GameMaker vs libGDX

GameMaker9.0Visit libGDX—Visit

Higher score GameMaker #3 in Game Engine Software 9.0/10 Free plan · paid from $79.99/mo Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit GameMaker

vs

libGDX #8 in Game Engine Software —/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit libGDX

• GameMaker fits best

  2D creators needing broad publishing

• libGDX fits best

  Code-first Java game developers

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Side by side

Feature	GameMaker 9.0/10 Visit ↗	libGDX —/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	—
Ranking	#3 in Game Engine Software	#8 in Game Engine Software
Best for	2D creators needing broad publishing	Code-first Java game developers
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Community, Docs, Tickets	Community, Docs
Integrations	4 integrations	7 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features GameMaker 4/4 · libGDX 2/4
Visual scripting	✓ (best)	—
Multiplayer tools	✓	✓
Mobile export	✓	✓
Console export	✓ (best)	—
Specs
Source code model	Source_available	Open_source
Target platforms	GX.games, Windows, macOS, Ubuntu, HTML5, Android, iOS, tvOS, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch	Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Web
Scripting languages	GML Code, GML Visual	Java, Groovy, Kotlin, Scala
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	Free and open-source framework with 2D and 3D graphics APIs Supports Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and web deployment Includes physics, networking, asset management, and service integrations
Cons	Commercial publishing requires separate licensing Some export targets require separate licensing Its focus is 2D rather than a general-purpose engine	No visual scripting for editor-led development workflows No console export support Requires a code-first approach using supported JVM languages
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 →	libGDX is an open-source, code-centric Java framework for building 2D and 3D games. It is aimed at developers who prefer fine-grained control through code rather than a visual editor workflow. The framework provides a unified API with… 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

• libGDX — where it wins

  • Free and open-source framework with 2D and 3D graphics APIs
  • Supports Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and web deployment
  • Includes physics, networking, asset management, and service integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • No visual scripting for editor-led development workflows
  • No console export support
  • Requires a code-first approach using supported JVM languages

• GameMaker9.0/10 · Free plan · paid from $79.99/mo

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

  Visit GameMakerFull verdict →
• libGDX—/10 · Free plan

  A free, code-first Java framework for developers who want control across multiple platforms.

  Visit libGDXFull verdict →