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Game Development · head to head

GDevelop vs LÖVE

GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Game Development

Create games without coding

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LÖVE logo

LÖVE

Game Development

Framework for making 2D games in Lua

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; LÖVE lOVE is a 2D-only framework, with no 3D pipeline
  • They diverge on capability: GDevelop covers Visual event editor, LÖVE covers Lua scripting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GDevelop and LÖVE actually diverge.

Attributes where GDevelop and LÖVE differ
AttributeGDevelopLÖVE
Founded20102008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web), 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 LÖVE

  • Lua scripting
  • Graphics rendering
  • Physics engine (Box2D)
  • Audio support
  • Input handling
  • File I/O
  • Vector math
  • Animation support

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • Open-source
  • Local deployment
  • Web 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.

GDevelop

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

LÖVE

  • Making 2D games in Luanot GDevelop
  • Rapid prototyping of 2D gameplaynot GDevelop
  • Shipping small 2D games to desktop and mobile from one Lua codebasenot 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

LÖVE

  • LOVE is a 2D-only framework, with no 3D pipeline
  • Games must be written in Lua, with no other supported scripting language
  • Supported platforms are limited to Windows Vista and later, macOS 10.11 and later, Linux, Android and iOS
  • The iOS build is distributed as source and libraries rather than a ready installer
  • There is no commercial support offering; help is through community forums, Discord and a subreddit

Pricing, plan by plan

GDevelop

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

LÖVE

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full framework
    • Lua scripting
    • Cross-platform support

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 LÖVE if

  • You need lua scripting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want graphics rendering.
LÖVE review

Questions people ask

Is GDevelop or LÖVE better?
Neither clearly leads. GDevelop starts at Free and LÖVE at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GDevelop or LÖVE?
GDevelop starts at Free and LÖVE at Free.
Does GDevelop or LÖVE run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 LÖVE is typically brought in for.
What can GDevelop do that LÖVE cannot?
GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Particle effects. LÖVE covers Lua scripting, Graphics rendering, Physics engine (Box2D), Audio support. Both handle GitHub, Open-source, Local deployment, Web 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
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