Software · head to head
Flax Engine vs PlayCanvas
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; PlayCanvas private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects
- They diverge on capability: Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Flax Engine and PlayCanvas actually diverge.
| Attribute | Flax Engine | PlayCanvas |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | freemium |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2017 | 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 Flax Engine
- 3D graphics rendering
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
- Audio system
- Particle effects
- Skeletal animation
- Material system
- Lighting system
Only in PlayCanvas
- Cloud-based editor
- Real-time collaboration
- WebGL rendering
- Visual scripting
- Asset library
- Version control
- Instant deployment
- GitHub
Both cover
- Physics engine
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 PlayCanvas
- Multi-platform deployment from one editornot PlayCanvas
- Prototyping with the bundled Flax Samples projectsnot PlayCanvas
PlayCanvas
- Building WebGL games and interactive 3D that run in a browsernot Flax Engine
- Browser based collaborative 3D editing across a teamnot Flax Engine
- Web AR and VR experiences, product configurators and playable adsnot 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
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
Flax Engine
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
PlayCanvas
Free- FreeFree
- Cloud editor
- WebGL export
- Community projects
- Pro$19/month
- Private projects
- Advanced features
- Priority support
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 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 Flax Engine or PlayCanvas better?
- Neither clearly leads. Flax Engine 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, Flax Engine or PlayCanvas?
- Flax Engine starts at Free and PlayCanvas at Free.
- Does Flax Engine or PlayCanvas run on more platforms?
- Flax Engine runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox. PlayCanvas runs on Web, Mobile.
- 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 PlayCanvas is typically brought in for.
- What can Flax Engine do that PlayCanvas cannot?
- Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Visual editor, C# scripting, Audio system. PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Real-time collaboration, WebGL rendering, Visual scripting. Both handle Physics engine.