Godot vs Defold

Godot and Defold both cost nothing to use, so the choice is about licence clarity, platform reach and who stands behind the engine. Godot is MIT licensed, hosted by the Godot Foundation, and has built-in 2D and 3D tools with GDScript and C#. Defold is free forever according to its own site, lists Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Steam, HTML5 and Poki as publishing targets, and uses its own Defold License derived from Apache 2.0. Neither vendor states a country, so where the legal home sits stays open.

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Both are reviewed in full in our game engines ranking: Godot and Defold.

1. 01

   A licence you can read in one line

   Godot sits under the MIT licence, which its repository calls very permissive and which allows commercial use and redistribution under a different licence. Game makers become sole copyright owner but must include the notice. Defold uses The Defold License, version 1.0 from May 2020, derived from Apache 2.0, which lets you commercialise games but not sell the editor or engine as a Game Engine Product. MIT is the simpler text to reason about.

   Edge: Godot

2. 02

   Consoles and web portals on the platform list

   Defold lists Xbox, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Steam, Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, HTML5, Poki and Facebook on its home page. Godot names desktop, mobile and web, plus OpenXR and WebXR headsets, and says consoles are supported through third-party publishers. That extra step sits outside the engine. A team aiming at consoles and game portals from day one has a longer ready-made list at Defold.

   Edge: Defold

3. 03

   Scripting and the 2D workflow

   Godot offers GDScript, described as inspired by Python, with optional static typing, plus C# on .NET as a dedicated executable for desktop and mobile since Godot 4.2. Games are built from nodes and scenes, and there is a built-in tile map editor with a real pixel-based unit system. The pages we read for Defold name no scripting language and no editor tools. On documented workflow detail, Godot gives much more to compare.

   Edge: Godot

4. 04

   3D rendering and headset support

   Godot lists Vulkan, Direct3D 12 and Metal renderers, says OpenGL runs on most modern GPUs including integrated graphics, and has built-in OpenXR and WebXR support. Defold's home page, as we read it, mentions no 3D renderer and no XR support. That does not prove it lacks them, since the home page simply does not show it either way. For a team that needs 3D or headsets, Godot is the engine with stated facts.

   Edge: Godot

5. 05

   Who funds the engine and who writes it

   Godot says it is hosted by the Godot Foundation and funded by a development fund of donors and corporate sponsors in Patron, Corporate Platinum, Gold and Silver tiers. Defold is made by the Defold Foundation, which its About page calls the legal entity, and Refold AB, owned by members of the Defold team, is contracted for most day-to-day development. Neither site names the foundation's country. Defold is the more explicit about who does the work.

   Edge: Defold

6. 06

   Fees, trials and plan tiers

   Neither engine has a price list. Godot is described as a free download with no fees, royalties or charges mentioned, and no trial is needed. Defold states no up-front cost, no licensing cost, no royalties and no runtime fee, and credits that to the objectives of the Defold Foundation. Neither site shows plan tiers. On cost alone the two are level, so the decision moves to the licence, the platform list and the tooling you actually need.

   Depends on the buyer

Do Godot or Defold ever charge royalties?

No. Godot's site mentions no fees, royalties or charges, and the MIT licence allows commercial use. Defold states no royalties and no runtime fee, and says it is free forever.

Can I fork the Defold engine like I can with Godot?

Godot's MIT licence lets you modify and redistribute the source. Defold's licence is derived from Apache 2.0 but forbids selling the editor or engine as a Game Engine Product. The licence page gives no repository link, only a source availability overview.

Which engine reaches Nintendo Switch more directly?

Defold lists Nintendo Switch, Xbox and both PlayStation consoles among its publishing platforms. Godot says consoles are supported through third-party publishers. Neither site describes the console process in more detail.

• Godot home page: no fees mentioned, Godot Foundation hosting, sponsor tiers and the desktop, mobile, web and XR targets.
• Godot licence page: MIT terms, commercial use allowed and the notice a game must include.
• Godot features page: GDScript, C# since 4.2, nodes and scenes, tile map editor and the Vulkan, Direct3D 12 and Metal renderers.
• Defold home page: free forever with no runtime fee and the full publishing platform list.
• Defold licence page: The Defold License 1.0 derived from Apache 2.0 and the ban on selling the engine.
• Defold About page: the Foundation as legal entity and Refold AB as development contractor.