Best Game Engine Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Godot Engine is ranked #1 of 91 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Construct 3 and Defold. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Construct 3. The lowest first paid tier on this page is PlayCanvas at $15/mo.
Building a game begins with decisions about how you want to develop it and where players should be able to run it. Compared on target platforms, mobile and console export, scripting languages, visual scripting, multiplayer tools, source code model, free plan, and paid from, these entries help you weigh development approach against deployment needs. Godot Engine, Construct 3, and Defold are among the named options. Consider which tools suit your workflow and which platform exports matter for the game you plan to make.
91 game engine software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
16 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Godot EngineWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.4 | |
| 2 | Construct 3Web · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.3 | |
| 3 | DefoldWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Extension | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.3 | |
| 4 | CRYENGINEWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.3 | |
| 5 | GameMakerWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | $79.99/mo | 8.2 | |
| 6 | GDevelopWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.2 | |
| 7 | StencylWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.0 | |
| 8 | PlayCanvasWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $15/mo | 7.9 | |
| 9 | Flax EngineWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.9 | |
| 10 | Solar2DWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.6 | |
| 11 | FelgoWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Extension | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.6 | |
| 12 | Clickteam Fusion 2.5Web · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.5 | |
| 13 | Armory3DWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.5 | |
| 14 | UNIGINE EngineWindows · Linux | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $832.92/mo | 7.4 | |
| 15 | libGDXWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 7.1 |
| 16 | Cocos CreatorWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 7.0 |
| 17 | CopperCubeWindows · Android | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 7.0 | |
| 18 | PhaserWeb · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 6.9 |
| 19 | jMonkeyEngineWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 6.9 |
| 20 | Wonderland EngineWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.9 | |
| 21 | StrideWindows · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 22 | Ren'PyWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 23 | Irrlicht EngineWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 24 | MonoGameWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 25 | BevyWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which game engine software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Godot Engine is ranked #1 of 91 with a score of 8.4. Construct 3 is second and Defold third.
How many of these have a free plan?
16 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, PlayCanvas has the lowest first paid tier we found: $15/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.