Software · head to head
PlayFab vs Cocos2d-x
The short version
- Each has a real cost: PlayFab a title in development mode can only have up to 1,000 lifetime player account creations; Cocos2d-x cocos2d-x is MIT licensed with no commercial tier, and the vendor's own site directs users toward its newer engine, Cocos Creator, as the actively developed product, leaving Cocos2d-x without a first-party paid support or upgrade path.
- They diverge on capability: PlayFab covers Player authentication, Cocos2d-x covers 2D rendering.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PlayFab and Cocos2d-x actually diverge.
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 PlayFab
- Player authentication
- Data storage
- Analytics
- Multiplayer features
- Economy system
- Matchmaking
- Cloud saves
- Leaderboards
Only in Cocos2d-x
- 2D rendering
- Physics engine (Chipmunk)
- Particle effects
- Animation system
- Audio engine
- Touch input handling
- Tilemap support
- Sprite batching
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PlayFab
- Backend as a service for live games, covering accounts, leaderboards and player datanot Cocos2d-x
- Hosting dedicated multiplayer game servers on Azurenot Cocos2d-x
- LiveOps, in-game economy and player segmentation for game studiosnot Cocos2d-x
Cocos2d-x
- Mobile game developmentnot PlayFab
- 2D gamesnot PlayFab
- Lightweight gamesnot PlayFab
- Cross-platform gamesnot PlayFab
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
PlayFab
- A title in development mode can only have up to 1,000 lifetime player account creations
- Multiplayer server costs are billed per VM compute hour on Azure virtual machines and vary by region and VM family
- Network egress is charged per GB and varies by zone, at $0.05 in Zone 1, $0.08 in Zone 2 and $0.20 in Zone 3
- Pricing is consumption based across a set of separate meters rather than a flat plan
- The vendor states prices are subject to change and that actual costs depend on the PlayFab plan and usage
Cocos2d-x
- Cocos2d-x is MIT licensed with no commercial tier, and the vendor's own site directs users toward its newer engine, Cocos Creator, as the actively developed product, leaving Cocos2d-x without a first-party paid support or upgrade path.
Pricing, plan by plan
PlayFab
Free- FreeFree
- 100K monthly active users
- Basic API
- Player authentication
- Professional$100/month
- Unlimited MAU
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Cocos2d-x
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine source
- MIT License
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose PlayFab if
- You need player authentication.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cross-platform.
- You also want data storage.
Choose Cocos2d-x if
- You need 2d rendering.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
- You also want physics engine (chipmunk).
Questions people ask
- Is PlayFab or Cocos2d-x better?
- Neither clearly leads. PlayFab starts at Free and Cocos2d-x at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PlayFab or Cocos2d-x?
- PlayFab starts at Free and Cocos2d-x at Free.
- Does PlayFab or Cocos2d-x run on more platforms?
- PlayFab runs on Cross-platform. Cocos2d-x runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
- Can I use PlayFab for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is PlayFab best used for?
- PlayFab is most often used for backend as a service for live games, covering accounts, leaderboards and player data, hosting dedicated multiplayer game servers on azure, liveops, in-game economy and player segmentation for game studios. Of those, backend as a service for live games, covering accounts, leaderboards and player data and hosting dedicated multiplayer game servers on azure are not what Cocos2d-x is typically brought in for.
- What can PlayFab do that Cocos2d-x cannot?
- PlayFab covers Player authentication, Data storage, Analytics, Multiplayer features. Cocos2d-x covers 2D rendering, Physics engine (Chipmunk), Particle effects, Animation system.