Defold
Lightweight cross-platform game engine owned by the Swedish Defold Foundation, scripted in Lua
Quick Overview
| Company | Defold Foundation |
|---|---|
| Category | Game Engines |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Founded | 2020 |
| EU Presence | Yes - Sweden (EU) |
| Data Location | Runs locally; no registration to download |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Runs on your own machine; source available under the Defold License |
| Main Features | Lua scripting, native extensions, 2D and 3D, hot reload, profiler, Live Update, small engine footprint, export to desktop, mobile, web and consoles |
| Pricing | Free forever (Defold License, source available) |
| Best For | Mobile and web games where build size matters |
| Replaces | Unity |
Detailed Review
Defold describes itself as a free, all-in-one engine with no setup or registration: you download it and start. Game logic is written in Lua, and native extensions cover code outside the scripting layer.
The engine is owned by the Defold Foundation, created in May 2020 and registered in Stockholm. Its objectives, which include preventing commercialisation of Defold by a third party, are protected by Swedish foundation law and cannot be changed.
Small runtime and fast iteration
The homepage highlights a small engine footprint, Live Update support, hot reload, fast builds and a profiler. Defold lists Xbox, PlayStation 5 and 4, Nintendo Switch, Steam, Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, HTML5, Poki and Facebook as publishing targets.
Ownership model
Because a foundation owns the engine, a sale of a company cannot change its terms overnight. The foundation works with corporate partners who are listed on the licence page.
Licence
Defold is source available under the Defold License rather than an OSI-approved licence. The licence page lets you build and sell games but restricts using the trademark and commercialising the software itself.
Limitations to Consider
Scripting is in Lua, so teams used to C# will need to switch languages or write native extensions. The Defold License is source available, not open source in the OSI sense, which matters if your policy requires an approved open-source licence. Godot has a larger community footprint.
Who Should Use Defold
Teams shipping to mobile, web and consoles who care about build size and want a foundation-owned engine in Sweden.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free with no registration
- Small engine footprint
- Wide export list including consoles
- Owned by a Swedish foundation
- Hot reload and profiler built in
Cons
- Lua is the main scripting language
- Source available rather than OSI open source
- Foundation relies on partner and donor funding
- Smaller ecosystem than Unity
Alternatives to Defold
Other European game engines worth comparing before you decide:
Godot Engine
Netherlands · MIT-licensed 2D and 3D engine run by a Dutch foundation
GDevelop
United Kingdom · No-code game engine with an MIT-licensed core and French team
Flax Engine
Poland · C# and C++ 3D engine with full source on GitHub
Construct
United Kingdom · Subscription 2D game maker from Scirra in London
See all European game engines or compare them directly against Unity on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is source available under the Defold License. The foundation describes the engine as free to use with source available under a developer-friendly licence.
Game logic is written in Lua, and native extensions can be added for code outside Lua.
The Defold Foundation, a registered Swedish foundation created in May 2020.