head to head · open source
libgdx vs MonoGame
libgdx has 25,405 GitHub stars, 6,526 forks, 337 open issues and last shipped 11 days ago. MonoGame has 14,433 stars, 3,108 forks, 766 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. libgdx leads on adoption by 76% (25,405 vs 14,433 stars). libgdx is written in Java under Apache-2.0; MonoGame is written in C# under a custom or non-standard licence. libgdx has attracted 26% as many forks as stars, MonoGame 22%. MonoGame was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 5 topic tags (3d, cross-platform, game-development, game-engine), 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
| libgdx | MonoGame | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 25K | ★ 14K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | Java | C# |
| Last push | 2026-09-09 | 2026-09-16 |
| Forks | ⑂ 6.5K | ⑂ 3.1K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick libgdx if
- You weight community size — 25K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- 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 libgdx
libGDX is a cross platform Java game development framework built on OpenGL (ES) that renders 2D and 3D games for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, web browsers, and iOS, aimed at Java developers who want one codebase and no imposed design or coding style.
read the full libgdx 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 libgdx or MonoGame more popular?
libgdx has 25,405 GitHub stars and MonoGame has 14,433. libgdx has the larger community by that measure.
Are libgdx and MonoGame free?
Both are open source. libgdx is licensed under Apache-2.0, and MonoGame has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between libgdx and MonoGame?
libgdx is written in Java 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, libgdx or MonoGame?
Choose libgdx if you want the larger community (25,405 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose MonoGame if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.