Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Scratch VS Phaser

Compare Scratch VS Phaser and see what are their differences

Scratch logo Scratch

Scratch is the programming language & online community where young people create stories, games, & animations.

Phaser logo Phaser

Desktop and Mobile HTML5 game framework. A fast, free and fun open source framework for Canvas and WebGL powered browser games.
  • Scratch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17
  • Phaser Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-12

Scratch features and specs

  • Engaging Interface
    Scratch offers a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that makes it accessible for kids and beginners to learn programming concepts.
  • Community Support
    The platform has a large and active community where users can share projects, get feedback, and collaborate with others, fostering a sense of community and support.
  • Educational Value
    Scratch is designed with a strong pedagogical foundation, helping users to develop problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and creativity.
  • Drag-and-Drop Programming
    The block-based coding in Scratch eliminates syntax errors and simplifies the process of learning programming logic, making it ideal for beginners.
  • Free to Use
    Scratch is completely free to use, which makes it accessible to a wide audience without any financial barriers.
  • Portable
    Being web-based, Scratch can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, providing ease of access and flexibility.

Possible disadvantages of Scratch

  • Limited Advanced Capabilities
    Scratch is mainly designed for beginners and might not offer the depth or complexities needed for more advanced programming projects.
  • Performance Issues
    Larger projects can sometimes become slow or unresponsive, particularly on less powerful devices.
  • Simplified Programming
    The drag-and-drop nature of Scratch, while educational, might limit exposure to the syntax and intricacies of written programming languages.
  • Internet Dependency
    Scratch primarily requires an internet connection, which could be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Age Focus
    The platform is highly targeted towards younger audiences, which might not be appealing or suitable for older learners or adults seeking beginner resources.
  • Privacy Concerns
    As with any online community, there are potential privacy and security risks, especially for younger users, which require careful monitoring and guidance.

Phaser features and specs

  • Open Source
    Phaser is an open-source game framework, which means it's free to use and has a large community contributing to its continuous improvement.
  • Cross-Platform
    Phaser allows developers to create games that run smoothly on both desktop and mobile browsers, enabling a broad reach to different audiences.
  • Rich Documentation
    Phaser offers extensive documentation and a plethora of tutorials, examples, and community support, making it easier for new developers to get started.
  • Built-in Physics
    Phaser includes several physics engines like Arcade Physics, helping developers add complex physics interactions to their games without extra dependencies.
  • Asset Management
    Phaser provides robust asset management capabilities, simplifying the process of loading and managing game assets like images, audio, and spritesheets.

Possible disadvantages of Phaser

  • Learning Curve
    While Phaser is powerful, it might have a steeper learning curve for complete beginners compared to other more beginner-focused frameworks.
  • Performance
    Games developed with Phaser may sometimes face performance bottlenecks, especially on lower-end devices, depending on the game's complexity.
  • JavaScript-Based
    As a JavaScript-based framework, Phaser might not appeal to developers who prefer strongly typed languages or are not comfortable with JavaScript.
  • Limited 3D Support
    Phaser is predominantly a 2D game framework, offering only limited support for 3D games, which might not be suitable for developers looking to create 3D content.
  • Dependence on Community Contributions
    Being open-source, the framework’s growth and support heavily depend on community contributions, which can be less predictable compared to commercial frameworks.

Analysis of Scratch

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Scratch is generally considered good for its intended purpose. It serves as an excellent introduction to programming for young learners and is praised for its simplicity, ease of use, and educational value.

Why this product is good

  • Scratch is a visual programming language designed primarily for children and beginners to learn the basics of coding and computational thinking. It promotes creativity, logic, and problem-solving skills in a user-friendly environment. Scratch provides a platform for users to create interactive stories, games, and animations, which can be shared within an active online community, fostering collaboration and feedback.

Recommended for

  • Children aged 8-16 who are interested in learning programming
  • Educators and parents seeking to introduce coding concepts
  • Beginners in programming who prefer a visual approach
  • Anyone looking to explore digital creativity through interactive media

Analysis of Phaser

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Phaser is considered a good choice for game development, especially for developers interested in creating 2D games. Its combination of simplicity, power, and flexibility make it a compelling option for both beginners and experienced developers alike.

Why this product is good

  • Phaser is a popular open-source HTML5 game framework that is widely praised for its ease of use, powerful features, and extensive documentation. It allows developers to create both 2D and 3D games with rich graphics and responsive gameplay. The framework is also known for its large community, which provides ample support and plenty of plugins and resources to help speed up the game development process.

Recommended for

  • Indie game developers
  • Beginner developers learning game development
  • Developers looking to create 2D games
  • Developers interested in HTML5 and web-based games
  • Educational purposes for teaching game design and programming

Scratch videos

Scratch 3.0 Review: My Thoughts About Scratch 3.0

More videos:

  • Review - Numark PT01 Scratch Review
  • Review - Meguiar's scratch X 2.0 review

Phaser videos

Phaser | Tower Reviews | Tower Battles [ROBLOX]

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Phaser.io Tutorial - Pros and Cons of Phaser and How It Works
  • Review - TC Electronic Helix - Phaser Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Scratch and Phaser)
Kids Education
100 100%
0% 0
Game Development
58 58%
42% 42
Game Engine
46 46%
54% 54
Programming
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Scratch and Phaser

Scratch Reviews

  1. Pratham shah
    · nothing at none ·
    TOO GOOD

    It is just awesome. you can make so many things WITHOUT A TEAM! If you are starting then this is an awesome place to start at.

    🏁 Competitors: Python, Java, Code.org
    👍 Pros:    Good UI|Remix|Works perfectly|100% free|Many, many languages

Top 15 educational software to streamline the learning process
Scratch lets students create interactive stories, games, and animations. The coding projects allow students to experiment and express their ideas, developing 21st-century skills like computational thinking and creativity. Scratch introduces students to programming, STEM and digital literacy in a fun way.
16 Scratch Alternatives
It can even permit anyone to access its junior program through which kids can learn how to make any app by taking their focus on the study related to programming. Scratch also comes with facilitating users with the permission to mix all the programming blocks so that they can create multiple characters for singing, jumping, dancing, moving, and more.
Coding Websites That Help Kids Learn Programming In A Fun Way in 2023
Scratch, created by MIT students, teaches coding by allowing students to create tales, games, and animations using programming blocks. There is a vibrant online community as well as a step-by-step tutorial to assist those who are just getting started. Students can also use an offline editor to revise their work. ScratchJr, a simplified version of the software, is targeted at...
20 Best Scratch Alternatives 2023
Unlike Scratch, Snap targets not only kids but also high school and college students. The platform provides a solution for serious computer science study, while Scratch focuses on just the basics.

Phaser Reviews

Best Game Engines for 2023 – Which Should You Use?
If you’re ready to expand your HTML5 game development skills with Phaser, check out these courses! Alternatively, you might also like these completely free Phaser tutorials, as well as our free Phaser ebook. There are also some courses on HTML5 and Phaser offered as part of Zenva Schools, a platform made for easy classroom learning and teaching for schools.
The Best Gaming Engines You Should Consider for 2023
Another open-source platform, Phaser is a HTML5 game dev framework designed for creating 2D games and interactive experiences.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Scratch should be more popular than Phaser. It has been mentiond 569 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Scratch mentions (569)

  • TikTok Is Harming Children at an Industrial Scale
    I anticipate my kid needing to live in a word with capitalism, it doesn't ncessarily mean that they need a Mastercard at 4 years old. Same with many other things: condoms, keys to a car, access to alcohol. There is a time for everything, and at the age of 4, a young human probably has not yet maxxed out on analog stimuli opportunities. I learned YouTube when it came out in 2006 and I was 21. I've got 19 years of... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • How I Got Started in IT: My Journey to Becoming an Apprentice Support Engineer 🚀
    I've always been fascinated by the technology. I spent many hors playing video games and the first dive into the world of development was when I had to code a game on Scratch. The excercise looked pretty easy: Create a Tamagotchi-like game. Let me tell you - It wasn't easy at all for someone of a young age! There were many things that I needed to pay attention to: Things I have never heard of before! - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Principles of Educational Programming Language Design
    I would be surprised if your first program was C++? Specifically, getting a decent C++ toolchain that can produce a meaningful program is not a small thing? I'm not sure where I feel about languages made for teaching and whatnot, yet; but I would be remiss if I didn't encourage my kids to use https://scratch.mit.edu/ for their early programming. I remember early computers would boot into a BASIC prompt and I... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • There is no such thing as a global method (in Ruby)
    I've been teaching a teenager how to code with smalltalk (Scratch): https://scratch.mit.edu/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Ask HN: Platform for 11 year old to create video games?
    A good place to start with kids that age is Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
View more

Phaser mentions (124)

  • Dev Log #14 - Phaser.js and game dev
    I've started working on a simple interactive version of my portfolio using Phaser.js. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Ask HN: Platform for 11 year old to create video games?
    Https://phaser.io/. It’s more of a game framework in JavaScript with built in libraries for collision. The getting started tutorial is decent/short and gives a good idea of what is going on. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Mundane Blaster - Web Game Challange 👽
    This is first time I used Phaser for making a game but it's a very nice and easy HTML5 framework and I follow tutorial to use phaser and after few of them, I tried to add few things and make the gameplay how I would enjoy, so I learn about spritesheets and audios and then how many states we have to keep in mind while building a game, like preload(), create() and update() and how to manage these before adding... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Achieving Success in Online Learning: A Practical Guide
    Phasor which uses TypeScript or JavaScript. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • 3 years of fulltime Rust game development, and why we're leaving Rust behind
    If you're targeting the browser first why not use a browser first library like PhaserJS [0]?. I don't see a reason to work around with WASM; HTML5 canvas might be everything that you need. [0] https://phaser.io/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Scratch and Phaser, you can also consider the following products

Godot Engine - Feature-packed 2D and 3D open source game engine.

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

Code.org - Code.org is a non-profit whose goal is to expose all students to computer programming.

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

PixiJS - Fast and flexible WebGL-based HTML5 game and app development library.

Snap - Snap (formerly BYOB) is a visual, drag-and-drop programming language.