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Gamesparks vs Aseprite

Gamesparks logo

Gamesparks

Software

Backend as a service for game development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Aseprite logo

Aseprite

Software

Animated sprite editor and pixel art tool

From
$19.99/once
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gamesparks has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Gamesparks aWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date; Aseprite a one-off purchase with no free tier, only a trial
  • They diverge on capability: Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Aseprite covers Pixel art tools.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gamesparks and Aseprite actually diverge.

Attributes where Gamesparks and Aseprite differ
AttributeGamesparksAseprite
Starting priceFree$19.99/once
Pricing modelusage-basedone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCross-platformWindows, Macos, Linux
Founded20062001

Identical on both: 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 Gamesparks

  • Real-time features
  • Multiplayer support
  • User authentication
  • Data storage
  • Matchmaking
  • WebSocket support
  • Cloud integration
  • Analytics

Only in Aseprite

  • Pixel art tools
  • Animation timeline
  • Onion skinning
  • Layers
  • Tilemap editor
  • Color palettes
  • Sprite sheets
  • Scripting (Lua)

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Gamesparks

  • Multiplayer gamesnot Aseprite
  • Real-time gamesnot Aseprite
  • Cloud gamingnot Aseprite
  • Game analyticsnot Aseprite

Aseprite

  • Pixel art creation for gamesnot Gamesparks
  • Frame-by-frame sprite animationnot Gamesparks
  • Exporting sprite sheets and GIFsnot Gamesparks
  • Scripting repetitive export tasks through the command linenot Gamesparks

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Gamesparks

  • AWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date

Aseprite

  • A one-off purchase with no free tier, only a trial
  • Deliberately narrow: a pixel art and sprite animation editor rather than a general image editor
  • The site does not state supported platforms or licence terms, which are on GitHub instead

Pricing, plan by plan

Gamesparks

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 1M API requests
    • 1M CloudWatch logs
    • Free for first year
  • Pay-as-you-go$0.01/request
    • Unlimited API requests
    • Real-time multiplayer
    • CloudWatch integration

Aseprite

$19.99/once
  • License$19.99/once
    • Full feature set
    • Free updates
    • Commercial use

Which should you pick?

Choose Gamesparks if

  • You need real-time features.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cross-platform.
  • You also want multiplayer support.
Gamesparks review

Choose Aseprite if

  • You need pixel art tools.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want animation timeline.
Aseprite review

Questions people ask

Is Gamesparks or Aseprite better?
Neither clearly leads. Gamesparks starts at Free and Aseprite at $19.99/once, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gamesparks or Aseprite?
Gamesparks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Gamesparks and $19.99/once for Aseprite.
Does Gamesparks or Aseprite run on more platforms?
Gamesparks runs on Cross-platform. Aseprite runs on Windows, Macos, Linux.
Can I use Gamesparks for free?
Yes. Gamesparks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aseprite starts at $19.99/once.
What is Gamesparks best used for?
Gamesparks is most often used for multiplayer games, real-time games, cloud gaming, game analytics. Of those, multiplayer games and real-time games are not what Aseprite is typically brought in for.
What can Gamesparks do that Aseprite cannot?
Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Multiplayer support, User authentication, Data storage. Aseprite covers Pixel art tools, Animation timeline, Onion skinning, Layers.
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