GameMaker vs Flax Engine

GameMaker8.9Visit Flax Engine7.5Visit

Higher score GameMaker #3 in Game Engine Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit GameMaker

vs

Flax Engine #22 in Game Engine Software 7.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Flax Engine

• GameMaker fits best

  2D creators needing broad publishing

• Flax Engine fits best

  Teams wanting Unreal-like breadth

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Side by side

Feature	GameMaker 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Flax Engine 7.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	7.5
Ranking	#3 in Game Engine Software	#22 in Game Engine Software
Best for	2D creators needing broad publishing	Teams wanting Unreal-like breadth
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$799.99/yr	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, Linux
Support	Community, Docs, Tickets	Docs, Community
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features GameMaker 4/4 · Flax Engine 4/4
Visual scripting	✓	✓
Multiplayer tools	✓	✓
Mobile export	✓	✓
Console export	✓	✓
Specs
Source code model	Source_available	Source_available
Target platforms	GX.games, Windows, macOS, Ubuntu, HTML5, Android, iOS, tvOS, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch	Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series, Nintendo Switch
Scripting languages	GML Code, GML Visual	C#, C++
Our review
Pros	Free access for non-commercial game development Exports to desktop, web, mobile, and GX.games Supports publishing for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch	Supports C++, C# and visual scripting Includes multiplayer, VFX, animation and open-world tools Exports across desktop, mobile, web and consoles
Cons	Commercial publishing requires separate licensing Some export targets require separate licensing Its focus is 2D rather than a general-purpose engine	Commercial releases generally use a revenue-share license Console deployment may require platform-specific access or licensing Public source is available under the Flax EULA, not an open-source license
Our verdict	GameMaker is a cross-platform 2D game development environment for indie developers and commercial studios. It provides an integrated environment for creating projects and supports publishing across desktop, web, mobile, GX.games, and… Read the review →	Flax Engine is a 3D game engine for independent developers, studios and teams creating games or interactive applications. Its editor combines C++ and C# scripting with visual scripting, while the broader toolkit covers rendering,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• GameMaker — where it wins

  • Free access for non-commercial game development
  • Exports to desktop, web, mobile, and GX.games
  • Supports publishing for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch

  Where it doesn't

  • Commercial publishing requires separate licensing
  • Some export targets require separate licensing
  • Its focus is 2D rather than a general-purpose engine

• Flax Engine — where it wins

  • Supports C++, C# and visual scripting
  • Includes multiplayer, VFX, animation and open-world tools
  • Exports across desktop, mobile, web and consoles

  Where it doesn't

  • Commercial releases generally use a revenue-share license
  • Console deployment may require platform-specific access or licensing
  • Public source is available under the Flax EULA, not an open-source license

• GameMaker8.9/10 · Free plan

  A focused 2D engine with free non-commercial access and wide export coverage.

  Visit GameMakerFull verdict →
• Flax Engine7.5/10 · Free plan

  Broad 3D development tools for teams building games across desktop, mobile, web and consoles.

  Visit Flax EngineFull verdict →