Software Alternatives & Startups

Inkarnate VS GDevelop

Compare Inkarnate VS GDevelop and see what are their differences

Inkarnate

A free-form map editor for role-playing games, focusing on overland and continental maps.

Inkarnate Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
GDevelop

GDevelop is an open-source game making software designed to be used by everyone.

GDevelop Landing page
Rating
4.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Open source

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Inkarnate should be more popular than GDevelop. It has been mentioned 307 times since March 2021.

social mentions
307 vs 78
Maps popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
118 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Inkarnate
GDevelop
Website inkarnate.com gdevelop.io
Pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Inkarnate 5 features
GDevelop 6 features
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Inkarnate boasts a highly intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible even for those who are not experienced in graphic design.
  • High-Quality Assets
    The platform provides access to a large library of high-quality graphical assets, such as terrain, structures, and icons.
  • Community Support
    Inkarnate has a strong community of users who share maps, tips, and tutorials, fostering a supportive environment for learning and creativity.
  • Versatility
    Suitable for a variety of map-making needs ranging from world maps and regional maps to battle maps and interior designs.
  • Frequent Updates
    The developers frequently update the platform with new features, bug fixes, and additional assets, ensuring the tool stays current and versatile.

Possible disadvantages

  • Subscription Model
    While there is a free version, additional features and assets require a subscription that may not be affordable for all users.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, there is still a learning curve associated with mastering all the features and tools available.
  • Limited Export Options
    The platform has limited export resolution in the free version, which can be a drawback for users needing high-resolution maps.
  • Performance Issues
    Larger projects can sometimes cause performance issues, including slow load times and occasional crashes, especially on less powerful hardware.
  • Online-Only
    Inkarnate is an online tool, which means you need an active internet connection to work on your maps, limiting its use in offline scenarios.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    GDevelop provides a drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible for beginners who don't have prior coding experience.
  • Cross-Platform Export
    Games created with GDevelop can be exported to multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and the web.
  • Free and Open Source
    GDevelop is completely free and its source code is open for anyone to modify and improve.
  • Extensive Documentation
    The platform provides a wide range of tutorials, examples, and thorough documentation, making it easier for developers to learn and utilize the tool.
  • Vibrant Community
    An active community forum and resources are available, providing support and opportunities for collaboration.
  • No-Code Solution
    GDevelop allows game creation without any coding, making it highly suitable for rapid prototyping and educational purposes.

Possible disadvantages

  • Performance Limitations
    The engine may struggle with performance issues for more complex games, especially those with high-end graphics and intensive computations.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While suitable for 2D game development, GDevelop lacks advanced features found in other engines, potentially limiting more experienced developers.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Usage
    Although easy for beginners, mastering the platform for more complex projects can have a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Integration
    Integration with third-party tools and services is not as extensive as in some other, more established game development engines.
  • Project Collaboration
    Collaborative features are relatively basic, potentially making it less ideal for larger, team-based projects.
  • 2D Only
    GDevelop focuses exclusively on 2D game development, which can be a downside for those looking to develop 3D games.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Inkarnate
GDevelop

Overall verdict

  • Inkarnate is highly regarded among tabletop RPG enthusiasts and amateur cartographers alike. Its powerful features, intuitive design, and extensive asset library make it a strong choice for those looking to create visually appealing maps without a steep learning curve.

Why this product is good

  • Inkarnate is a popular online tool for creating detailed maps for tabletop role-playing games, world-building for writers, and other creative projects. The platform offers a user-friendly interface with a wide range of assets, textures, and customization options that allow users to create high-quality, professional-looking maps with ease. It is known for its versatility and ability to support various map types, including world maps, regional maps, and city maps.

Recommended for

    Inkarnate is recommended for game masters running tabletop RPGs, writers and novelists engaged in world-building, educators looking to create geographical materials, and any hobbyist interested in map-making. It's especially useful for those who appreciate an easy-to-use tool with professional-quality results.

Overall verdict

  • Yes, GDevelop is generally considered a good option for game development, especially for beginners.

Why this product is good

  • GDevelop is an open-source game development platform that provides an easy-to-use interface and a variety of features that allow for the creation of both 2D and 3D games without needing extensive programming knowledge. It offers a drag-and-drop interface, a robust set of pre-built behaviors, and extensive documentation and tutorials, making it accessible to new developers. Additionally, being free and supported by a community of developers, it constantly evolves with updates and new features.

Recommended for

  • Beginners who want to learn game development without extensive coding.
  • Independent developers looking for a free, open-source tool.
  • Educators teaching game development due to its user-friendly interface and ease of use.
  • Developers interested in rapid prototyping of game ideas.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Inkarnate 3 videos + Add
GDevelop 4 videos + Add

Inkarnate Review (2020)

More videos

  • Review - Wonderdraft - Inkarnate Killer? (map-making app review)
  • Review - Inkarnate - Let's Make a Fantasy Map! (free version)

GDevelop 5 -- Ultimate Beginner Game Engine?

More videos

  • Review - Clickteam Fusion 2.5 Vs GDevelop 5 - (Game Engine REVIEW 2019 )
  • Review - Clickteam Fusion 2.5 Vs GDevelop 5 - (Game Engine REVIEW 2020 )
  • Tutorial - Beginner Multiplayer Tutorial

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Inkarnate
GDevelop
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
36% 36%
64% 64%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Inkarnate and GDevelop. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Inkarnate no reviews yet
GDevelop 4.0 · 1 review
  • Rated 4/5 by kio
    SaaSHub review
    · Jun 2025

    awesome, but contains some bugs like frezees or editor view crash

  • 16 Scratch Alternatives

    Beginners who don’t have any programming skills but still want to create some games can quickly access one of the best platforms based on the open source network to help them develop games named the GDevelop. This...

  • 20 Best Scratch Alternatives 2023
    rigorousthemes.com · Jul 2022

    GDevelop is described as a “free and easy game-making app.” It’s similar to Scratch in that it’s a no-code platform; it doesn’t require using programming languages. GDevelop is also free and open source.

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Inkarnate 307 mentions
GDevelop 78 mentions

View more

  • No-Code Game Development: Using AI to Build Your First Game
    GDevelop combines open-source flexibility with powerful no-code features. Their recent AI plugins provide remarkable capabilities:. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Platform for 11 year old to create video games?
    Humble Bundle has a Godot bundle is available for the next day or so. That might be a good one to look at if you're ok with leaning into code a bit (gdscript is very very similar to python).... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Exploring Raylib and Open Source
    I selected this library as I normally use much higher-level tools to develop games such as p5.js, or GDevelop. Both these tools are amazing in their own right; however, I want to learn how these processes operate on a much lower level.... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago

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Alternatives to Inkarnate and GDevelop

When comparing Inkarnate and GDevelop, you can also consider the following products.