Game Development · head to head
Flax Engine vs GDevelop
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Flax Engine flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter; GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day
- They diverge on capability: Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, GDevelop covers Visual event editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Flax Engine and GDevelop actually diverge.
| Attribute | Flax Engine | GDevelop |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web |
| Founded | 2017 | 2010 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Game Development).
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 Flax Engine
- 3D graphics rendering
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
- Audio system
- Skeletal animation
- Material system
- Lighting system
- C#
Only in GDevelop
- Visual event editor
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Sprite editor
- Sound editor
- Scene editor
- Extensions support
- GitHub
- Firebase
Both cover
- Physics engine
- Particle effects
- Open-source
- Local deployment
- Windows support
- Linux support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Flax Engine
- Building 3D games in C# and C++ with full engine source accessnot GDevelop
- Multi-platform deployment from one editornot GDevelop
- Prototyping with the bundled Flax Samples projectsnot GDevelop
GDevelop
- Building 2D games with visual event logic rather than codenot Flax Engine
- Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot Flax Engine
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Flax Engine
- Flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
- Free use is granted for non-commercial or educational usage; commercial releases fall under the royalty
- Users must accept the Flax Engine End-User License Agreement before using the engine or its tools, so it is not an OSI open source licence despite the source being on GitHub
- Non-game uses such as in-house tools or SaaS products need a custom licence negotiated with the vendor, and no rate card is published for per-seat or flat-fee options
GDevelop
- The free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day
- Free accounts get one leaderboard per game
- Publishing to the iOS App Store requires the Gold plan, which caps those exports at 15 a month
- AI credits are metered per tier, from 40 a month on free to 3,000 a week on Pro
Pricing, plan by plan
Flax Engine
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
GDevelop
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Cross-platform export
- Asset library
Which should you pick?
Choose Flax Engine if
- You need 3d graphics rendering.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
- You also want visual editor.
Choose GDevelop if
- You need visual event editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want drag-and-drop interface.
Questions people ask
- Is Flax Engine or GDevelop better?
- Neither clearly leads. Flax Engine starts at Free and GDevelop at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Flax Engine or GDevelop?
- Flax Engine starts at Free and GDevelop at Free.
- Does Flax Engine or GDevelop run on more platforms?
- Flax Engine runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox. GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- Can I use Flax Engine for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Flax Engine best used for?
- Flax Engine is most often used for building 3d games in c# and c++ with full engine source access, multi-platform deployment from one editor, prototyping with the bundled flax samples projects. Of those, building 3d games in c# and c++ with full engine source access and multi-platform deployment from one editor are not what GDevelop is typically brought in for.
- What can Flax Engine do that GDevelop cannot?
- Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Visual editor, C# scripting, Audio system. GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Sprite editor, Sound editor. Both handle Physics engine, Particle effects, Open-source, Local deployment.