Software · head to head
FMOD vs Stencyl
The short version
- They diverge on capability: FMOD covers FMOD Studio, Stencyl covers Visual block programming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which FMOD and Stencyl actually diverge.
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 FMOD
- FMOD Studio
- Real-time mixing
- Adaptive music
- 3D audio
- Occlusion
- DSP effects
- Live update
- Profiling tools
Only in Stencyl
- Visual block programming
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Physics engine
- Sprite animation
- Sound and music
- Tilemap editor
- Actor system
- Haxe support
Both cover
- Local 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.
FMOD
- Game audionot Stencyl
- Adaptive musicnot Stencyl
- Sound effectsnot Stencyl
- VR audionot Stencyl
Stencyl
- Building 2D games with visual block based logicnot FMOD
- Publishing the same project to web, desktop and mobilenot FMOD
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
FMOD
Nothing recorded yet. See the FMOD review.
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
FMOD
Free- IndieFree
- Full feature set
- Up to $200K budget
- All platforms
- Commercial$6000/project
- Full feature set
- Unlimited budget
- Priority support
Stencyl
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor access
- Desktop export
- Mobile export
Which should you pick?
Choose FMOD if
- You need fmod studio.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Consoles.
- You also want real-time mixing.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is FMOD or Stencyl better?
- Neither clearly leads. FMOD 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, FMOD or Stencyl?
- FMOD starts at Free and Stencyl at Free.
- Does FMOD or Stencyl run on more platforms?
- FMOD runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Consoles. Stencyl runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash.
- Can I use FMOD for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is FMOD best used for?
- FMOD is most often used for game audio, adaptive music, sound effects, vr audio. Of those, game audio and adaptive music are not what Stencyl is typically brought in for.
- What can FMOD do that Stencyl cannot?
- FMOD covers FMOD Studio, Real-time mixing, Adaptive music, 3D audio. Stencyl covers Visual block programming, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Sprite animation. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support, Macos support, Linux support.