Software · head to head
Lumberyard vs PlayCanvas
Lumberyard
Software
Build AAA games with a free, cross-platform engine
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Lumberyard aws.amazon.com/lumberyard now redirects to the AWS homepage; Amazon Lumberyard is no longer offered as an AWS product; PlayCanvas private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects
- They diverge on capability: Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Lumberyard and PlayCanvas actually diverge.
| Attribute | Lumberyard | PlayCanvas |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | freemium |
| Platforms | Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2006 | 2013 |
Identical on both: starting price (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 Lumberyard
- CryEngine foundation
- Lua scripting
- Flowgraph editor
- Advanced graphics
- Physics simulation
- AWS GameLift integration
- Multiplayer support
- VR capabilities
Only in PlayCanvas
- Cloud-based editor
- Real-time collaboration
- WebGL rendering
- Physics engine
- Visual scripting
- Asset library
- Version control
- Instant deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Lumberyard
- Building 3D games with an AWS-integrated enginenot PlayCanvas
- Cloud-connected multiplayer game backendsnot PlayCanvas
- Twitch integration for streamed gameplay featuresnot PlayCanvas
PlayCanvas
- Building WebGL games and interactive 3D that run in a browsernot Lumberyard
- Browser based collaborative 3D editing across a teamnot Lumberyard
- Web AR and VR experiences, product configurators and playable adsnot Lumberyard
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Lumberyard
- aws.amazon.com/lumberyard now redirects to the AWS homepage; Amazon Lumberyard is no longer offered as an AWS product
- The engine's successor is the Open 3D Engine, governed by the Open 3D Foundation rather than AWS, so migration means moving to a differently governed project
- No Lumberyard-branded documentation, download or support commitment remains at the original AWS product URL
PlayCanvas
- Private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects
- The Free plan is capped at 1GB of storage, Personal at 10GB and Organization at 50GB
- Personal costs $15 per month and Organization costs $50 per seat per month
- Team management is only available on the Organization plan
- Private projects become locked and inaccessible if the subscription is cancelled, unless they are made public
- There is no formal educational discount
- There is no self serve trial of the Personal or Organization plan; an upgrade code must be requested from sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Lumberyard
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine source
- AWS integration
- Lua scripting
PlayCanvas
Free- FreeFree
- Cloud editor
- WebGL export
- Community projects
- Pro$19/month
- Private projects
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Lumberyard if
- You need cryengine foundation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
- You also want lua scripting.
Choose PlayCanvas if
- You need cloud-based editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want real-time collaboration.
Questions people ask
- Is Lumberyard or PlayCanvas better?
- Neither clearly leads. Lumberyard starts at Free and PlayCanvas at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Lumberyard or PlayCanvas?
- Lumberyard starts at Free and PlayCanvas at Free.
- Does Lumberyard or PlayCanvas run on more platforms?
- Lumberyard runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. PlayCanvas runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Lumberyard for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Lumberyard best used for?
- Lumberyard is most often used for building 3d games with an aws-integrated engine, cloud-connected multiplayer game backends, twitch integration for streamed gameplay features. Of those, building 3d games with an aws-integrated engine and cloud-connected multiplayer game backends are not what PlayCanvas is typically brought in for.
- What can Lumberyard do that PlayCanvas cannot?
- Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, Lua scripting, Flowgraph editor, Advanced graphics. PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Real-time collaboration, WebGL rendering, Physics engine.