Solar2D vs Unity
Solar2D
solar2d.com
Unity
unity.comSide by side
| Figure | Solar2D | Unity |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 8 |
| Spec score · Mobile App Development Platforms | 8.2 (#7) | 8.6 (#3) |
| Spec score · Game Engine Software | 8.6 (#25) | 8.7 (#23) |
| Spec score · Mobile Development IDEs | 8.1 (#20) | 8.7 (#7) |
| Documentation | The documentation site provides getting-started material, guides, tutorials, an API reference, and plugin documentation. | Unity describes its documentation as an in-depth repository covering features, interface and workflows, with user manuals and scripting references. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Sheridan, Wyoming, United States | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Product | Solar2D is a Lua-based 2D game engine focused on ease of iteration and use. | Unity Engine is game and app development software for creating video games and immersive experiences from CAD and 3D data. |
Plans
Unity
- Free tierFree
- Pay-as-you-goPrice not published
- Pay-as-you-goPriced on request
- Unity PersonalFree
- Unity Pro$210 a month
- Unity Pro$2,310 a year
- Unity EnterprisePriced on request
- Unity IndustryPriced on request
In their own words
Solar2D
Solar2D is a free, open-source 2D game engine that uses Lua. It is intended for making games and apps for mobile, desktop, and connected TV devices from one codebase. Listed targets include iOS, tvOS, Android, Android TV, macOS, Windows, Linux, and HTML5. Its Simulator displays code changes immediately, and deployed apps can receive code and asset updates over a local network. Plugins from a free directory and third-party stores can add capabilities such as advertising, analytics, and media. Solar2D Native can call libraries or APIs written in C, C++, Objective-C, and Java. The project’s source and resources use the MIT license, and the maker says there are no engine fees, charges, or royalties. The maker also says Solar2D does not track app users or collect anonymized data; games make only the network requests their developers specify. Documentation includes guides, tutorials, an API reference, and plugin material. Community support and discussion are available through forums and Discord. Solar2D is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and web as well as its other targets.