Softwr

Game Development · head to head

Cocos2d-x vs GDevelop

Cocos2d-x logo

Cocos2d-x

Game Development

Open-source, lightweight 2D game engine

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Game Development

Create games without coding

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cocos2d-x cocos2d-x is MIT licensed with no commercial tier, and the vendor's own site directs users toward its newer engine, Cocos Creator, as the actively developed product, leaving Cocos2d-x without a first-party paid support or upgrade path.; GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day
  • They diverge on capability: Cocos2d-x covers 2D rendering, GDevelop covers Visual event editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cocos2d-x and GDevelop actually diverge.

Attributes where Cocos2d-x and GDevelop differ
AttributeCocos2d-xGDevelop
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, AndroidWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Game Development), founded (2010).

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 Cocos2d-x

  • 2D rendering
  • Physics engine (Chipmunk)
  • Animation system
  • Audio engine
  • Touch input handling
  • Tilemap support
  • Sprite batching
  • Visual Studio

Only in GDevelop

  • Visual event editor
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite editor
  • Sound editor
  • Scene editor
  • Extensions support
  • Firebase

Both cover

  • Particle effects
  • GitHub
  • Local deployment
  • Mobile 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.

Cocos2d-x

  • Mobile game developmentnot GDevelop
  • 2D gamesnot GDevelop
  • Lightweight gamesnot GDevelop
  • Cross-platform gamesnot GDevelop

GDevelop

  • Building 2D games with visual event logic rather than codenot Cocos2d-x
  • Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot Cocos2d-x

Where each one falls short

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

Cocos2d-x

  • Cocos2d-x is MIT licensed with no commercial tier, and the vendor's own site directs users toward its newer engine, Cocos Creator, as the actively developed product, leaving Cocos2d-x without a first-party paid support or upgrade path.

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

Cocos2d-x

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine source
    • MIT License
    • Community support

GDevelop

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • Cross-platform export
    • Asset library

Which should you pick?

Choose Cocos2d-x if

  • You need 2d rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want physics engine (chipmunk).
Cocos2d-x review

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.
GDevelop review

Questions people ask

Is Cocos2d-x or GDevelop better?
Neither clearly leads. Cocos2d-x 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, Cocos2d-x or GDevelop?
Cocos2d-x starts at Free and GDevelop at Free.
Does Cocos2d-x or GDevelop run on more platforms?
Cocos2d-x runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Cocos2d-x for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cocos2d-x best used for?
Cocos2d-x is most often used for mobile game development, 2d games, lightweight games, cross-platform games. Of those, mobile game development and 2d games are not what GDevelop is typically brought in for.
What can Cocos2d-x do that GDevelop cannot?
Cocos2d-x covers 2D rendering, Physics engine (Chipmunk), Animation system, Audio engine. GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Sprite editor. Both handle Particle effects, GitHub, Local deployment, Mobile deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GDevelop: How much does GDevelop cost?

GDevelop offers a free plan. Silver, Gold, and Pro tiers are available with monthly and yearly billing options that provide up to 40% savings for annual commitment, but specific prices are not displayed on their website.

Source
GDevelop: What does GDevelop's free plan include?

The free plan includes a fully featured, open-source game engine with 3 cloud projects, 40 free AI credits per month, and limited publishing of 1 per day for desktop and Android.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Cocos2d-x

More on GDevelop

Keep looking

Other head to heads