Game Development · head to head
GameMaker Studio 2 vs GDevelop
GameMaker Studio 2
Game Development
The fastest way to create games. For everyone.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: GameMaker Studio 2 the free tier is a non-commercial licence; selling a game requires the Professional licence at $99.99; GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day
- They diverge on capability: GameMaker Studio 2 covers GML programming language, GDevelop covers Visual event editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which GameMaker Studio 2 and GDevelop actually diverge.
| Attribute | GameMaker Studio 2 | GDevelop |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox, Switch | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web |
| Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
Identical on both: starting price (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 GameMaker Studio 2
- GML programming language
- Animation frames
- Room editor
- Physics system
- Aseprite
- Audacity
- Visual Studio Code
- Game obfuscation
Only in GDevelop
- Visual event editor
- Physics engine
- Scene editor
- Extensions support
- Firebase
- Discord
- Open-source
- Web deployment
Both cover
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Sprite editor
- Sound editor
- Particle effects
- GitHub
- Local deployment
- Mobile deployment
- Windows support
- Macos support
- Linux support
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
GameMaker Studio 2
- Building 2D games for desktop, web and mobilenot GDevelop
- Indie game development with a drag and drop and GML scripting workflownot GDevelop
- Publishing to consoles under an Enterprise subscriptionnot GDevelop
GDevelop
- Building 2D games with visual event logic rather than codenot GameMaker Studio 2
- Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot GameMaker Studio 2
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
GameMaker Studio 2
- The free tier is a non-commercial licence; selling a game requires the Professional licence at $99.99
- Console exports are available only on the Enterprise subscription, which is billed at $79.49 per month
- Source code access is limited to the Enterprise tier
- Older Creator and Indie subscriptions are no longer renewed when the licence expires
- Owners of a permanent GameMaker Studio 2 licence get no discount toward current licences
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
GameMaker Studio 2
Free- FreeFree
- Desktop game creation
- Community support
- Standard export options
- Pro$99/year
- All Free features
- Advanced export modules
- Mobile platforms
GDevelop
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Cross-platform export
- Asset library
Which should you pick?
Choose GameMaker Studio 2 if
- You need gml programming language.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox, Switch.
- You also want animation frames.
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 physics engine.
Questions people ask
- Is GameMaker Studio 2 or GDevelop better?
- Neither clearly leads. GameMaker Studio 2 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, GameMaker Studio 2 or GDevelop?
- GameMaker Studio 2 starts at Free and GDevelop at Free.
- Does GameMaker Studio 2 or GDevelop run on more platforms?
- GameMaker Studio 2 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox, Switch. GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- Can I use GameMaker Studio 2 for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is GameMaker Studio 2 best used for?
- GameMaker Studio 2 is most often used for building 2d games for desktop, web and mobile, indie game development with a drag and drop and gml scripting workflow, publishing to consoles under an enterprise subscription. Of those, building 2d games for desktop, web and mobile and indie game development with a drag and drop and gml scripting workflow are not what GDevelop is typically brought in for.
- What can GameMaker Studio 2 do that GDevelop cannot?
- GameMaker Studio 2 covers GML programming language, Animation frames, Room editor, Physics system. GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Physics engine, Scene editor, Extensions support. Both handle Drag-and-drop interface, Sprite editor, Sound editor, Particle effects.