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Game Development · head to head

Construct 3 vs PlayCanvas

Construct 3 logo

Construct 3

Game Development

Create games without coding. Powered by the Scirra engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlayCanvas logo

PlayCanvas

Game Development

Cloud-based WebGL game development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Construct 3 the free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account; PlayCanvas private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects
  • They diverge on capability: Construct 3 covers Visual event system, PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Construct 3 and PlayCanvas actually diverge.

Attributes where Construct 3 and PlayCanvas differ
AttributeConstruct 3PlayCanvas
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWeb, Mobile
Founded20072013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 Construct 3

  • Visual event system
  • Drag-and-drop editor
  • Sprite editor
  • Particle effects
  • Sound effects
  • Web-based
  • HTML5 support
  • Dropbox

Only in PlayCanvas

  • Cloud-based editor
  • Real-time collaboration
  • WebGL rendering
  • Visual scripting
  • Asset library
  • Version control
  • Instant deployment
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Physics engine
  • GitHub
  • Project encryption
  • Web deployment

What people use each for

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

Construct 3

  • Building 2D browser games without writing codenot PlayCanvas
  • Publishing HTML5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one projectnot PlayCanvas

PlayCanvas

  • Building WebGL games and interactive 3D that run in a browsernot Construct 3
  • Browser based collaborative 3D editing across a teamnot Construct 3
  • Web AR and VR experiences, product configurators and playable adsnot Construct 3

Where each one falls short

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

Construct 3

  • The free version caps projects at 50 events, or 25 when used without an account
  • Free projects are limited to 2 layers, 2 special effects, 1 timeline animation of up to 5 seconds and 1 web font
  • The free version can only publish to HTML5 and the Construct Arcade, so desktop, Android, iOS and Facebook Instant Games all need a paid plan
  • Licences are per seat and annual, at $129.99 for Personal, $168.99 for Startup Business and $468.99 for Business

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

Construct 3

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Web-based editor
    • HTML5 export
    • Asset library
  • Personal$99/year
    • All Free features
    • Offline editor
    • Advanced export

PlayCanvas

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1GB storage
    • Unlimited public projects
    • Free app hosting
  • Personal$15/month
    • 10GB storage
    • Unlimited private projects
    • REST API access
  • Organization$50/per seat/month
    • 50GB storage
    • Team management
    • Full feature access

Which should you pick?

Choose Construct 3 if

  • You need visual event system.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want drag-and-drop editor.
Construct 3 review

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.
PlayCanvas review

Questions people ask

Is Construct 3 or PlayCanvas better?
Neither clearly leads. Construct 3 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, Construct 3 or PlayCanvas?
Construct 3 starts at Free and PlayCanvas at Free.
Does Construct 3 or PlayCanvas run on more platforms?
Construct 3 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. PlayCanvas runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Construct 3 for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Construct 3 best used for?
Construct 3 is most often used for building 2d browser games without writing code, publishing html5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one project. Of those, building 2d browser games without writing code and publishing html5 games to the web, desktop and mobile stores from one project are not what PlayCanvas is typically brought in for.
What can Construct 3 do that PlayCanvas cannot?
Construct 3 covers Visual event system, Drag-and-drop editor, Sprite editor, Particle effects. PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Real-time collaboration, WebGL rendering, Visual scripting. Both handle Physics engine, GitHub, Project encryption, Web deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PlayCanvas: How much does PlayCanvas cost?

PlayCanvas is free to start with 1GB storage and unlimited public projects. Personal plans cost $15/month with 10GB storage and unlimited private projects. Organization plans are $50 per seat/month with 50GB storage and team management features.

Source
PlayCanvas: Does PlayCanvas have a free version?

Yes, PlayCanvas offers a free plan with 1GB storage, unlimited public projects, and free app hosting. Private projects and additional storage require a paid subscription.

Source
PlayCanvas: What happens to my projects if I cancel my PlayCanvas subscription?

Private projects become locked upon subscription cancellation unless you switch them to public. Public projects remain accessible and editable.

Source
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