Mirror Networking vs Photon Quantum
Mirror Networking
mirror-networking.com
Photon Quantum
photonengine.comSide by side
| Figure | Mirror Networking | Photon Quantum |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $0.50/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 8 |
| Spec score · Game Networking Middleware | 8.1 (#10) | 8.1 (#13) |
| Headquarters | Germany | Hamburg, Germany |
| Product | Mirror is a system for building multiplayer capabilities for Unity games. | Photon Quantum is a deterministic ECS framework for Unity online multiplayer games, listed for up to 128 players. |
| Support | The maker invites users to contact [email protected] with questions or policy review requests and says it is happy to help with projects. | Free plans include online documentation, samples, tutorials, video streams, and help with account and billing matters; Gaming Circle offers premium development support. |
| Unity integration | Mirror uses Unity components including NetworkManager, NetworkIdentity and NetworkBehaviour, and supports automatic synchronization of transforms and script variables. | Quantum separates simulation from presentation, with Unity used for editor tooling and the view layer. |
Plans
Photon Quantum
- Development Only 20 CCUFree
- Free 100 CCUFree
- Premium Cloud$0.50 a month
- 100 CCU$95, paid once
- 500 CCU$125 a month
- 1000 CCU$250 a month
- 2000 CCU$500 a month
- Enterprise CloudPriced on request
In their own words
Mirror Networking
Mirror Networking is a free system for adding multiplayer capabilities to Unity games. It uses a server-authoritative model by default and supports dedicated servers as well as client hosts. Core tools include message handlers, serialization, distributed object management, and state synchronization. Unity components such as NetworkManager, NetworkIdentity, and NetworkBehaviour connect game objects and scripts, with automatic synchronization for transforms and script variables. Built-in transport choices include KCP UDP, Telepathy TCP, WebSockets, a multiplexer, latency simulation, encryption, and Edgegap Relay. Other transport connections include Steam, Epic Online Services, LiteNetLib, and ENet. Mirror is MIT licensed, with no paywalls or CCU costs. The maker says it stores no user data and performs no tracking, analytics, or advertising. Its feature list marks lag compensation and encryption as Beta, unreliable sync mode as in development, and bitpacking and prediction as being researched. The GitHub README recommends Unity 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 LTS, or 6000.1 to get started.
Photon Quantum
Photon Quantum is a deterministic ECS framework for Unity online multiplayer games, with sessions listed for up to 128 players. Clients exchange player input, predict other players’ inputs locally, then restore and resimulate game state when a prediction is wrong. Quantum separates simulation from presentation: Unity supplies editor tools and the view layer, while deterministic libraries cover math, 2D and 3D physics, navigation, animation, and bots. Photon Realtime transport and Photon server infrastructure synchronize clocks and manage input latency. Developers can extend the server component to connect customer-hosted services such as matchmaking, player services, and referee simulations. Quantum 3 webhooks support room control, configuration and player-data validation, and sending match replays to a configured endpoint. Free access includes development-only service for 20 connected users or a games-only option for 100. The 100 CCU plan costs 95.00 USD once for 12 months; the 500 CCU plan is $125 a month. The Quantum Plugin SDK requires Gaming Circle or Industries Circle membership. Photon Engine states it is ISO 27001:2022 certified.