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Defold vs Toon Boom Harmony

Defold logo

Defold

Software

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toon Boom Harmony logo

Toon Boom Harmony

Software

Creating worlds of Animation

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; Toon Boom Harmony licensing is subscription only across Essentials, Advanced and Premium tiers, with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Toon Boom Harmony actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Toon Boom Harmony differ
AttributeDefoldToon Boom Harmony
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreeone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWeb
Founded2005Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Toon Boom Harmony

Nothing recorded that Defold does not also cover.

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

Toon Boom Harmony

No use cases recorded yet. See the Toon Boom Harmony review.

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

Toon Boom Harmony

  • Licensing is subscription only across Essentials, Advanced and Premium tiers, with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page
  • Access beyond the 14 day free trial requires purchasing a subscription through the shop

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

Toon Boom Harmony

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Toon Boom Harmony review.

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 Toon Boom Harmony if

Nothing in the data separates Toon Boom Harmony from Defold on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Toon Boom Harmony review

Questions people ask

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