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Game Development · head to head

Defold vs Stencyl

Defold logo

Defold

Game Development

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stencyl logo

Stencyl

Game Development

Create games with visual programming

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Defold the Defold License requires you to include the Defold license and copyright notice in any work you create with the engine; Stencyl the free Starter tier can publish to the web only
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, Stencyl covers Visual block programming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Stencyl actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Stencyl differ
AttributeDefoldStencyl
Pricing modelfreesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash
Founded20052011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Defold

  • Lua scripting
  • Sprite system
  • Particle effects
  • Sound management
  • Collection editor
  • Mobile optimization
  • Lightweight
  • Bob build system

Only in Stencyl

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

Both cover

  • Physics engine
  • Visual Studio Code
  • GitHub
  • Local deployment
  • Mobile deployment
  • Web deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Linux support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Defold

  • Building 2D games for mobile, desktop, web and console from a single projectnot Stencyl
  • Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot Stencyl
  • Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot Stencyl

Stencyl

  • Game development for independent creatorsnot Defold
  • Cross-platform game publishing (iOS, Android, Web, Desktop)not Defold
  • Indie game studio platformnot Defold

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Defold

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • Lua scripting
    • Physics engine

Stencyl

Free
  • Starter (Free)Free
    • Publish to Web only
    • Includes Stencyl branding splash screen
  • Indie$99/year
    • Publish to Web and Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
    • Early access to latest releases
    • No watermarks or forced Stencyl branding
  • Studio (Most Popular)$199/year
    • Publish to iOS, Android, Web and Desktop
    • Early access to latest releases
    • No watermarks or forced Stencyl branding

Which should you pick?

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.
Defold 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 Defold or Stencyl better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and Stencyl at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Stencyl?
Defold starts at Free and Stencyl at Free.
Does Defold or Stencyl run on more platforms?
Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Stencyl runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Flash.
Can I use Defold for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Defold best used for?
Defold is most often used for building 2d games for mobile, desktop, web and console from a single project, shipping small-footprint html5 games, teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on games. Of those, building 2d games for mobile, desktop, web and console from a single project and shipping small-footprint html5 games are not what Stencyl is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that Stencyl cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Sprite system, Particle effects, Sound management. Stencyl covers Visual block programming, Drag-and-drop interface, Sprite animation, Sound and music. Both handle Physics engine, Visual Studio Code, GitHub, Local deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Defold: How much does Defold cost?

Defold is completely free with no up-front cost, no licensing cost, no royalties, and no runtime fees. The game engine is free forever, supported by the Defold Foundation with source code available under a developer-friendly license.

Source
Stencyl: How much does Stencyl cost?

Stencyl offers a free Starter plan, Indie at $99/year, and Studio at $199/year. All platforms include annual subscriptions with no royalties or per-game fees.

Source
Defold: Is Defold free to use commercially?

Yes, Defold is free forever with no royalties or revenue sharing required. Developers can create and monetize commercial games without any fees to Defold.

Source
Stencyl: What platforms can I publish to with each Stencyl plan?

Starter publishes to Web only. Indie adds Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux). Studio includes all Indie platforms plus iOS and Android mobile.

Source
Stencyl: Does Stencyl offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes, both Indie and Studio plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase, provided you have not published any games.

Source
Stencyl: Can I use Stencyl after my subscription expires?

Yes, your games will continue to work after your subscription expires. However, you cannot publish new games or updates without an active subscription.

Source
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