GameSalad vs jMonkeyEngine
GameSalad
gamesalad.comjMonkeyEngine
jmonkeyengine.orgSide by side
| Figure | GameSalad | jMonkeyEngine |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2.42/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Engine Software | 8.5 (#29) | 8.8 (#12) |
| Founded | 2010 | 2004 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Mobile export | Yes | Yes |
| Source code model | closed_source | open_source |
| Support | The education instructor guide lists support by email at [email protected] and by phone at 1-844-837-8387. | The maker directs support questions to its community hub and also lists Discord, email, and GitHub issues as contact channels. |
| Target platforms | web,iOS,Android,HTML5,desktop | Windows,macOS,Linux,Android,iOS |
Plans
GameSalad
- GameSalad Basic$19 a month
- GameSalad Home EduPrice not published
- GameSalad Pro$29 a month
- GameSalad Learn@Home$19 a month
- K-12 Bundle$29 a year
- Higher Ed Bundle$57 a year
- Developer EDU Discount$149 a year
- Site/Building$1,495 a year
In their own words
GameSalad
GameSalad Creator is a visual programming tool for making mobile and web games. GameSalad describes its approach as no-code, and says creators and learners ages 12 and beyond can use it. Creator downloads are available for macOS and Windows; iOS and Android Viewer apps support native-device previews. Publishing depends on the plan: Basic subscribers can use Creator’s behaviors and functions, preview with Viewer, and publish to GameSalad Arcade. Pro subscribers get access to all publishing platforms, including iOS App Store, Android App Store and HTML5 publishing, as well as priority technical support. Plans include GameSalad Basic at $19 a month and GameSalad Pro at $29 a month. Education options include lesson plans, tutorials, classroom management and student progress views through a teacher dashboard. App store publishing requires separate store processes, credentials and fees, which are not included in the education license. GameSalad is based in Austin, Texas, and launched in 2010.
jMonkeyEngine
jMonkeyEngine is a free, open-source Java game engine for developers. It targets Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, with mobile export and multiplayer foundations. Rendering includes a GLES 3.0 backend and direct OpenGL support from versions 3.2 through 4.5. Java 11 through Java 21, Gradle builds, JVM tooling, and direct Java-library use are listed. Networking foundations cover TCP, UDP, RPC, and synchronization patterns. Physics options include rigid-body, soft-body, and vehicle simulation through Bullet, Box2D, or Jolt Physics integration. Graphics features include PBR, custom materials and shaders, bloom, FXAA, SSAO, and tone mapping. A glTF workflow is described for moving Blender materials, lighting choices, and scene setup. The BSD 3-Clause License includes no runtime fees, royalties, splash-screen requirement, or requirement to mention the engine. Setup uses an initializer, NetBeans-based SDK, or direct Java-library configuration. SDK integrations are maintained separately and may lag engine features.