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor access
    • Desktop export
    • Mobile export

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 Stencyl if

  • You need visual block programming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash.
  • You also want drag-and-drop interface.
Stencyl review

Questions people ask

Is Defold or Stencyl better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and Stencyl at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Stencyl?
Defold starts at Free and Stencyl at Free.
Does Defold or Stencyl run on more platforms?
Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Stencyl runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash.
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 Stencyl is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that Stencyl cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Sprite system, Particle effects, Sound management. Stencyl covers Visual block programming, Drag-and-drop interface, Sprite animation, Sound and music. Both handle Physics engine, Visual Studio Code, GitHub, Local deployment.
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