head to head · open source
GDevelop vs Overload
GDevelop has 28,056 GitHub stars, 1,621 forks, 633 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Overload has 2,498 stars, 288 forks, 107 open issues and last shipped 22 days ago. GDevelop leads on adoption by 1,023% (28,056 vs 2,498 stars). GDevelop is written in JavaScript under a custom or non-standard licence; Overload is written in C++ under MIT. GDevelop has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, Overload 12%. GDevelop was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (game-engine, gamedev), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| GDevelop | Overload | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 28K | ★ 2.5K |
| License | Custom / other | MIT |
| Written in | JavaScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-10-25 | 2026-10-05 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.6K | ⑂ 288 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick GDevelop if
- You weight community size — 28K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Overload if
- You want the Overload feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and Overload fits your workflow better
About GDevelop
GDevelop is a full featured, no code, open source game development software. You can build 2D, 3D and multiplayer games for mobile (iOS, Android), desktop and the web. GDevelop is designed to be fast and incredibly intuitive: make games using an easy to understand yet powerful event based system and modular behaviors. Create with AI that assists or builds alongside you. Getting started Are you interested in contributing to GDevelop for the first time? Take a look at the list of good first issues , good first contributions or the "🏐 not too hard" cards on the Roadmap. Games made with GDevelop Find GDevelop games…
read the full GDevelop overview →
About Overload
Releases Screenshots Features Wiki Contributing [!IMPORTANT] Overload is not currently accepting external contributions. Until further notice, issues and pull requests are disabled for external users. Looking for community driven development? Try one of these active forks. ⚠️ WARNING: Overload Technologies does not vet, monitor, or endorse these forks, and is not responsible for any damage they may cause. Use them at your own risk. What's Overload? Overload is a free, open source 3D game engine made in C++ with Lua as its scripting language. Originally created in 2019 by Benjamin VIRANIN, Max BRUN, and Adrien…
read the full Overload overview →
More in Miscellaneous
Related comparisons
More Gaming projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Gaming field.
Frequently asked questions
Is GDevelop or Overload more popular?
GDevelop has 28,056 GitHub stars and Overload has 2,498. GDevelop has the larger community by that measure.
Are GDevelop and Overload free?
Both are open source. GDevelop has no licence declared in this registry, and Overload is licensed under MIT. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between GDevelop and Overload?
GDevelop is written in JavaScript and Overload in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, GDevelop or Overload?
Choose GDevelop if you want the larger community (28,056 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Overload if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.