Side by side
Joystick vs PlayFab
Both stand on game liveops software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIWeb
Choose Joystick if your team needs remote configuration, targeted variants, or staged changes across app or game environments. The free Cloud plan provides a starting point, while teams requiring a single-tenant solution can consider Enterprise; its pricing is custom.
Visit Joystick Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+4
Visit PlayFab The facts
| Joystick | PlayFab | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | No |
| Runs on | API, Web | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | See the plans |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | getjoystick.com | developer.microsoft.com |
| On game liveops software | #15 of 26 | #11 of 26 |
Joystick: what it does well
- Change app or game configuration without releasing an update.
- Supports JSON, XML, YAML, and other configuration content.
- Run A/B tests and deliver variants to user segments.
- Manage staged, scheduled, and protected deployments.
- Integrates with Google Sheets, webhooks, and REST API.
What to know first
- Enterprise pricing is custom and not stated.
PlayFab: what it does well
Alternatives to Joystick Alternatives to PlayFab The whole list