Beamable vs CheddaBoards

Beamable is a game server platform for creating and operating online games and virtual worlds. Its engine-native SDKs for Unity and Unreal connect to a serverless backend for cloud code, data persistence, custom gameplay logic, and Mongo-based persistence. The SDK includes player accounts, multiplayer networking, matchmaking, offers, currencies, inventory, leaderboards, groups, achievements, chat, tournaments, and multiplayer events. The LiveOps Portal supports events, promotions, content updates, A/B tests, player support, CRM, and messaging. Beamable describes built-in analytics and event forwarding integrations with GameAnalytics, Mixpanel, and Amplitude; its marketplace lists services including Edgegap, Photon Fusion, Tebex, and blockchain integrations. Studios can use managed SaaS or private cloud, both powered by AWS. Private Cloud offers dedicated single-tenant infrastructure. A 90-day free trial includes 12.5M API calls, 1,000 MAU, and three microservices. Paid monthly plans start at $125 a month for Developer. Pricing specifies a 10KB bandwidth allowance per API call, with additional bandwidth billed as overage.

CheddaBoards is a free, open-source backend for games that need server-validated leaderboards, achievements, shared player profiles and authentication. Leaderboards can reset daily, weekly or monthly, with monthly and custom intervals available. Submission checks include per-game score caps, play-session duration, streak limits and server-side rules. The maker notes that determined users can reverse-engineer the public API or use bots that imitate realistic pacing, so additional protections are recommended for ranked or prize-based PvP. Players may begin anonymously and later link accounts through Google or Apple sign-in with a short code. Drop-in SDKs support Godot and Unity, while a REST API serves other engines that can make HTTP requests. Listed engine coverage also includes Unreal, GameMaker, Construct, native mobile, web and custom engines. Developers can delete scores or remove players from boards, with a deletion log, and record in-game events through API calls. The MIT-licensed backend and SDKs can be self-hosted on the Internet Computer. The Free plan costs nothing and includes three games per account, unlimited players and no per-player fees.