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Unreal Engine vs Unity

Unreal Engine logo

Unreal Engine

Software

The world's most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unity logo

Unity

Software

Create beautiful interactive content with the world's leading real-time engine

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Unreal Engine 5% royalty triggered on any project exceeding $1 million in gross revenue across all revenue sources; Unity unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
  • They diverge on capability: Unreal Engine covers Real-time ray tracing, Unity covers Visual editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Unreal Engine and Unity actually diverge.

Attributes where Unreal Engine and Unity differ
AttributeUnreal EngineUnity
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsPC, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, VR, ARWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl
Founded19912004

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 Unreal Engine

  • Real-time ray tracing
  • Nanite geometry
  • Lumen global illumination
  • Blueprint visual scripting
  • C++ programming
  • World composition
  • Animation systems
  • Audio engine

Only in Unity

  • Visual editor
  • Physics engine (PhysX)
  • Animation system
  • Particle system
  • Built-in audio engine
  • Scripting with C#
  • Asset Store
  • Version control integration

Both cover

  • Perforce
  • GitHub
  • Maya
  • Blender
  • Local deployment

What people use each for

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

Unreal Engine

  • AAA game developmentnot Unity
  • Indie game creationnot Unity
  • Architectural visualizationnot Unity
  • Film and TV productionnot Unity
  • VR/AR experiencesnot Unity

Unity

  • Building 2D and 3D games for desktop, mobile, web, AR and VRnot Unreal Engine
  • Shipping console titles under a Pro or Enterprise licencenot Unreal Engine
  • Real time 3D for manufacturing, automotive and retail visualisationnot Unreal Engine
  • Live operations and in-app purchase management for mobile gamesnot Unreal Engine

Where each one falls short

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

Unreal Engine

  • 5% royalty triggered on any project exceeding $1 million in gross revenue across all revenue sources
  • Smaller mobile game ecosystem compared to Unity, with fewer optimized mobile libraries and live-ops services

Unity

  • Unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
  • Unity Pro costs $210.00 per month or $2,310.00 per year per seat
  • Businesses with more than $25M in annual revenue are required to be on Unity Enterprise, which is custom priced and requires contacting sales
  • Deploying to game consoles and to Apple Vision Pro requires Unity Pro or above
  • Splash screen customization is not available on Unity Personal
  • Unity Personal is licensed for gaming and entertainment applications only
  • Read-only engine source code access is an Enterprise feature and carries an additional cost
  • Asset Manager storage on Personal is capped at 10 GB per organization
  • Unity AI tools are free for a 14 day trial on Personal, after which a paid subscription is required
  • Enterprise terms note that minimum subscription or spending commitments may apply

Pricing, plan by plan

Unreal Engine

Free
  • Game DevelopmentFree
    • Nanite geometry
    • Lumen global illumination
    • Blueprint visual scripting
  • Non-Game Commercial$1850/year
    • No royalties
    • Enterprise features

Unity

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Full engine access
    • Asset Store access
    • Community support
  • Professional$399/month
    • All Personal features
    • Priority support
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Unreal Engine if

  • You need real-time ray tracing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on PC, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, VR, AR.
  • You also want nanite geometry.
Unreal Engine review

Choose Unity if

  • You need visual editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
  • You also want physics engine (physx).
Unity review

Questions people ask

Is Unreal Engine or Unity better?
Neither clearly leads. Unreal Engine starts at Free and Unity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Unreal Engine or Unity?
Unreal Engine starts at Free and Unity at Free.
Does Unreal Engine or Unity run on more platforms?
Unreal Engine runs on PC, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, VR, AR. Unity runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
Can I use Unreal Engine for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Unreal Engine best used for?
Unreal Engine is most often used for aaa game development, indie game creation, architectural visualization, film and tv production. Of those, aaa game development and indie game creation are not what Unity is typically brought in for.
What can Unreal Engine do that Unity cannot?
Unreal Engine covers Real-time ray tracing, Nanite geometry, Lumen global illumination, Blueprint visual scripting. Unity covers Visual editor, Physics engine (PhysX), Animation system, Particle system. Both handle Perforce, GitHub, Maya, Blender.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unreal Engine: What is Unreal Engine's royalty structure?

Unreal Engine is free upfront with a 5% royalty on gross revenue worldwide after a project exceeds $1 million in lifetime gross revenue. This includes in-app purchases, advertising, and direct sales but excludes indirect revenue.

Source
Unreal Engine: What platforms can Unreal Engine target?

Unreal Engine supports PC, VR, AR, gaming consoles, and mobile devices. The royalty fee applies across all platforms.

Source
Unreal Engine: What are Unreal Engine's graphics capabilities?

Unreal Engine 5 features Nanite virtualized geometry and Lumen global illumination, enabling photorealistic AAA workflows. Nanite replaces traditional LOD systems with 128-triangle clusters and software rasterization for superior visual fidelity.

Source
Unreal Engine: Do non-game developers pay royalties?

No. Non-game commercial teams pay $1,850 per seat per year instead of royalties. This covers enterprise use cases outside traditional game development.

Source
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