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GDevelop vs Pico-8

GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Software

Create games without coding

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pico-8 logo

Pico-8

Software

A fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games

From
$14.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GDevelop has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day; Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • They diverge on capability: GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GDevelop and Pico-8 actually diverge.

Attributes where GDevelop and Pico-8 differ
AttributeGDevelopPico-8
Starting priceFree$14.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreeone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi
Founded20102005

Identical on both: 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
  • Particle effects
  • Sprite editor
  • Sound editor
  • Scene editor
  • Extensions support

Only in Pico-8

  • Pixel art editor
  • Music composer
  • Lua scripting
  • Built-in palette
  • Sprite system
  • Map editor
  • Code editor
  • Game cartridges

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • Local deployment
  • Web 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 Pico-8
  • Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot Pico-8

Pico-8

  • Retro-style indie game developmentnot GDevelop
  • Educational game programmingnot GDevelop
  • Game jam participationnot GDevelop
  • Pixel art game creation with strict creative constraintsnot 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

Pico-8

  • Extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • Cart size capped at 32 kilobytes
  • Only 256 sprites of 8x8 pixels available
  • Map limited to 128x32 tiles
  • Monophonic sound synthesis with 4-channel chip synthesis only
  • Lua programming language exclusively; no other language support

Pricing, plan by plan

GDevelop

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

Pico-8

$14.99/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Pico-8 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 Pico-8 if

  • You need pixel art editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want music composer.
Pico-8 review

Questions people ask

Is GDevelop or Pico-8 better?
Neither clearly leads. GDevelop starts at Free and Pico-8 at $14.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GDevelop or Pico-8?
GDevelop has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GDevelop and $14.99/one-time for Pico-8.
Does GDevelop or Pico-8 run on more platforms?
GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
Can I use GDevelop for free?
Yes. GDevelop has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time.
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 Pico-8 is typically brought in for.
What can GDevelop do that Pico-8 cannot?
GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Particle effects. Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Lua scripting, Built-in palette. Both handle GitHub, Local deployment, Web deployment, Windows support.
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