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Game Development · head to head

Defold vs Substance 3D Painter

Defold logo

Defold

Game Development

The game engine for the creators of King

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Substance 3D Painter logo

Substance 3D Painter

Game Development

3D texture painting software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Defold has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Defold covers Lua scripting, Substance 3D Painter covers 3D painting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Defold and Substance 3D Painter actually diverge.

Attributes where Defold and Substance 3D Painter differ
AttributeDefoldSubstance 3D Painter
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWindows, MacOS, Linux
Founded20051982

Identical on both: 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
  • Physics engine
  • Sprite system
  • Particle effects
  • Sound management
  • Collection editor
  • Mobile optimization
  • Lightweight

Only in Substance 3D Painter

  • 3D painting
  • Smart materials
  • Generators
  • PBR workflow
  • Baking
  • Export presets
  • Scripting
  • Maya

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Linux 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 Substance 3D Painter
  • Shipping small-footprint HTML5 gamesnot Substance 3D Painter
  • Teams wanting a free engine with no revenue share on gamesnot Substance 3D Painter

Substance 3D Painter

  • Game texturingnot Defold
  • Film assetsnot Defold
  • Product visualizationnot 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

Substance 3D Painter

Nothing recorded yet. See the Substance 3D Painter review.

Pricing, plan by plan

Defold

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

Substance 3D Painter

$29/month
  • Substance 3D Texturing$19.99/month
    • Painter + Sampler
  • Substance 3D Collection$49.99/month
    • All Substance apps

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 physics engine.
Defold review

Choose Substance 3D Painter if

  • You need 3d painting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want smart materials.
Substance 3D Painter review

Questions people ask

Is Defold or Substance 3D Painter better?
Neither clearly leads. Defold starts at Free and Substance 3D Painter at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Substance 3D Painter?
Defold has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Defold and $29/month for Substance 3D Painter.
Does Defold or Substance 3D Painter run on more platforms?
Defold runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Substance 3D Painter runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use Defold for free?
Yes. Defold has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Substance 3D Painter starts at $29/month.
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 Substance 3D Painter is typically brought in for.
What can Defold do that Substance 3D Painter cannot?
Defold covers Lua scripting, Physics engine, Sprite system, Particle effects. Substance 3D Painter covers 3D painting, Smart materials, Generators, PBR workflow. Both handle Windows support, Linux support.

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
Substance 3D Painter: Does Substance 3D Painter offer a free trial?

Free trial availability for Substance 3D Painter cannot be confirmed from publicly accessible pricing pages. Check the product page directly or contact Adobe for current trial offers.

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
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