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Phaser vs GDevelop

Phaser logo

Phaser

Software

Fast, free, and fun open source framework for Canvas and WebGL

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GDevelop logo

GDevelop

Software

Create games without coding

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; GDevelop the free tier allows 3 cloud projects and one desktop or Android build per day
  • They diverge on capability: Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering, GDevelop covers Visual event editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Phaser and GDevelop actually diverge.

Attributes where Phaser and GDevelop differ
AttributePhaserGDevelop
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
Founded20132010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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 Phaser

  • Canvas and WebGL rendering
  • Physics engine (Arcade)
  • Input handling
  • Animation system
  • Audio support
  • Tilemaps
  • Event system
  • JavaScript frameworks

Only in GDevelop

  • Visual event editor
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite editor
  • Sound editor
  • Scene editor
  • Extensions support
  • GitHub

Both cover

  • Particle effects
  • Open-source
  • Web deployment
  • Mobile deployment
  • Ios support
  • Android support

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 GDevelop
  • Rapid browser game prototyping with a code editor, tilemap and atlas toolsnot GDevelop
  • Publishing web games with one click hostingnot GDevelop

GDevelop

  • Building 2D games with visual event logic rather than codenot Phaser
  • Exporting one project to web, desktop, Android and iOSnot 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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Phaser

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full source code
    • Community support
    • Game examples

GDevelop

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

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).
Phaser review

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

Questions people ask

Is Phaser or GDevelop better?
Neither clearly leads. Phaser starts at Free and GDevelop at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Phaser or GDevelop?
Phaser starts at Free and GDevelop at Free.
Does Phaser or GDevelop run on more platforms?
Phaser runs on Web, Ios, Android. GDevelop runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
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 GDevelop is typically brought in for.
What can Phaser do that GDevelop cannot?
Phaser covers Canvas and WebGL rendering, Physics engine (Arcade), Input handling, Animation system. GDevelop covers Visual event editor, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Sprite editor. Both handle Particle effects, Open-source, Web deployment, Mobile deployment.
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