Softwr

Game Development · head to head

O3DE vs Stride

O3DE logo

O3DE

Game Development

Open 3D Engine - Professional game engine

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: O3DE minimum hardware is a quad-core 2.5 GHz x86 CPU with SSE 4.1, 16 GB RAM and a DirectX 12 or Vulkan GPU with 2 GB VRAM and Shader Model 6.2; Stride free and open source under MIT license, editor and runtime fully open source with no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: O3DE covers Modular architecture, Stride covers Physics engine (Bullet).
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which O3DE and Stride actually diverge.

Attributes where O3DE and Stride differ
AttributeO3DEStride
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, XboxWindows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox
Founded20212015

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 O3DE

  • Modular architecture
  • Physics engine
  • Animation tools
  • Lighting system
  • Visual scripting
  • C++
  • Python
  • Lua

Only in Stride

  • Physics engine (Bullet)
  • Scene editor
  • Lighting and shadows
  • Skeletal animation
  • C# scripting
  • C#
  • .NET
  • Visual Studio

Both cover

  • 3D graphics rendering
  • Audio system
  • Particle effects
  • Material system
  • Open-source
  • Local deployment
  • Console deployment
  • Windows support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

O3DE

  • Building 3D games and simulations on an open source Apache-licensed enginenot Stride
  • Robotics and industrial simulation using O3DE Gemsnot Stride
  • Projects that need full engine source access with no royaltynot Stride

Stride

  • 3D game developmentnot O3DE
  • Console gamesnot O3DE
  • Desktop gamesnot O3DE

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

O3DE

  • Minimum hardware is a quad-core 2.5 GHz x86 CPU with SSE 4.1, 16 GB RAM and a DirectX 12 or Vulkan GPU with 2 GB VRAM and Shader Model 6.2
  • Raytracing features require Shader Model 6.3
  • Disk space required is 40 GB using the prebuilt installer and 100 GB or more when building from source
  • Building the engine from source needs 2 GB of RAM per build thread on top of normal system requirements
  • On Windows the editor requires Windows 10 version 20H2 or later plus Visual Studio 2019 16.11.x, 2022 17.3.x or 2026 18.0.x with the Game development with C++ workload
  • The only primary Linux distribution for the editor is Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, and Ubuntu on 64-bit ARMv8 is experimental
  • Linux builds need CMake 3.30.0 or later, which is newer than the 3.22 shipped by default with Ubuntu 22.04
  • Wayland support is experimental, requires building from source, and is limited to the Game Launcher with no editor support until O3DE moves to Qt6
  • Linux requires a long list of additional apt library packages to be installed before building

Stride

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

Pricing, plan by plan

O3DE

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine
    • Modular architecture
    • Cross-platform

Stride

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

Which should you pick?

Choose O3DE if

  • You need modular architecture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox.
  • You also want physics engine.
O3DE review

Choose Stride if

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

Questions people ask

Is O3DE or Stride better?
Neither clearly leads. O3DE 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, O3DE or Stride?
O3DE starts at Free and Stride at Free.
Does O3DE or Stride run on more platforms?
O3DE runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox. Stride runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
Can I use O3DE for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is O3DE best used for?
O3DE is most often used for building 3d games and simulations on an open source apache-licensed engine, robotics and industrial simulation using o3de gems, projects that need full engine source access with no royalty. Of those, building 3d games and simulations on an open source apache-licensed engine and robotics and industrial simulation using o3de gems are not what Stride is typically brought in for.
What can O3DE do that Stride cannot?
O3DE covers Modular architecture, Physics engine, Animation tools, Lighting system. Stride covers Physics engine (Bullet), Scene editor, Lighting and shadows, Skeletal animation. Both handle 3D graphics rendering, Audio system, Particle effects, Material system.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

O3DE: Is O3DE free to download and use?

Yes, O3DE is completely free and open source, available for download at no cost under continuous development.

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
O3DE: How is O3DE funded if it is free?

O3DE is supported through optional donations and member organization contributions rather than user licensing fees.

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
Share

Related pages

More on O3DE

More on Stride

Keep looking

Other head to heads