Normcore vs Photon Realtime
Normcore
normcore.io
Photon Realtime
photonengine.comSide by side
| Figure | Normcore | Photon Realtime |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $49/mo | $0.29/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 |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 8 |
| Spec score · Game Networking Middleware | 8.4 (#6) | 8.9 (#2) |
| Audience | Normcore is positioned for multiplayer games, esports, remote collaboration, productivity, enterprise, live events, installations, and government applications. | The product is presented for multiplayer game developers ranging from indie developers to AAA studios. |
| Founded | 2016 | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York, United States | Hamburg, Germany |
| Product | Normcore is a complete networking solution for Unity that scales to millions of users. | Photon Realtime is a cloud-hosted networking service for building cross-platform real-time multiplayer games. |
| Security | Normcore Private Cloud includes Cloudflare L3/L4 DDoS protection and L7 protection built into private game servers. | Photon Engine states that it is ISO 27001:2022 certified and aligned with GDPR and CCPA; it says Photon Cloud does not store personally identifiable information. |
| Support | Normcore offers community support through its official Discord and enterprise support through a private Slack channel and dedicated account manager. | Photon offers public Discord, email contact and an authenticated support form. |
Plans
Normcore
- PublicFree
- Pro$49 a month
- Unlimited$49 a month
- Enterprise SupportPriced on request
Photon Realtime
- 20 CCU Development OnlyFree
- Development Only — 20 CCUFree
- Premium Cloud$0.29 a month
- 100 CCU$95, paid once
- 500 CCU$95 a month
- 1000 CCU$185 a month
- 2000 CCU$370 a month
- Enterprise CloudPriced on request
In their own words
Normcore
Normcore is a networking solution for Unity multiplayer applications. It provides networked physics, persistent spaces, voice chat and XR support, with EasySync for synchronizing properties without code; that component can also be converted to a C# RealtimeComponent. Voice over IP and audio streaming can be added to a prefab using a Unity component. For Unity WebGL builds, it supports multiplayer and voice chat through WebRTC without code modifications. The service is aimed at desktop, console, mobile, VR, AR and WebGL projects, with game servers across cloud providers that select regions based on client latency. Normcore Private offers deployment on dedicated cloud servers or on-premises hardware, with support for custom server-side C# or C++ plugins. Its Public plan is free and includes 100 room hours and 120GB of bandwidth per month. Pro costs $49 a month and includes 10,000 room hours and 3TB of bandwidth. Unlimited costs $49 a month plus usage beyond 10,000 room hours and 3TB of bandwidth.
Photon Realtime
Photon Realtime has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.