Is Godot Engine better than Defold?

Godot Engine ranks higher in our list of game engines (#1 against #4, score 94.0 against 89.5). Defold is best for: small Lua-based games that ship to many platforms. Godot Engine is best for: free open-source 2D and 3D games with no royalties.

Which is cheaper, Defold or Godot Engine?

Defold: Free forever with no runtime fees; source available under the Defold License. Godot Engine: MIT licensed; no royalties, fees or revenue limits for the engine.

Do Defold and Godot Engine run on the same platforms?

Defold supports Windows, macOS, Linux. Godot Engine supports Windows, macOS, Linux.

Defold vs Godot Engine: Which Is Better? (2026)

89.5
Editorial score
94.0
3
Platforms
3
Yes
Free to use
Yes
No
Open source
Yes

Which should you choose?

Choose Defold if you want

Small Lua-based games that ship to many platforms.

Free forever with no runtime fees and a small footprint, but the source-available license bars selling modified editor or engine builds. Game logic is written in Lua, which narrows the choice.

Choose Godot Engine if you want

Free open-source 2D and 3D games with no royalties.

MIT license with no royalties, an editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, and export to Android and the web. Store builds of the editor leave out C#, so check that before choosing it.

The main differences

Godot Engine is open source; Defold is not.

Side by side

	Defold	Godot Engine
Score	89.5	94.0
Rank in list	#4 of 12	#1 of 12
Price	FreeFree forever with no runtime fees; source available under the Defold License	Free and open sourceMIT licensed; no royalties, fees or revenue limits for the engine
Free to use	Yes	Yes
Open source	No	Yes
Platforms	WindowsmacOSLinuxWindows, macOS, Linux	WindowsmacOSLinuxWindows, macOS, Linux
Made by	Defold Foundation	Godot Foundation
Scripting language	Lua	GDScript and C#
3D support	Yes	Yes
Workflow	Editor and code	Editor and code
Best for	Small Lua-based games that ship to many platforms	Free open-source 2D and 3D games with no royalties
Strengths	Free forever with no runtime fees Small engine footprint with Live Update support Publishes to consoles, Steam and web from one project	MIT license with no royalties or revenue limits Editor runs on Windows, macOS and Linux Active releases, including 4.7.2 in August 2026
Limits	Game logic uses Lua, which limits the choice of languages Modified editor or engine builds cannot be sold	Store versions of the editor omit C# and .NET support Console builds need a separate check of current status
Links	Visit site	Visit site

Questions about Defold vs Godot Engine

Is Godot Engine better than Defold?: Godot Engine ranks higher in our list of game engines (#1 against #4, score 94.0 against 89.5). Defold is best for: small Lua-based games that ship to many platforms. Godot Engine is best for: free open-source 2D and 3D games with no royalties.
Which is cheaper, Defold or Godot Engine?: Defold: Free forever with no runtime fees; source available under the Defold License. Godot Engine: MIT licensed; no royalties, fees or revenue limits for the engine.
Do Defold and Godot Engine run on the same platforms?: Defold supports Windows, macOS, Linux. Godot Engine supports Windows, macOS, Linux.