Software · head to head
PlayCanvas vs Defold
The short version
- Each has a real cost: PlayCanvas private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects; Defold the Defold License requires you to include the Defold license and copyright notice in any work you create with the engine
- They diverge on capability: PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Defold covers Lua scripting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PlayCanvas and Defold actually diverge.
| Attribute | PlayCanvas | Defold |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web |
| Founded | 2013 | 2005 |
Identical on both: starting price (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 PlayCanvas
- Cloud-based editor
- Real-time collaboration
- WebGL rendering
- Visual scripting
- Asset library
- Version control
- Instant deployment
- Slack
Only in Defold
- Lua scripting
- Sprite system
- Particle effects
- Sound management
- Collection editor
- Mobile optimization
- Lightweight
- Visual Studio Code
Both cover
- Physics engine
- GitHub
- Web deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PlayCanvas
- Building WebGL games and interactive 3D that run in a browsernot Defold
- Browser based collaborative 3D editing across a teamnot Defold
- Web AR and VR experiences, product configurators and playable adsnot Defold
Defold
- Building 2D games for mobile, desktop, web and console from a single projectnot PlayCanvas
- Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot PlayCanvas
- Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot PlayCanvas
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Defold
- The Defold License requires you to include the Defold license and copyright notice in any work you create with the engine
- The licence forbids commercialising original or modified versions of the Defold editor or engine itself
- Significant changes made to the Defold source must be documented under the licence terms
Pricing, plan by plan
PlayCanvas
Free- FreeFree
- Cloud editor
- WebGL export
- Community projects
- Pro$19/month
- Private projects
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Defold
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Lua scripting
- Physics engine
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Defold if
- You need lua scripting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want sprite system.
Questions people ask
- Is PlayCanvas or Defold better?
- Neither clearly leads. PlayCanvas starts at Free and Defold at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PlayCanvas or Defold?
- PlayCanvas starts at Free and Defold at Free.
- Does PlayCanvas or Defold run on more platforms?
- PlayCanvas runs on Web, Mobile. Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- Can I use PlayCanvas for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is PlayCanvas best used for?
- PlayCanvas is most often used for building webgl games and interactive 3d that run in a browser, browser based collaborative 3d editing across a team, web ar and vr experiences, product configurators and playable ads. Of those, building webgl games and interactive 3d that run in a browser and browser based collaborative 3d editing across a team are not what Defold is typically brought in for.
- What can PlayCanvas do that Defold cannot?
- PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Real-time collaboration, WebGL rendering, Visual scripting. Defold covers Lua scripting, Sprite system, Particle effects, Sound management. Both handle Physics engine, GitHub, Web deployment.