Game Development · head to head
Phaser vs Gamesparks
Phaser
Game Development
Fast, free, and fun open source framework for Canvas and WebGL
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Phaser the Phaser framework is open source but Phaser Editor is a commercial product at $12 per month; Gamesparks aWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date
- They diverge on capability: Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering, Gamesparks covers Real-time features.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Phaser and Gamesparks actually diverge.
| Attribute | Phaser | Gamesparks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | usage-based |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Cross-platform |
| Founded | 2013 | 2006 |
Identical on both: starting price (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 Phaser
- Canvas and WebGL rendering
- Physics engine (Arcade)
- Input handling
- Animation system
- Audio support
- Particle effects
- Tilemaps
- Event system
Only in Gamesparks
- Real-time features
- Multiplayer support
- User authentication
- Data storage
- Matchmaking
- WebSocket support
- Cloud integration
- Analytics
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Phaser
- Building 2D HTML5 games that run in the browsernot Gamesparks
- Rapid browser game prototyping with a code editor, tilemap and atlas toolsnot Gamesparks
- Publishing web games with one click hostingnot Gamesparks
Gamesparks
- Multiplayer gamesnot Phaser
- Real-time gamesnot Phaser
- Cloud gamingnot Phaser
- Game analyticsnot Phaser
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Gamesparks
- AWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date
Pricing, plan by plan
Phaser
Free- FreeFree
- Full source code
- Community support
- Game examples
Gamesparks
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M API requests
- 1M CloudWatch logs
- Free for first year
- Pay-as-you-go$0.01/request
- Unlimited API requests
- Real-time multiplayer
- CloudWatch integration
Which should you pick?
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).
Choose Gamesparks if
- You need real-time features.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cross-platform.
- You also want multiplayer support.
Questions people ask
- Is Phaser or Gamesparks better?
- Neither clearly leads. Phaser starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Phaser or Gamesparks?
- Phaser starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free.
- Does Phaser or Gamesparks run on more platforms?
- Phaser runs on Web, Ios, Android. Gamesparks runs on Cross-platform.
- Can I use Phaser for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Phaser best used for?
- Phaser is most often used for building 2d html5 games that run in the browser, rapid browser game prototyping with a code editor, tilemap and atlas tools, publishing web games with one click hosting. Of those, building 2d html5 games that run in the browser and rapid browser game prototyping with a code editor, tilemap and atlas tools are not what Gamesparks is typically brought in for.
- What can Phaser do that Gamesparks cannot?
- Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering, Physics engine (Arcade), Input handling, Animation system. Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Multiplayer support, User authentication, Data storage.