Photon Realtime vs SmartFoxServer
Photon Realtime
photonengine.comSmartFoxServer
smartfoxserver.comSide by side
| Figure | Photon Realtime | SmartFoxServer |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.29/mo | €32.50/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 |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 3 |
| Spec score · Game Networking Middleware | 8.9 (#2) | 8.0 (#16) |
| Spec score · Game Matchmaking Software | 8.8 (#9) | 8.0 (#19) |
| Founded | 2003 | 1999 |
| Security | 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. | SFS3 Strict Mode applies stricter protocol rules and disconnects nonconforming requests to deter bots, scrapers, or hacked clients. |
| Support | Photon offers public Discord, email contact and an authenticated support form. | Licenses include one month of direct email support and continuing support through online forums; the maker also offers documentation, examples, and video tutorials. |
Plans
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
SmartFoxServer
- Community EditionFree
- Elastic license€32.50 a month
- Perpetual license€650, paid once
In their own words
Photon Realtime
Photon Realtime has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
SmartFoxServer
SmartFoxServer is a client/server SDK for building real-time multiplayer games, MMOs, virtual communities, and other multiuser experiences. Its listed client technologies include Unity, Godot, HTML5, iOS, Android, and Adobe Flash. SmartFoxServer 3 runs on Java 25 LTS and uses the BitSwarm Engine 4.0 TCP/UDP socket engine. Networking includes reliable UDP with configurable quality of service, multiple channels, and reliable or unreliable delivery options. Server-side extensions can be written in Java, Kotlin, Scala, or Groovy. The server also provides real-time analytics, performance history, and an expanded AdminTool, along with database connectivity and pooling, protocol compression, HTTP tunneling, and an embedded HTTP server. Strict Mode disconnects requests that do not follow stricter protocol rules. The Community Edition is free without a time limit, permits commercial use with a readable Powered by SmartFoxServer notice, and supports 100 concurrent users. Paid licenses start at €32.50 a month for 500 concurrent users; each license applies to one server machine.