No. 24 of 25 ·Game Networking Middleware

Photon Server

Windows · Self-hosted · API

Freedom report

One barScore 4.8

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely1 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Photon Server is ranked #24 of 25 in game networking middleware on Freedom251. It runs on API, Self-hosted, Windows. There is no free plan.

Photon Server plans and pricing

All plans

Photon Server license Not published Licenses available to Industries Circle members · agreed server and CCU limits apply doc.photonengine.com · 7 Oct 2026

Compared on game networking middleware

Free plan: No
Paid from: $500/mo
Network model: client-server
Supported platforms: Windows; .NET/C# clients; cross-platform game clients
Matchmaking: Yes
Transport protocols: reliable UDP; TCP; HTTP; WebSocket; Secure WebSocket

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The record

Purpose: Photon Server is an on-premises real-time socket server and cross-platform multiplayer game development framework for connecting players and exchanging data in shared game sessions.
Custom backend: The server applications provide frameworks for building and running a multiplayer game backend, with C# source code that can be used as provided or customized.
Protocols: The core supports reliable UDP, binary TCP, WebSockets, and secure WebSockets.
Development framework: Its C# server framework maps RPC calls to operation instances and uses message passing through fibers to handle threading tasks.
Development tools: Photon Server can be debugged in Visual Studio and the documentation also lists Redgate and JetBrains development tools.
Persistence limitation: Photon Server does not provide a persistence layer, though the documentation lists SQL and NoSQL databases usable through .NET on Windows.
Integrations: The SDK's LoadBalancing (MyCloud) application is compatible with Photon Cloud and is the recommended setup for clients using PUN, Photon Voice, or Photon Realtime.
Authentication: The documentation lists custom authentication and providers including Epic EOS, Facebook, Oculus, Steam, and VIVEPORT.
Security: Secure WebSocket connections can be configured with TLS certificates, with the documentation recommending certificates signed by a trusted certificate authority for production.
License requirement: Photon Server requires a valid license to run, and the comparison page says licenses can be bought by Industries Circle members only.
License limits: The license terms restrict use to the agreed server count and CCU per server, and limit each server license to one application.
Support: Photon provides a public Discord community, general email contact, and a support form available after logging in.
Intended users: Photon describes Server as an on-premises option for teams that want to host and configure their own multiplayer backend on machines they choose.
Company: Exit Games was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Game Networking Middleware in 2026#24 of 25

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Sources

doc.photonengine.com/server/v5/getting-started/photon-server· checked 7 Oct 2026
doc.photonengine.com/server/v5/getting-started/photon-server· checked 7 Oct 2026
doc.photonengine.com/server/v5/operations/certificate-setup· checked 7 Oct 2026
doc.photonengine.com/server/v5/getting-started/onpremises-or· checked 7 Oct 2026
photonengine.com/terms/licenseterms· checked 7 Oct 2026
photonengine.com/contact· checked 7 Oct 2026
blog.photonengine.com/press-release-exit-games-partners-with-· checked 7 Oct 2026
photonengine.com/server· checked 28 Sept 2026