head to head · open source
GDevelop vs MonoGame
GDevelop has 26,611 GitHub stars, 1,552 forks, 633 open issues and last shipped yesterday. MonoGame has 14,428 stars, 3,107 forks, 766 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. GDevelop leads on adoption by 84% (26,611 vs 14,428 stars). GDevelop is written in JavaScript under a custom or non-standard licence; MonoGame is written in C# under a custom or non-standard licence. GDevelop has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, MonoGame 22%. GDevelop was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 4 topic tags (3d, game-development, 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.
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Side by side
| GDevelop | MonoGame | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 27K | ★ 14K |
| License | Custom / other | Custom / other |
| Written in | JavaScript | C# |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-16 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.6K | ⑂ 3.1K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick GDevelop if
- You weight community size — 27K 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 MonoGame if
- You want the MonoGame feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C#
- You evaluated both and MonoGame fits your workflow better
About GDevelop
GDevelop is an open source, cross platform game engine and editor for creating 2D, 3D, and multiplayer games without writing code. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and targets mobile (iOS, Android), desktop, and web platforms. Built with JavaScript, React, Electron, PixiJS, and Three.js, it combines a visual event based system with AI assisted development to lower the barrier to entry for game creation.
read the full GDevelop overview →
About MonoGame
MonoGame is a free, open source C and .NET game framework for building cross platform games. It lives in the .NET game development ecosystem and is positioned as one framework for creating games on desktop PCs, mobile devices, and consoles. It is an open source re implementation of Microsoft's discontinued XNA Framework, used to create games such as Streets of Rage 4, Carrion, Celeste, and Stardew Valley.
read the full MonoGame overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is GDevelop or MonoGame more popular?
GDevelop has 26,611 GitHub stars and MonoGame has 14,428. GDevelop has the larger community by that measure.
Are GDevelop and MonoGame free?
Neither GDevelop nor MonoGame declares a licence in this registry, so check each project's own repository before relying on either for a commercial use. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between GDevelop and MonoGame?
GDevelop is written in JavaScript and MonoGame 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 MonoGame?
Choose GDevelop if you want the larger community (26,611 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose MonoGame if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.