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Game Development · head to head

GDevelop vs Stride

GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Game Development

Create games without coding

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stride logo

Stride

Game Development

Open-source 3D game engine with editor

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; Stride free and open source under MIT license, editor and runtime fully open source with no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Stride covers 3D graphics rendering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GDevelop and Stride actually diverge.

Attributes where GDevelop and Stride differ
AttributeGDevelopStride
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox
Founded20102015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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
  • Sprite editor
  • Sound editor
  • Extensions support
  • GitHub
  • Firebase

Only in Stride

  • 3D graphics rendering
  • Physics engine (Bullet)
  • Audio system
  • Material system
  • Lighting and shadows
  • Skeletal animation
  • C# scripting
  • C#

Both cover

  • Particle effects
  • Scene editor
  • Open-source
  • Local deployment
  • Windows 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 Stride
  • Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot Stride

Stride

  • 3D game developmentnot GDevelop
  • Console gamesnot GDevelop
  • Desktop gamesnot 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

Stride

  • Free and open source under MIT license, editor and runtime fully open source with no commercial tier

Pricing, plan by plan

GDevelop

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

Stride

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine
    • C# scripting
    • 3D graphics

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 Stride if

  • You need 3d graphics rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
  • You also want physics engine (bullet).
Stride review

Questions people ask

Is GDevelop or Stride better?
Neither clearly leads. GDevelop starts at Free and Stride at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GDevelop or Stride?
GDevelop starts at Free and Stride at Free.
Does GDevelop or Stride run on more platforms?
GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Stride runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
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 Stride is typically brought in for.
What can GDevelop do that Stride cannot?
GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Sprite editor. Stride covers 3D graphics rendering, Physics engine (Bullet), Audio system, Material system. Both handle Particle effects, Scene editor, Open-source, Local 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
Stride: How much does Stride cost?

Stride is completely free. The C# game engine is available for download at no cost with no subscription fees, trials, or paywalls.

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
Stride: What license does Stride use?

Stride is open source under the MIT license, which allows free use for commercial projects with minimal restrictions.

Source
Stride: Can I use Stride for commercial games?

Yes. The MIT license permits free commercial use. The source code is fully open source on GitHub with no licensing fees required.

Source
Stride: Is there a way to support Stride development?

The project accepts voluntary sponsorship through Open Collective to support development, but sponsorship is entirely optional and not required to use the engine.

Source
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