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Flax Engine vs Stencyl

Flax Engine logo

Flax Engine

Software

Modern 3D game engine with visual editor

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: Flax Engine flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter; Stencyl the free Starter tier can publish to the web only
  • They diverge on capability: Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Stencyl covers Visual block programming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flax Engine and Stencyl actually diverge.

Attributes where Flax Engine and Stencyl differ
AttributeFlax EngineStencyl
PlatformsWindows, Linux, Playstation, XboxWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash
Founded20172011

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 Flax Engine

  • 3D graphics rendering
  • Visual editor
  • C# scripting
  • Audio system
  • Particle effects
  • Skeletal animation
  • Material system
  • Lighting system

Only in Stencyl

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

Both cover

  • Physics engine
  • 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 Stencyl
  • Multi-platform deployment from one editornot Stencyl
  • Prototyping with the bundled Flax Samples projectsnot Stencyl

Stencyl

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

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

Flax Engine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine
    • Visual editor
    • C# scripting

Stencyl

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

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.
Flax Engine 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 Flax Engine or Stencyl better?
Neither clearly leads. Flax Engine 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, Flax Engine or Stencyl?
Flax Engine starts at Free and Stencyl at Free.
Does Flax Engine or Stencyl run on more platforms?
Flax Engine runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox. Stencyl runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash.
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 Stencyl is typically brought in for.
What can Flax Engine do that Stencyl cannot?
Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Visual editor, C# scripting, Audio system. Stencyl covers Visual block programming, Drag-and-drop interface, Sprite animation, Sound and music. Both handle Physics engine, Local deployment, Windows support, Linux support.
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