Short answer: a two-person studio pays Unity nothing while its revenue and funding stay under $200K a year, and two Unity Pro seats cost $4,620 a year prepaid once they pass that line. Godot's MIT license and Defold's homepage name no fee and no royalty, and MonoGame's homepage says the same. GameMaker needs a $99.99 commercial license, Stencyl costs $99 a year for web and desktop, and Flax takes 4% of earnings above $250,000 in a calendar quarter.
What eight engines cost a two-person team shipping one 2D game, with each revenue line and royalty read on the vendor's own page in October 2026.
A two-person studio only sees a Unity bill after its revenue and funding pass a line. Unity Personal is free for individuals and small organizations with less than $200K in revenue and funds raised over the last 12 months, measured across the whole business. Above that line, Unity Pro becomes mandatory and each seat carries its own price. This guide prices eight cheaper engines from the game engines category at two points: a first game under $50K a year, and a hit above the Unity line. For the wider field of Unity alternatives, see the alternatives list.
Toolradar data: 5% of the 21 game engines we track are paid only, and 95% have a free or freemium plan. Free engines still differ on the revenue line, the royalty and the export rules, and those are the terms this comparison prices.
Methodology: eight engines a two-person team can ship a 2D game with, each price and royalty term read on the vendor's own page in October 2026 and linked under the table. Unity is the baseline row, not a pick. Where a vendor page gave no US dollar price, the table leaves that price out rather than converting one.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
Free and MIT licensed, with no royalty or revenue threshold on its license page, so a hit costs the same as a flop.
Starting price
Free (MIT license)
4.3 (59 reviews)
Best for
Two-person teams building 2D games who want the lowest possible cost and full control of their own license.
Free forever, with no licensing cost, no royalties and no runtime fee on its homepage, and Lua scripting for game logic.
Starting price
Free, no royalties
4.6 (62 reviews)
Best for
Small teams shipping 2D and 3D games to many platforms who want a free engine with a written no-royalty promise.
Free for non-commercial use, with a commercial license required before a game can earn money and console export needing Enterprise.
Starting price
Free for non-commercial use
4.0 (129 reviews)
Best for
Teams shipping games to desktop, web and mobile that do not need a console release in their first year.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godot | Free (MIT license) | 4.3 59 reviews | Two-person teams building 2D games who want the lowest possible cost and full control of their own license. |
| Defold | Free, no royalties | 4.6 62 reviews | Small teams shipping 2D and 3D games to many platforms who want a free engine with a written no-royalty promise. |
| GameMaker | Free for non-commercial use | 4.0 129 reviews | Teams shipping games to desktop, web and mobile that do not need a console release in their first year. |
| Stencyl | Annual plan, no royalties | 4.5 12 reviews | Teams who want 2D games built with visual blocks and would rather pay a yearly plan than a royalty. |
| GDevelop | Free up to $50K a year | 4.5 339 reviews | Makers building games without writing code, as long as the company stays below the Pro threshold. |
| Cocos Creator | Free download | n/a | Web-minded developers who script in TypeScript and want one free engine for both 2D and 3D work. |
| MonoGame | Free, no royalties | n/a | Programmers who want to write the whole game in C# and do not need a visual editor. |
| Flax Engine | 4% royalty above $250K a quarter | n/a | Studios that want source code access and expect a quarter strong enough to pass the royalty line. |
Godot
Free and MIT licensed, with no royalty or revenue threshold on its license page, so a hit costs the same as a flop.
- 4.3 on Capterra (28 reviews)
- 4.5 on G2 (27 reviews)
- 4.0 on Trustpilot (4 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free (MIT license)
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.3 (59 reviews)
Best for: Two-person teams building 2D games who want the lowest possible cost and full control of their own license.
- Pro: MIT license: the engine can be distributed commercially, and the license page names no seat fee or royalty
- Pro: No revenue line to track, so the bill does not change when the game sells well
- Pro: Open source, so a studio can read and change the engine itself
- Con: Fewer ready-made plugins and asset-store integrations than Unity, so some tools may need building in-house
- Con: Teams trained on Unity's C# must learn Godot's own scripting, which costs time before the first build
Godot's pricing is exceptionally generous, offering a fully-featured game engine completely free under an MIT license.
- Starting price
- Free, no royalties
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.6 (62 reviews)
Best for: Small teams shipping 2D and 3D games to many platforms who want a free engine with a written no-royalty promise.
- Pro: Homepage lists no licensing cost, no royalties and no runtime fee, the three charges a studio would otherwise budget for
- Pro: The license says Defold will never request royalty payments or introduce licensing fees for the main product
- Pro: Live Update support is included, according to its homepage
- Con: You cannot commercialise changed versions of the Defold editor or engine itself, a limit that only matters if you plan to resell the tool
- Con: Smaller community and fewer ready-made asset packs than Unity, so more of the tooling is built by hand
Defold's pricing is exceptionally generous, being entirely free with no hidden costs or royalties.
GameMaker
Free for non-commercial use, with a commercial license required before a game can earn money and console export needing Enterprise.
- 4.4 on Capterra (96 reviews)
- 4.1 on G2 (32 reviews)
- 1.0 on Trustpilot (1 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free for non-commercial use
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.0 (129 reviews)
Best for: Teams shipping games to desktop, web and mobile that do not need a console release in their first year.
- Pro: Free download for non-commercial use, with no watermark or splash screen forced on games, per its FAQ
- Pro: The free tier already includes desktop, web and mobile exports, so the paid step arrives at release
- Pro: Apart from console export, the FAQ says everything else is free and unlimited once the commercial license is bought
- Con: Console export needs the Enterprise subscription, and its plan card shows no price
- Con: The Professional license is a one-time purchase whose card shows no price, so budget from the commercial license alone
GameMaker's pricing is quite generous, especially with the robust Free tier offering desktop, web, and mobile exports without a watermark.
- Starting price
- Annual plan, no royalties
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.5 (12 reviews)
Best for: Teams who want 2D games built with visual blocks and would rather pay a yearly plan than a royalty.
- Pro: No royalties, in its own words: Stencyl says it collects no royalties on games and claims no ownership of them
- Pro: Indie plan publishes to web, Windows, Mac and Linux with no forced Stencyl branding
- Pro: Studio adds iOS and Android publishing to the same engine
- Con: Starter is free but publishes web games only, and it shows a Stencyl splash screen before each game
- Con: Plans are annual subscriptions, so the bill renews every year the studio keeps using them
Stencyl's pricing is quite fair, offering a generous free tier for personal use.
GDevelop
Free plan that publishes to Android and desktop once a day, with the Pro membership required above its company revenue line.
- 4.6 on Capterra (249 reviews)
- 4.3 on SourceForge (67 reviews)
- 4.4 on G2 (23 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free up to $50K a year
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.5 (339 reviews)
Best for: Makers building games without writing code, as long as the company stays below the Pro threshold.
- Pro: Free plan with publishing to Android and desktop, limited to once a day, per the pricing page
- Pro: Open-source game engine, with thousands of free assets on its Asset Store
- Pro: Multiplayer and online services can be tried for free, according to the same page
- Con: Company revenue above $50,000 USD a year requires the Pro membership, and the test also counts funds raised in the prior 12 months
- Con: The pricing page gives Pro no US dollar price, so the table leaves its cost out rather than estimating it
GDevelop's pricing is quite generous, especially with a robust Free tier offering core engine features.
Cocos Creator
Free, open-source engine for 2D and 3D games, scripted in TypeScript, with a plug-in system the company says is free to extend.
- 4.3 on G2 (2 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free download
- Free plan
- Free to use
Best for: Web-minded developers who script in TypeScript and want one free engine for both 2D and 3D work.
- Pro: Free download, and the homepage describes the engine as open source
- Pro: TypeScript scripting suits teams that already write web code
- Pro: One all-in-one editor covers both 2D and 3D, according to the homepage
- Con: Other license types and business terms go through the company's contact form
- Con: The homepage names no royalty or seat fee, so read the license text before a paid release
MonoGame
Free C# framework with no subscription, royalty payments, licensing costs or runtime fees, according to its homepage.
- Starting price
- Free, no royalties
- Free plan
- Free to use
Best for: Programmers who want to write the whole game in C# and do not need a visual editor.
- Pro: Homepage lists no subscription, royalty payments, licensing costs or runtime fees
- Pro: Released under the Microsoft Public License, per its homepage
- Pro: No engine editor to pay for and no revenue line to track, so the cost stays with the team's build time
- Con: No visual scene editor comes with it, so level layout and asset placement are built in code or in outside tools
- Con: The license carves out a few portions of the code, so check those before reusing them
MonoGame's pricing is exceptionally generous, as it is entirely free.
Flax Engine
Free for uncommercial and educational use, then a 4% royalty on earnings above the quarterly line.
- Starting price
- 4% royalty above $250K a quarter
- Free plan
- Yes
Best for: Studios that want source code access and expect a quarter strong enough to pass the royalty line.
- Pro: The royalty applies only to a quarter's earnings above the line, so a steady small studio owes nothing
- Pro: Full source code is on GitHub, and samples and learning resources are free, according to its licensing page
- Pro: Custom licensing exists for per-seat or flat-fee deals, per the same page
- Con: It is the only royalty among the engines in this table, and it grows with success
- Con: Commercial plans beyond the standard model are quoted on request, so the cost cannot be budgeted from the page
Other Game Engines tools worth considering
More published tools from our Game Engines category, ordered by our category ranking. They are not part of the editorial picks above.
What an engine costs after the download
Most engines are free to download. What you pay for sits in three places: a seat or subscription fee, a one-off commercial license, and a royalty on what the game earns. Unity charges through a seat fee once a studio passes its revenue line. GameMaker charges a commercial license before a game can make money. Flax takes a royalty on earnings above a quarterly figure. Godot, Defold and MonoGame charge none of the three on their vendor pages, which is why they set the floor for this comparison.
A two-person team is small enough that the seat count matters less than the threshold. The threshold decides whether the cheap plan still applies in the year the game sells best, so it is the first number to check.
The revenue line decides which engine is cheapest
Sticker prices mislead here, because Unity, GDevelop and Flax cost nothing until a studio crosses a line. Unity's line applies to revenue and funding over 12 months, and two Pro seats then cost $4,620 a year prepaid. GDevelop asks for its Pro membership once company revenue passes $50,000 a year, and Flax takes 4% of a calendar quarter's earnings above $250,000. A studio that earns $40,000 in a year stays free on Unity, GDevelop and Flax alike, and pays only the license fees that GameMaker or Stencyl charge.
The clock matters as much as the amount. Unity's test looks at the whole year, so a $400,000 year needs Pro however it is spread. Flax's test looks at each quarter, so the same $400,000 spread evenly pays nothing, while one quarter that earns $400,000 owes 4% on the $150,000 above the line, which is $6,000. Plan the release schedule and the payment schedule together.
Key Features to Look For
Revenue line (Essential)
The revenue level where the bill starts. Unity Personal ends at its revenue and funding line measured over 12 months, GDevelop's Pro membership starts above its company revenue line, and Flax's royalty starts above its quarterly line. Each test looks back over a different window, so check them separately.
Seat and subscription fees (Essential)
Unity Pro is sold per seat, at $2,310 a year prepaid or $210 a month on an annual plan paid monthly. Stencyl sells annual plans for web and desktop, and a higher yearly plan when the game must also reach iOS and Android.
Commercial license (Important)
GameMaker's FAQ says a Commercial License is needed to make money from a game. Its free tier covers non-commercial use only, so the license is a cost on any game that is sold.
Console release (Important)
Unity Pro is the console tier in this table, and it adds export to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. GameMaker needs its Enterprise subscription for console export, and its plan card shows no price for that plan.
Free tier limits (Important)
GDevelop's free plan publishes to Android and desktop once a day. GameMaker's free tier exports to desktop, web and mobile, and GameMaker says it forces no watermark or splash screen on games.
Source access (Nice to have)
Godot, Defold, MonoGame, Cocos Creator and Flax publish source code or describe their engine as open. Being able to read the engine matters when a project runs for years.
Branding on games (Nice to have)
Stencyl's Starter plan shows a Stencyl splash screen before each game. Its Indie and Studio plans carry no watermarks or forced Stencyl branding, according to the pricing page.
Checks before you pick
-
Pull revenue and funding for the last 12 months, then the forecast. Unity's Personal test and GDevelop's threshold both look back at that window, so the trailing figure is the number that decides.
-
Count seats for both founders, then any contractor who needs a license of their own. Unity prices every Pro seat, and the Stencyl pricing page does not say whether a second developer needs a plan.
-
List every platform before you choose. Console release moves Unity to Pro and GameMaker to its Enterprise subscription, and iOS and Android move Stencyl from Indie to Studio.
-
Read the royalty clause before the first release, not after. Flax's 4% applies to each calendar quarter, so a strong quarter costs money even in a year that looks modest.
Evaluation Checklist
Confirm the revenue line on the engine's own page, and note the time window it uses.
Price every seat you need, then multiply by the years you expect to ship updates.
Check which platforms sit behind a paid tier before you commit, since console and iOS often do.
Confirm that the license covers the sale model you plan, whether paid, free or demo.
Export one build to your largest target platform before you commit to the engine.
Pricing Overview
Unity Personal
Individuals and small organizations under Unity's revenue and funding line, measured over the last 12 months. The engine is free while the test passes.
Free
Unity Pro
Mandatory once revenue and funding pass the line. Adds console export for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.
$2,310 per seat a year, prepaid
GameMaker commercial license
Needed before a game can make money on the free tier. Console export sits behind a separate Enterprise subscription with no price on its plan card.
$99.99
Stencyl Indie
Publishing to web and desktop with no royalties and no forced Stencyl branding. The Studio plan at $199 a year adds iOS and Android.
$99 a year
Flax Engine royalty
Free for uncommercial and educational use. A commercial game pays the royalty only on earnings above the quarterly figure.
4% above $250K a quarter
Pricing Comparison
| Engine | Under $50K a year | Above $200K a year | Revenue rule or royalty |
|---|---|---|---|
Godot | Free | Free | MIT license, with no royalty or revenue line on its license page |
Defold | Free | Free | Homepage: no licensing cost, no royalties, no runtime fee |
Free | Free | No subscription, royalty payments, licensing costs or runtime fees | |
Free | Free | Free download; the page names no royalty or seat fee | |
Free | Free unless one quarter passes the quarterly line, then 4% of the excess | 4% royalty on earnings above $250,000 per calendar quarter | |
$99.99 commercial license | Same license; console needs Enterprise | Free for non-commercial use; the FAQ requires a commercial license to make money | |
Stencyl | $99 a year (Indie, web and desktop) | $199 a year (Studio, adds iOS and Android) | No royalties; annual subscriptions |
Unity (baseline) | Free (Personal) | $4,620 a year for two Pro seats, prepaid ($5,040 billed monthly) | Pro required once revenue and funding pass the Personal line |
Free plan | Pro membership required; the pricing page gives no US dollar price | Pro required above $50,000 in company revenue a year |
Prices and terms verified on vendor pages in October 2026: Unity Personal, Unity Pro, Godot license, Defold homepage, Defold license, MonoGame, Cocos Creator, Flax licensing, GameMaker pricing, Stencyl pricing, GDevelop pricing.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Budgeting for the sticker price only. The bill that hurts arrives after a sale: a Pro seat, a royalty or a license fee.
- ×
Reading a free tier as a free release. GameMaker's free tier is for non-commercial use, and its FAQ says a commercial license is needed to make money from a game.
- ×
Counting one seat for a two-person team. Unity prices each Pro seat, so the second founder doubles the figure in the table.
- ×
Ignoring the quarter. Flax's royalty counts each calendar quarter, so a strong quarter can owe money even when the full year looks modest.
Expert Tips
- →
Model two cases before you choose: a first game under $50K a year, and a hit above the Unity line. The engine that is cheapest in one case is often not the cheapest in the other.
- →
Log revenue and funding by month, so a threshold crossing shows up in your own books before an invoice does.
- →
Price a switch as developer time. Moving off Unity costs rebuild hours before any license saving appears, so run the numbers on a real project first.
- →
If console release is in the plan, price Unity Pro or GameMaker's Enterprise subscription first, since those are the only console terms covered here.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A revenue cap that appears in the license but not on the pricing page, so the cost is found only after release.
-
A royalty described only as contact sales, with no rate or threshold written down.
-
Plan prices shown in a currency other than US dollars, with no US dollar figure anywhere on the site.
The Bottom Line
For a two-person studio shipping one 2D game, Godot is the cheapest engine on this list with the fewest terms to read: MIT, with no royalty or revenue line on its license page. Defold and MonoGame match it on price, and GameMaker or Stencyl suit teams that want an editor and accept a fixed license or a yearly plan. Stay on Unity Personal while revenue and funding sit under the line, then compare the two-seat Pro bill with GameMaker and Godot before you switch. Cite this: Toolradar, "Cheaper Unity Alternatives: Pricing Compared", October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Unity cost for a small studio?
Unity Personal is free for individuals and small organizations with less than $200K in revenue and funds raised over the last 12 months. Above that, Unity Pro is required at $2,310 per seat a year on a prepaid plan, or $210 a month per seat on an annual plan paid monthly.
Is Unity free for indie games?
Yes, while the studio's aggregate revenue and funding stay under the Personal line, which Unity measures over 12 months. Pro becomes mandatory once the line is passed.
What is the cheapest alternative to Unity?
Does Flax Engine charge a royalty?
Yes. Flax takes 4% of earnings above $250,000 in each calendar quarter, according to its licensing page. Below that quarterly figure the royalty is zero, and its samples and learning resources are free.
Is GameMaker free to sell games with?
Not without a license. Its free tier covers non-commercial use, and the FAQ says a Commercial License at $99.99 is needed to make money from a game. Console export needs the Enterprise subscription.
Is GDevelop free for a company?
Free up to a point. Companies with more than $50,000 USD of revenue a year must use the Pro membership, and the threshold also counts funds raised in the prior 12 months.
Does Stencyl charge royalties?
No. Stencyl's pricing page says it collects no royalties on games. Starter is free for web games with a splash screen, Indie is $99 a year for web and desktop, and Studio is $199 a year with iOS and Android.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Cheaper Unity Alternatives: Pricing Compared in 2026", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/cheaper-unity-alternatives
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