Indie Tooling

Living table · updated

Game engine comparison

Price, royalties, licence, platforms and the latest version of the engines indie developers actually use, side by side. We update a row every time we cover a release.

engines compared
17
free with no royalty
10
open source
10
ship to consoles
7
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Game engine comparison, updated 2 November 2026. Select a name for its full profile below.
PriceRoyaltyLicenceEditor runs onExports toLanguages
BENNEGenre engine · 2DUnversionedFreeNoneMITOpen sourceWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, WindowsTypeScript (BenneScript)
BevyCode-first framework · 2D and 3D0.20.1FreeNoneMIT or Apache 2.0Open sourceWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Web, iOS, AndroidRust
Construct 32D engine · 2D and 3Dr506.2US$129.99 a year (Personal); limited free editionNoneProprietary EULAWebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSEvent sheets (visual), JavaScript, TypeScript
Defold2D engine · 2D and 3D1.14.0FreeNoneDefold License (derived from Apache 2.0)Windows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, XboxLua, C++ (native extensions)
Flax EngineGeneral-purpose engine · 3D and 2D1.13Free4% of gross revenue above US$250k per product per calendar quarterFlax EULA (source available)Windows, Linux, macOSWindows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Web, Consoles (registered developers)C#, C++, Visual scripting
FyroxGeneral-purpose engine · 2D and 3D1.0.1FreeNoneMITOpen sourceWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Web, Android, iOSRust
GameMaker2D engine · 2DLTS 2026.0Free for non-commercial use; US$99.99 one-off Professional to sell gamesNoneProprietary EULAWindows, macOS, Linux (Ubuntu)Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, GX.games, Consoles (Enterprise licence)GML Code, GML Visual
GDevelop2D engine · 2D and 3D5.6.285Free; optional Silver, Gold and Pro subscriptionsNoneMITOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, WebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSEvent sheets (visual), JavaScript
Godot EngineGeneral-purpose engine · 2D and 3D4.7.2Preview: 4.8 beta 2FreeNoneMITOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, WebWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Consoles (via porting partners)GDScript, C#, C++
LÖVE (Love2D)Code-first framework · 2D11.5FreeNonezlibOpen sourceWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSLua
MonoGameCode-first framework · 2D and 3D3.8.5.1FreeNoneMicrosoft Public License (Ms-PL)Open sourceWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Consoles (registered developers)C#
O3DE (Open 3D Engine)General-purpose engine · 3D26.05.0FreeNoneApache 2.0 or MITOpen sourceWindows, Linux, macOS (experimental)Windows, Linux, Android, macOS (experimental), iOS (experimental)C++, Lua, Python, Script Canvas (visual)
PhaserCode-first framework · 2D4.2.1FreeNoneMITOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, WebWeb, Desktop and mobile (via wrappers)JavaScript, TypeScript
RPG Maker MZGenre engine · 2DMZ 1.10.0Preview: RPG Maker U2U P2D Map Editor demoUS$79.99 one-offNoneProprietary EULAWindows, macOSWindows, macOS, WebEvent commands (visual), JavaScript (plugins)
StrideGeneral-purpose engine · 3D and 2D4.4.0FreeNoneMITOpen sourceWindows, Linux (via Wine or Proton)Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOSC#
UnityGeneral-purpose engine · 2D and 3D6.6Preview: 7.0 alphaFree under US$200k revenue and funding; Pro US$2,310 a seat a yearNone. The Runtime Fee was cancelled in September 2024; Pro seats are required above US$200kProprietary EULAWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Consoles, XR headsetsC#
Unreal EngineGeneral-purpose engine · 3D and 2D5.8.4Free5% of lifetime gross revenue above US$1M per product; Epic Games Store sales are royalty-freeUnreal Engine EULA (source available)Windows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Consoles (approved developers), XR headsetsC++, Blueprints (visual)
Prices are what a solo developer pays, in the currency the vendor lists. “Latest stable” is the newest non-preview release.

Every engine at a glance

Who each engine suits, the main catch, and where every fact came from.

BENNE

Genre engine2DOpen source

Unversioned

Best for Solo devs making small, low-resolution pixel-art point-and-click adventures for itch.io or the web

Watch out Young one-developer project: Aseprite art and bitmap fonts only, no macOS, Linux, mobile or console builds

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
MIT
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Web, Windows
Languages
TypeScript (BenneScript)

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. First coverage. First wide airing on Phaser News: rooms, inventory, dialogue, VS Code editor extension Our story

Sources: BENNE official site and documentation (BENNE); BENNE: a point-and-click adventure engine built on Phaser 4 and TypeScript (Phaser News). Last checked .

Bevy

Code-first framework2D3DOpen source

0.20.1

Best for Rust programmers making systems-heavy games such as sims, strategy and factory games

Watch out No official editor yet, and every release brings breaking changes that plugins must catch up with

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
MIT or Apache 2.0
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, iOS, Android
Languages
Rust
Website
bevy.org

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. 0.20.1. Patch release on crates.io
  2. 0.20. Sprite materials, Solari path tracer on macOS, DLSS-RR 4.5, more Feathers editor widgets Our story
  3. 0.19.1. Patch release on crates.io
  4. 0.19. Introduced BSN, the Bevy Scene Notation that will underpin the editor

Sources: Bevy 0.20 release notes (Bevy); bevy crate versions (crates.io). Last checked .

Construct 3

2D engine2D3D

r506.2

Best for Beginners, educators and web-first 2D devs who want no-code events with JavaScript when needed

Watch out Subscription stops editor access if it lapses. 3D is new: lighting arrived in r506, shadows are not here yet

Price
US$129.99 a year (Personal); limited free edition
Royalty
None
Licence
Proprietary EULA
Editor runs on
Web
Exports to
Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Languages
Event sheets (visual), JavaScript, TypeScript

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. r506.2. Hotfix for r506 regressions in 3D Model animation and the Arcane Express example
  2. r506. 3D lights, PBR materials, FBX and OBJ import, animation blending; Normalized Z scale removed Our story
  3. r495.3 LTS. New long-term support release, supported to the end of 2027; r449 LTS ends 2026 Our story
  4. r495. 3D rotation, Billboard behaviour, 3D mesh editing, direct folder export

Sources: Construct r506.2 release notes (Scirra); Construct r495.3 LTS release notes (Scirra); Construct 3 pricing changes (Scirra). Last checked .

Defold

2D engine2D3D

1.14.0

Best for Small 2D games that need tiny web and mobile builds, and the cheapest route to all three consoles

Watch out Small community next to Godot or Unity. Console access needs platform approval and no Xbox game has shipped yet

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
Defold License (derived from Apache 2.0)
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox
Languages
Lua, C++ (native extensions)
Website
defold.com

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. 1.14.0. Xbox support for approved developers, cubemap render targets, text shaping, Metal by default on macOS Our story
  2. 1.13.2. Rich text for labels and GUI, new Bullet3D API, 3D collision meshes
  3. 1.13.1. Light components, more editor scripting APIs, wider gamepad support
  4. 1.13.0. Morph targets, expanded Box2D APIs, Vulkan by default on Android

Sources: Defold 1.14.0 release notes (Defold); Defold adds support for Microsoft Xbox (Defold); The Defold License (Defold). Last checked .

Flax Engine

General-purpose engine3D2D

1.13

Best for C# or C++ devs who want a modern 3D renderer with full source and a gentler royalty than Unreal

Watch out Small team and community, and you may not publish the engine source or your changes to it

Price
Free
Royalty
4% of gross revenue above US$250k per product per calendar quarter
Licence
Flax EULA (source available)
Editor runs on
Windows, Linux, macOS
Exports to
Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Web, Consoles (registered developers)
Languages
C#, C++, Visual scripting
Release history and sources
  1. 1.13. DDGI updates, PCSS soft shadows, occlusion culling, split-screen, move to .NET 10 and C# 14
  2. 1.12. Feature and stability release, over 1,481 commits
  3. 1.11. Graphics, editor tooling and stability release

Sources: Flax 1.13 released (Flax Engine); Flax FAQ: licensing (Flax Engine). Last checked .

Fyrox

General-purpose engine2D3DOpen source

1.0.1

Best for Rust teams who want a Unity-style visual editor and a stable 1.x API

Watch out Very small team with little funding, no global illumination yet, and no commercial games listed

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
MIT
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, Android, iOS
Languages
Rust
Website
fyrox.rs

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. 1.0.1. Patch release after 1.0.0
  2. 1.0.0. First stable release with FyroxEd and a CLI exporter for PC, web and Android Our story
  3. 1.0 RC 2. Second release candidate
  4. 1.0 RC 1. First release candidate; native assets moved to a text format

Sources: Fyrox Game Engine 1.0.0 (Fyrox); fyrox 1.0.1 builds (docs.rs). Last checked .

GameMaker

2D engine2D

LTS 2026.0

Best for 2D devs who want a mature, focused editor with a proven track record on Steam and consoles

Watch out Free GMRT commercial use only starts 1 January 2027 and GMRT is still in beta. Console export needs Enterprise

Price
Free for non-commercial use; US$99.99 one-off Professional to sell games
Royalty
None
Licence
Proprietary EULA
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux (Ubuntu)
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, GX.games, Consoles (Enterprise licence)
Languages
GML Code, GML Visual

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. Licensing. GMRT games free to sell on desktop, mobile and web from 1 January 2027; GMRT source for all tiers Our story
  2. LTS 2026.0. New primary version: UI Layers, Particle Editor, Prefab Library, Switch 2 target, GMRT beta support
  3. Roadmap. LTS26 plan announced; GMS2 runtime declared feature complete, new features go to GMRT
  4. Pricing. Free for non-commercial use; commercial licence became a one-off payment

Sources: GameMaker LTS 2026.0: New Features, GMRT and Much More (GameMaker); GMRT Update: Free for Commercial Use and Source Access (GameMaker); Get GameMaker: pricing tiers (GameMaker). Last checked .

GDevelop

2D engine2D3DOpen source

5.6.285

Best for Beginners and hobbyists who want a free, no-code editor that runs in the browser and publishes to the web fast

Watch out One-click builds are capped per day on the free plan, and companies over US$50k revenue are told to use a paid plan

Price
Free; optional Silver, Gold and Pro subscriptions
Royalty
None
Licence
MIT
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web
Exports to
Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Languages
Event sheets (visual), JavaScript
Release history and sources
  1. 5.6.285. 3D physics body type action, invoices in profile, fix for a cloud session cookie leak
  2. 5.6.271. Release noted on the GDevelop forum

Sources: GDevelop pricing (GDevelop); GDevelop v5.6.285 release (NewReleases (GitHub mirror)). Last checked .

Godot Engine

General-purpose engine2D3DOpen source

4.7.2

Best for Solo devs and small teams who want a free, light editor for 2D or mid-scale 3D with no licence strings

Watch out No official console export because console SDKs are under NDA, so you use a porting partner. C# in 4.8 needs .NET 10

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
MIT
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Web
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Consoles (via porting partners)
Languages
GDScript, C#, C++
Preview
4.8 beta 2 (29 Oct 2026)

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. 4.8 beta 2. Second 4.8 beta, regression fixes after the feature freeze
  2. 4.8 beta 1. Feature freeze: texture streaming, Trail3D, contact shadows; C# now needs .NET 10 Our story
  3. 4.7.2. Second 4.7 maintenance release with crash and regression fixes
  4. 4.7. Feature release: AreaLight3D, HDR output and a reworked asset store

Sources: Godot blog: release posts (Godot Engine); Maintenance release: Godot 4.7.1 (Godot Engine); 4.7-stable release (GitHub). Last checked .

LÖVE (Love2D)

Code-first framework2DOpen source

11.5

Best for Programmers and jam devs who want a tiny, fast Lua framework for 2D games

Watch out No editor and no official web export. Stable 11.5 is nearly three years old while 12.0 stays unreleased

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
zlib
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Languages
Lua
Website
love2d.org
Release history and sources
  1. 11.5. Current stable release

Sources: 12.0 (LÖVE wiki); Löve (game framework) (Wikipedia). Last checked .

MonoGame

Code-first framework2D3DOpen source

3.8.5.1

Best for C# programmers who want a lean XNA-style framework and full control, with a proven console path

Watch out No scene editor, so you build your own tools. Console access needs approval from each platform holder

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL)
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Consoles (registered developers)
Languages
C#
Release history and sources
  1. 3.8.5.1. Bug-fix release for DX12, Vulkan, audio and SpriteFont; team now working on 3.8.6
  2. 3.8.5. New DesktopVK and WindowsDX12 targets, native backend, Content Builder, ARM64 packages

Sources: 3.8.5.1 Release (MonoGame Foundation); MonoGame 3.8.5 Released (GameFromScratch). Last checked .

O3DE (Open 3D Engine)

General-purpose engine3DOpen source

26.05.0

Best for Engine programmers and studios who want a modular, AAA-style open 3D engine they can fully own

Watch out Steep learning curve, heavy builds and a thin indie tutorial base. macOS and iOS support is still experimental

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
Apache 2.0 or MIT
Editor runs on
Windows, Linux, macOS (experimental)
Exports to
Windows, Linux, Android, macOS (experimental), iOS (experimental)
Languages
C++, Lua, Python, Script Canvas (visual)
Website
o3de.org
Release history and sources
  1. 26.05.0. New native particle system and engine improvements
  2. 25.10. Visual and Vulkan performance upgrades, smoother workflows

Sources: O3DE 26.05.0 release notes (O3DE); O3DE release notes index (O3DE); Open 3D Engine (Wikipedia). Last checked .

Phaser

Code-first framework2DOpen source

4.2.1

Best for Web developers making 2D browser, playable ad or itch.io games in JavaScript or TypeScript

Watch out No built-in editor (Phaser Editor is separate) and desktop or mobile builds rely on third-party wrappers

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
MIT
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web
Exports to
Web, Desktop and mobile (via wrappers)
Languages
JavaScript, TypeScript
Website
phaser.io

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. 4.2.1. Patch release in the Giedi line
  2. 4.2.0. Giedi feature release
  3. 4.1.0. Salusa feature release
  4. 4.0.0. Phaser 4 stable, with a rebuilt renderer

Sources: Phaser 4 downloads and release history (Phaser); Phaser licence (Phaser). Last checked .

RPG Maker MZ

Genre engine2D

MZ 1.10.0

Best for Writers and solo devs making classic 2D JRPGs without coding, with a huge plugin and asset ecosystem

Watch out U2U is next but has no price or date, and MZ projects and JavaScript plugins will not convert to it

Price
US$79.99 one-off
Royalty
None
Licence
Proprietary EULA
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Web
Languages
Event commands (visual), JavaScript (plugins)
Preview
RPG Maker U2U P2D Map Editor demo (20 Oct 2026)

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. U2U demo. Free P2D Map Editor demo on Steam until 16 November; maps only, no game creation Our story
  2. U2U. U2U Steam page and wishlists opened
  3. U2U. U2U announced: HD-2D style P2D maps, Luau plugins, no project conversion from MV or MZ
  4. MZ 1.10.0. New project templates, passability display, eraser tool, 189 sample maps

Sources: RPG Maker MZ version 1.10.0 (RPG Maker official guild); RPG Maker MZ on Steam (Steam); RPG Maker MZ help: deployment (Gotcha Gotcha Games). Last checked .

Stride

General-purpose engine3D2DOpen source

4.4.0

Best for C# developers, especially Unity leavers, making 3D PC or VR games who want full source and no fees

Watch out Editor is Windows-only until the Avalonia port lands. Small community, no web or console targets

Price
Free
Royalty
None
Licence
MIT
Editor runs on
Windows, Linux (via Wine or Proton)
Exports to
Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS
Languages
C#

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. 4.4.0. SPIR-V shader compiler, rebuilt Vulkan 1.3 and D3D12, stride CLI, Linux and macOS builds; OpenGL dropped Our story
  2. 4.3. Previous major release

Sources: Stride 4.4.0 release (GitHub); Announcing Stride 4.4 (Stride). Last checked .

Unity

General-purpose engine2D3D

6.6

Best for Teams who need the widest platform reach, mobile and XR, plus the biggest asset store and tutorial library

Watch out Seat fees once you pass US$200k, and a big Mono to CoreCLR move in Unity 7. Shipping teams should stay on 6.3 LTS

Price
Free under US$200k revenue and funding; Pro US$2,310 a seat a year
Royalty
None. The Runtime Fee was cancelled in September 2024; Pro seats are required above US$200k
Licence
Proprietary EULA
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Consoles, XR headsets
Languages
C#
Preview
7.0 alpha (5 Oct 2026)
Website
unity.com

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. 7.0 alpha. Public alpha moves the editor from Mono to CoreCLR; C# 9 and .NET Standard 2.1 for now Our story
  2. 6.6. Supported release: WebGPU official, Content Directory, Build Analysis window, Fast Enter Play Mode default
  3. 6.5. Supported release, now end of life
  4. Pricing. Pro and Enterprise prices up 5%, Pro now US$2,310 a seat a year

Sources: Changes to Unity subscription plans and pricing (Unity); A message to our community: Unity is canceling the Runtime Fee (Unity); Unity Editor product updates (Unity Discussions). Last checked .

Unreal Engine

General-purpose engine3D2D

5.8.4

Best for Teams making high-fidelity 3D who can live with a heavy editor and want full engine source

Watch out Heavy hardware and build times for small teams, and 5% royalty past US$1M. AI training clause in the EULA is changing

Price
Free
Royalty
5% of lifetime gross revenue above US$1M per product; Epic Games Store sales are royalty-free
Licence
Unreal Engine EULA (source available)
Editor runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Exports to
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Consoles (approved developers), XR headsets
Languages
C++, Blueprints (visual)

Our coverage

Release history and sources
  1. EULA. Epic says it will drop the clause barring AI training on Unreal and MetaHuman output; no new text yet Our story
  2. 5.8.4. Hotfix switches iOS, iPadOS and tvOS builds to Apple's UIScene lifecycle by default Our story
  3. 5.8.3. Hotfix release
  4. 5.8. Terrain and vegetation tools, simpler lighting, faster animation work, built-in MCP plugin

Sources: 5.8.4 Hotfix Released (Epic Developer Community Forums); Unreal Engine licensing (Epic Games); Unreal Engine 5.8 Released (Epic Developer Community Forums). Last checked .

Quick answers

Generated from the table, so they change when it does.

Which game engines are free for commercial use with no royalty?

BENNE, Bevy, Defold, Fyrox, Godot Engine, LÖVE (Love2D), MonoGame, O3DE (Open 3D Engine), Phaser and Stride cost nothing and take no royalty on your sales. Check each licence for its own terms, such as attribution or console export costs.

Which game engines charge a royalty or revenue threshold?

Flax Engine: 4% of gross revenue above US$250k per product per calendar quarter. Unreal Engine: 5% of lifetime gross revenue above US$1M per product; Epic Games Store sales are royalty-free.

Which game engines are open source?

BENNE, Bevy, Fyrox, GDevelop, Godot Engine, LÖVE (Love2D), MonoGame, O3DE (Open 3D Engine), Phaser and Stride publish their source code under an open-source licence.

Which game engines can export to consoles?

Defold, Flax Engine, GameMaker, Godot Engine, MonoGame, Unity and Unreal Engine list console export, usually through the platform holder's developer programme or a porting partner.

Which game engine editors run on Linux?

BENNE, Bevy, Defold, Flax Engine, Fyrox, GameMaker, GDevelop, Godot Engine, LÖVE (Love2D), MonoGame, O3DE (Open 3D Engine), Phaser, Stride, Unity and Unreal Engine run on Linux.