Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Unreal Engine VS Heaps.io

Compare Unreal Engine VS Heaps.io and see what are their differences

Unreal Engine logo Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine 4 is a suite of integrated tools for game developers to design and build games, simulations, and visualizations.

Heaps.io logo Heaps.io

Mature, cross-platform graphics engine for high performance games.
  • Unreal Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23
  • Heaps.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2020-08-09

Unreal Engine features and specs

  • High-Quality Graphics
    Unreal Engine is known for its ability to produce stunning, high-quality graphics and realistic environments, making it a preferred choice for AAA game development and high-fidelity visual projects.
  • Blueprint Visual Scripting
    Unreal Engine offers a visual scripting system called Blueprints, which allows designers to create complex game logic without any programming knowledge, streamlining the development process.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Unreal Engine provides robust support for multiple platforms, including PC, consoles, mobile devices, and VR/AR headsets, enabling developers to reach a wider audience with minimal hassle.
  • Large and Active Community
    The Unreal Engine community is large and active, offering extensive resources, tutorials, and forums which can be invaluable for troubleshooting and learning new techniques.
  • Regular Updates
    Epic Games frequently updates Unreal Engine, adding new features, improvements, and optimizations to keep developers equipped with the latest technology advancements.
  • Marketplace
    The Unreal Engine Marketplace offers a vast array of assets, ranging from 3D models to plugins, which can significantly speed up the development process by providing ready-to-use resources.

Possible disadvantages of Unreal Engine

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and capabilities, Unreal Engine can be challenging for beginners to master, requiring a significant investment of time and effort to learn.
  • High System Requirements
    Developing with Unreal Engine often requires a powerful computer with strong hardware specifications, which can be a barrier for developers with limited resources.
  • Large File Sizes
    Unreal Engine projects can result in large file sizes, which can be cumbersome to manage, particularly in terms of storage and transfer bandwidth.
  • Complexity for Simple Projects
    For smaller or simpler projects, the capabilities of Unreal Engine might be overkill, and using it can unnecessarily complicate development when compared to lighter engines.
  • Royalty Fees
    Unreal Engine imposes a royalty fee of 5% on gross revenue after the first $1 million USD per product per year, which can impact the profitability of commercial projects.
  • Less C++ Flexibility
    While Unreal Engine supports C++, the engine imposes certain constraints and abstractions that can limit the flexibility developers might need for highly customized or optimized code.

Heaps.io features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Support
    Heaps.io is designed to work seamlessly across multiple platforms, including web browsers, desktop, and mobile devices. This makes it a versatile choice for developers looking to deploy applications across different environments.
  • Efficient Performance
    Heaps.io is optimized for performance, making it suitable for creating high-performance games and applications. It leverages Haxe's capabilities to produce efficient code.
  • Rich Multimedia Support
    The engine provides robust support for 2D and 3D graphics, audio, and other multimedia features, enabling developers to create immersive and interactive experiences.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Heaps.io offers developers the ability to contribute to its development, customize the code, and access a community of users and contributors.
  • Integrated with Haxe
    Heaps.io is tightly integrated with the Haxe programming language, offering developers the benefits of a modern, high-level language with powerful cross-platform capabilities.

Possible disadvantages of Heaps.io

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For developers unfamiliar with Haxe, Heaps.io may present a steep learning curve as it requires learning both the engine and the programming language.
  • Smaller Community
    Compared to more established game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, Heaps.io has a smaller user community, which can result in fewer resources, tutorials, and third-party tools available.
  • Limited Documentation
    Although Heaps.io provides documentation, it may not be as comprehensive or detailed as that of other popular engines, posing challenges for beginners seeking help.
  • Niche Use Case
    Due to its specific design and integration with Haxe, Heaps.io may not be suitable for all types of projects, especially those not requiring cross-platform capabilities or featuring complex requirements.

Unreal Engine videos

Why I switched over to Unreal Engine 4 From Unity 5

More videos:

  • Review - Unity vs Unreal Engine | Graphics, Workflow, Price, Level Design and More! (2017-2018)
  • Review - Game Development | Intro to Unreal Engine 4 | No Prior Programming Knowledge

Heaps.io videos

BiteSize Heaps.io Tutorial - part 01

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Unreal Engine and Heaps.io)
Game Development
95 95%
5% 5
Game Engine
95 95%
5% 5
3D Game Engine
94 94%
6% 6
3D
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 Unreal Engine and Heaps.io

Unreal Engine Reviews

Top 13 Picks for Maxon Cinema 4D Alternatives in 2024
Designed by Epic Games, Unreal Engine is a comprehensive 3D graphics engine initially developed for PC gaming. Since its inception in 1998, it supports a wide array of platforms, including mobile, console, and VR. It is known for its versatility and power in a broad spectrum of industries like film and television.
Source: aircada.com
Game Engines: A Comparative Analysis
Developed by Epic Games, Unreal Engine stands as a titan in the industry, renowned for its stunning graphics and realistic visual effects. It excels in AAA game development, with a powerful rendering engine and an intuitive visual scripting system called Blueprints. Unreal Engine’s prowess lies in its ability to deliver top-notch graphics and cinematic experiences.
Source: medium.com
Best Unity alternatives for game development
Unreal Engine has become one of the most popular engines to date; it's one of the top-of-the-line gaming engines that produces high graphical fidelity and realism for many games. In fact, many mobile games (Injustice 2, Life is Strange) that look incredible are likely using the Unreal Engine. It's a number one choice that often goes head-to-head with Unity due to its great...
Best Game Engines for 2023 – Which Should You Use?
However, many game developers do report that Unreal Engine is better suited for larger projects and projects you intend to work on as a team. Additionally, as the program is heavy on the graphics end, many people will find it requires a more powerful computer compared to other engines like Unity. Beyond this, it is also noteworthy that while Unreal Engine can create 2D games...
The Best Gaming Engines You Should Consider for 2023
2022 saw the official launch of Unreal Engine 5, and it’s already shaping up to be a game changer for game development. Most next-gen consoles, including PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are already using it, and its powerful tools such as Lumen and Nanite (an engine that imports high-detailed photographic source material – taking advantage of its past acquisition of Quixel)...

Heaps.io Reviews

We have no reviews of Heaps.io yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Heaps.io seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 21 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.

Unreal Engine mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Unreal Engine yet. Tracking of Unreal Engine recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Heaps.io mentions (21)

  • Unity's Trap
    Maybe the engine used for Dead Cells, https://heaps.io ? - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Best stack to make a 2D game in 2023
    I've personally had a very good experience with Haxe and Haxeflixel (https://haxeflixel.com/) although Heaps (https://heaps.io/) seems to be more popular nowadays. Haxe is very nice as a language, can easily cross-compile to a lot of targets, Haxeflixel is heavily inspired by some Actionscript framework and has a lot of goodies. Maybe Heaps is more mature, up to date and allows for more advanced features. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • What is the worst engine you've ever used and why?
    Not really the worst, but you can say my least favorite, and that would be heaps.io. Source: about 2 years ago
  • why are gamedevs so against sharing code?
    Yeah I think it's ideal for 2D development. Look into heaps.io . . You might like it! These days it seems the best source of community for haxe is in their official discord server. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Picking a language
    Many frameworks will let you export for the web, even if you don't code your game in JS. Unity, Godot, Bevy(?), heaps.io ... The list goes on and on. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Unreal Engine and Heaps.io, you can also consider the following products

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

HaxeFlixel - Create cross-platform games easier and free. All with one codebase.

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

Defold Engine - Defold lets you quickly build high performing, cross-platform games together with your team.

Blender - Blender is the open source, cross platform suite of tools for 3D creation.

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