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Game Development · head to head

GDevelop vs LDtk

GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Game Development

Create games without coding

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LDtk logo

LDtk

Game Development

Modern 2D level editor from the creator of Dead Cells

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day; LDtk no web, iOS, or Android build; it is an Electron desktop app for Windows/macOS/Linux only
  • They diverge on capability: GDevelop covers Visual event editor, LDtk covers Auto-layers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GDevelop and LDtk actually diverge.

Attributes where GDevelop and LDtk differ
AttributeGDevelopLDtk
Pricing modelfreeopen-source
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded20102020

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 LDtk

  • Auto-layers
  • IntGrid layers
  • Entity system
  • Enums
  • World map
  • Rule-based tiling
  • JSON export
  • Hot reloading

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 LDtk
  • Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot LDtk

LDtk

  • 2D platformer and top-down level buildingnot GDevelop
  • Placing customizable entities such as spawns, enemies, items, and triggersnot GDevelop
  • Auto-tiling and auto-rendering via a visual rule systemnot GDevelop
  • Multi-level 'worlds' with seamless level transitionsnot GDevelop
  • Native Aseprite (.aseprite) import with live reloadingnot 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

LDtk

  • No web, iOS, or Android build; it is an Electron desktop app for Windows/macOS/Linux only
  • Native format is JSON; use with other formats such as Tiled TMX requires a separate importer or custom parsing
  • Engine integration depends on separate official importers/libraries per engine (Unity, Godot, MonoGame, Bevy, GameMaker, Haxe, Playdate)
  • dev-x.y.z branches on GitHub are explicitly flagged as potentially unstable and not for production

Pricing, plan by plan

GDevelop

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

LDtk

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the LDtk review.

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.
GDevelop review

Choose LDtk if

  • You need auto-layers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want intgrid layers.
LDtk review

Questions people ask

Is GDevelop or LDtk better?
Neither clearly leads. GDevelop starts at Free and LDtk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GDevelop or LDtk?
GDevelop starts at Free and LDtk at Free.
Does GDevelop or LDtk run on more platforms?
GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. LDtk runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 LDtk is typically brought in for.
What can GDevelop do that LDtk cannot?
GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Particle effects. LDtk covers Auto-layers, IntGrid layers, Entity system, Enums. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support, Macos support, Linux support.

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
LDtk: Does LDtk cost anything to use?

LDtk is completely free to use without any limitations. The license is Apache 2.0 open source.

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
LDtk: Can I support LDtk development?

LDtk operates on a pay-what-you-want basis. Users can optionally purchase or become a direct sponsor to support the developer's work, but payment is not required.

Source
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