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GDevelop vs Phaser

GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Software

Create games without coding

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Phaser logo

Phaser

Software

Fast, free, and fun open source framework for Canvas and WebGL

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; Phaser the Phaser framework is open source but Phaser Editor is a commercial product at $12 per month
  • They diverge on capability: GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GDevelop and Phaser actually diverge.

Attributes where GDevelop and Phaser differ
AttributeGDevelopPhaser
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Sprite editor
  • Sound editor
  • Scene editor
  • Extensions support
  • GitHub

Only in Phaser

  • Canvas and WebGL rendering
  • Physics engine (Arcade)
  • Input handling
  • Animation system
  • Audio support
  • Tilemaps
  • Event system
  • JavaScript frameworks

Both cover

  • Particle effects
  • Open-source
  • Web deployment
  • Mobile deployment
  • 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 Phaser
  • Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot Phaser

Phaser

  • Building 2D HTML5 games that run in the browsernot GDevelop
  • Rapid browser game prototyping with a code editor, tilemap and atlas toolsnot GDevelop
  • Publishing web games with one click hostingnot 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

Phaser

  • The Phaser framework is open source but Phaser Editor is a commercial product at $12 per month
  • Phaser Editor stops working when the licence expires
  • No free trial of Phaser Editor is offered
  • AI tools in the free Phaser suite require purchasing credits
  • SSO through Google Workspace, private support and Editor source code availability are Enterprise only, which is custom priced and requires contacting sales
  • No educational discounts are offered
  • Subscription cancellations are not refunded pro rata

Pricing, plan by plan

GDevelop

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

Phaser

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full source code
    • Community support
    • Game examples

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 Phaser if

  • You need canvas and webgl rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want physics engine (arcade).
Phaser review

Questions people ask

Is GDevelop or Phaser better?
Neither clearly leads. GDevelop starts at Free and Phaser at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GDevelop or Phaser?
GDevelop starts at Free and Phaser at Free.
Does GDevelop or Phaser run on more platforms?
GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Phaser runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Phaser is typically brought in for.
What can GDevelop do that Phaser cannot?
GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Sprite editor. Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering, Physics engine (Arcade), Input handling, Animation system. Both handle Particle effects, Open-source, Web deployment, Mobile deployment.
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