Software · head to head
GDevelop vs Aseprite
The short version
- Only GDevelop has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day; Aseprite a one-off purchase with no free tier, only a trial
- They diverge on capability: GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Aseprite covers Pixel art tools.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which GDevelop and Aseprite actually diverge.
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 GDevelop
- Visual event editor
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Physics engine
- Particle effects
- Sprite editor
- Sound editor
- Scene editor
- Extensions support
Only in Aseprite
- Pixel art tools
- Animation timeline
- Onion skinning
- Layers
- Tilemap editor
- Color palettes
- Sprite sheets
- Scripting (Lua)
Both cover
- Local deployment
- Windows support
- Macos support
- Linux support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
GDevelop
- Building 2D games with visual event logic rather than codenot Aseprite
- Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot Aseprite
Aseprite
- Pixel art creation for gamesnot GDevelop
- Frame-by-frame sprite animationnot GDevelop
- Exporting sprite sheets and GIFsnot GDevelop
- Scripting repetitive export tasks through the command linenot GDevelop
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
GDevelop
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Cross-platform export
- Asset library
Aseprite
$19.99/once- License$19.99/once
- Full feature set
- Free updates
- Commercial use
Which should you pick?
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 drag-and-drop interface.
Choose Aseprite if
- You need pixel art tools.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
- You also want animation timeline.
Questions people ask
- Is GDevelop or Aseprite better?
- Neither clearly leads. GDevelop 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, GDevelop or Aseprite?
- GDevelop has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GDevelop and $19.99/once for Aseprite.
- Does GDevelop or Aseprite run on more platforms?
- GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Aseprite runs on Windows, Macos, Linux.
- Can I use GDevelop for free?
- Yes. GDevelop has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aseprite starts at $19.99/once.
- What is GDevelop best used for?
- GDevelop is most often used for building 2d games with visual event logic rather than code, exporting one project to web, desktop, android and ios. Of those, building 2d games with visual event logic rather than code and exporting one project to web, desktop, android and ios are not what Aseprite is typically brought in for.
- What can GDevelop do that Aseprite cannot?
- GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Particle effects. Aseprite covers Pixel art tools, Animation timeline, Onion skinning, Layers. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support, Macos support, Linux support.