Side by side
LÖVE vs melonJS
Both stand on game engine software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan AndroidiPhoneLinux+2
LÖVE offers a Lua-focused route to 2D game development across desktop and mobile systems. Its license permits commercial use, while developers should distinguish stable releases from the development branch.
Visit LÖVE Free plan AndroidiPhoneWeb
melonJS provides a compact, dependency-free 2.5D engine with broad rendering, input, physics, and level-design features. Its ES2022 target and lack of visual scripting may affect project setup choices.
Visit melonJSThe facts
| LÖVE | melonJS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Windows | Android, iPhone, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | melonJS |
| Website | love2d.org | melonjs.org |
| On game engine software | #39 of 92 | #43 of 92 |
LÖVE: what it does well
- Free for commercial use without listed limitations
- Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
- Includes mobile export
- Provides graphics and audio functions
- Community support through forums, Discord, and subreddit
What to know first
- Main repository branch is not considered stable
- iOS resources are source and libraries
- Requires Lua scripting
- Uses listed external dependencies
melonJS: what it does well
- Free under the MIT License
- Supports WebGPU, WebGL 2, and Canvas2D
- Approximately 250 KB minzipped
- No dependencies
- Exports to mobile through Capacitor
What to know first
- No visual scripting
- No console export
- Older browsers require transpiling
- No built-in multiplayer tools