Game Development · head to head
GDevelop vs Gamesparks
The short version
- Each has a real cost: GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day; 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
- They diverge on capability: GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Gamesparks covers Real-time features.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which GDevelop and Gamesparks actually diverge.
| Attribute | GDevelop | Gamesparks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | usage-based |
| Platforms | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web | Cross-platform |
| Founded | 2010 | 2006 |
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 GDevelop
- Visual event editor
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Physics engine
- Particle effects
- Sprite editor
- Sound editor
- Scene editor
- Extensions support
Only in Gamesparks
- Real-time features
- Multiplayer support
- User authentication
- Data storage
- Matchmaking
- WebSocket support
- Cloud integration
- Analytics
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 Gamesparks
- Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot Gamesparks
Gamesparks
- Multiplayer gamesnot GDevelop
- Real-time gamesnot GDevelop
- Cloud gamingnot GDevelop
- Game analyticsnot 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
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
Pricing, plan by plan
GDevelop
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Cross-platform export
- Asset library
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
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 Gamesparks if
- You need real-time features.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cross-platform.
- You also want multiplayer support.
Questions people ask
- Is GDevelop or Gamesparks better?
- Neither clearly leads. GDevelop starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, GDevelop or Gamesparks?
- GDevelop starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free.
- Does GDevelop or Gamesparks run on more platforms?
- GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Gamesparks runs on Cross-platform.
- Can I use GDevelop for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Gamesparks is typically brought in for.
- What can GDevelop do that Gamesparks cannot?
- GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Particle effects. Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Multiplayer support, User authentication, Data storage.