Side by side
Cake vs CMake
Both stand on game build automation software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Cake provides a flexible C# approach to automating compilation, testing, packaging, and file operations. Its broad tool, editor, and CI integrations make it suitable for teams standardizing builds across operating systems.
Visit Cake
Free plan iPhoneLinuxMac+2
Choose CMake if you need a cross-platform way to configure software builds and connect them to a range of build systems. Its free BSD-licensed plan includes tools for building, testing, packaging, and installation. Teams seeking paid expert help should account for the $2,500 pre-paid support option and its one-year use period.
Visit CMakeThe facts
| Cake | CMake | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Pre-Paid CMake Support: $2,500, paid once |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | cakebuild.net | cmake.org |
| On game build automation software | #16 of 43 | #12 of 43 |
Cake: what it does well
- Free and open source, including commercial use
- Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS
- Supports multiple C# build formats
- Built-in support for major .NET tools
- Integrates with several CI systems
What to know first
- Cake .NET Tool requires .NET 8 or newer
- Runners are self-hosted
- Extension support comes from each extension author
CMake: what it does well
- One input set can describe builds for multiple platforms.
- Supports dependency tracking and minimal rebuilds.
- Works with Visual Studio, Xcode, Ninja, Make, and VSCode.
- CTest supports parallel runs and can send results to CDash.
- CPack creates installers for Linux, Windows, and Mac.
What to know first
- The free plan has no free trial.
- Pre-paid support costs $2,500 once and expires after one year.