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PlayCanvas vs Gamesparks

PlayCanvas logo

PlayCanvas

Software

Cloud-based WebGL game development platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gamesparks logo

Gamesparks

Software

Backend as a service for game development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PlayCanvas private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects; 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: PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Gamesparks covers Real-time features.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PlayCanvas and Gamesparks actually diverge.

Attributes where PlayCanvas and Gamesparks differ
AttributePlayCanvasGamesparks
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsWeb, MobileCross-platform
Founded20132006

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
  • Physics engine
  • Visual scripting
  • Asset library
  • Version control
  • Instant deployment

Only in Gamesparks

  • Real-time features
  • Multiplayer support
  • User authentication
  • Data storage
  • Matchmaking
  • WebSocket support
  • Cloud integration
  • Analytics

Both cover

  • Cloud 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 Gamesparks
  • Browser based collaborative 3D editing across a teamnot Gamesparks
  • Web AR and VR experiences, product configurators and playable adsnot Gamesparks

Gamesparks

  • Multiplayer gamesnot PlayCanvas
  • Real-time gamesnot PlayCanvas
  • Cloud gamingnot PlayCanvas
  • Game analyticsnot 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

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

PlayCanvas

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Cloud editor
    • WebGL export
    • Community projects
  • Pro$19/month
    • Private projects
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support

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 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

Choose Gamesparks if

  • You need real-time features.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cross-platform.
  • You also want multiplayer support.
Gamesparks review

Questions people ask

Is PlayCanvas or Gamesparks better?
Neither clearly leads. PlayCanvas 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, PlayCanvas or Gamesparks?
PlayCanvas starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free.
Does PlayCanvas or Gamesparks run on more platforms?
PlayCanvas runs on Web, Mobile. Gamesparks runs on Cross-platform.
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 Gamesparks is typically brought in for.
What can PlayCanvas do that Gamesparks cannot?
PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Real-time collaboration, WebGL rendering, Physics engine. Gamesparks covers Real-time features, Multiplayer support, User authentication, Data storage. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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