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Software · head to head

Pico-8 vs Stencyl

Pico-8 logo

Pico-8

Software

A fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games

From
$14.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stencyl logo

Stencyl

Software

Create games with visual programming

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Stencyl has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette; Stencyl the free Starter tier can publish to the web only
  • They diverge on capability: Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Stencyl covers Visual block programming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pico-8 and Stencyl actually diverge.

Attributes where Pico-8 and Stencyl differ
AttributePico-8Stencyl
Starting price$14.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry PiWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash
Founded20052011

Identical on both: 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 Pico-8

  • Pixel art editor
  • Music composer
  • Lua scripting
  • Built-in palette
  • Sprite system
  • Map editor
  • Code editor
  • Game cartridges

Only in Stencyl

  • Visual block programming
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite animation
  • Sound and music
  • Tilemap editor
  • Actor system
  • Haxe support

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • Local deployment
  • Web deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Pico-8

  • Retro-style indie game developmentnot Stencyl
  • Educational game programmingnot Stencyl
  • Game jam participationnot Stencyl
  • Pixel art game creation with strict creative constraintsnot Stencyl

Stencyl

  • Building 2D games with visual block based logicnot Pico-8
  • Publishing the same project to web, desktop and mobilenot Pico-8

Where each one falls short

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

Pico-8

  • Extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • Cart size capped at 32 kilobytes
  • Only 256 sprites of 8x8 pixels available
  • Map limited to 128x32 tiles
  • Monophonic sound synthesis with 4-channel chip synthesis only
  • Lua programming language exclusively; no other language support

Stencyl

  • The free Starter tier can publish to the web only
  • Desktop publishing requires the Indie plan at $99 a year
  • iOS and Android publishing require the Studio plan at $199 a year
  • Licences are annual, so continuing to publish means continuing to pay

Pricing, plan by plan

Pico-8

$14.99/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Pico-8 review.

Stencyl

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor access
    • Desktop export
    • Mobile export

Which should you pick?

Choose Pico-8 if

  • You need pixel art editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want music composer.
Pico-8 review

Choose Stencyl if

  • You need visual block programming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash.
  • You also want drag-and-drop interface.
Stencyl review

Questions people ask

Is Pico-8 or Stencyl better?
Neither clearly leads. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time and Stencyl at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pico-8 or Stencyl?
Stencyl has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $14.99/one-time for Pico-8 and Free for Stencyl.
Does Pico-8 or Stencyl run on more platforms?
Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi. Stencyl runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash.
Can I use Stencyl for free?
Yes. Stencyl has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time.
What is Pico-8 best used for?
Pico-8 is most often used for retro-style indie game development, educational game programming, game jam participation, pixel art game creation with strict creative constraints. Of those, retro-style indie game development and educational game programming are not what Stencyl is typically brought in for.
What can Pico-8 do that Stencyl cannot?
Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Lua scripting, Built-in palette. Stencyl covers Visual block programming, Drag-and-drop interface, Physics engine, Sprite animation. Both handle GitHub, Local deployment, Web deployment, Windows support.
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