Godot Engine review: no fee, files stay local

Godot Engine is a free open-source game engine for people who want to make a 2D or 3D game. ⁶ You get an editor and a way to package the game, without a fee owed to the project. ⁷ Your project is a folder you choose, and the editor stays offline until you decide to go online. ⁵

Last checked October 28, 2026.

At a glance

What it is: An editor for building 2D and 3D games and packaging them for computers, phones and the web. ⁴⁶

Works on: Editor on Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD. Android and web editors are experimental. Games can also be exported for Android, iOS and the web. ⁴

Price: Free, including commercial games. Funded by donations. ⁴⁶

Licence: MIT (also called the Expat licence). It covers the engine, not the art you create. ¹

Best for: Making a game on your own computer, with no fee owed to the project. ⁷

Official site: godotengine.org

What Godot Engine does (and how it protects your privacy)

A game engine is the program you use to build a game and the file a player runs. Godot Engine does that for 2D and 3D. ⁶ Godot 4.7.2 stable is dated 18 August 2026. ³ The editor is listed for Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD, with Android and web editors marked experimental. Games can also be exported for Android, iOS and the web. ⁴

When you create a project, you pick an empty folder on your computer and the files are saved there. ⁵ For privacy reasons, the project manager and the editor cannot access the internet by default. Go Online lets the project manager tell you about new versions. Network Mode can be set back to Offline. ⁵

Godot is free under the MIT licence for any purpose, including commercial work, and that licence does not take the copyright of your game. ¹⁴ The features page says you do not owe a fee, other than a friendly mention. ⁷ If you ship Godot’s program file with the game, include its copyright and licence notice. A credit link to the licence page is the approach the project describes. ¹

Key features of Godot Engine

Scenes made of nodes. A node is one building block, such as a character or a button. Scenes are groups of nodes you can reuse. ⁷
GDScript, built in. GDScript is Godot’s scripting language, inspired by Python. A script is the short program that makes a character move. The docs recommend it when you are starting out. ⁴⁷
C# as a separate download. The .NET build adds C#. The docs say C# support is still missing on the web. ³⁴
2D levels and 3D models. There is a dedicated 2D pipeline and a tile map editor. You can import Blender files directly, or use glTF and FBX. ⁷
Export templates. A separate download on the same page is used to export games to the supported platforms. ³
No installer required. You can run the program without installing it. Flathub, Steam, Scoop and Homebrew are optional if you want desktop integration. ⁴
Public source. The MIT licence lets you study and change the engine. Donations fund the work through the Godot Foundation, a Dutch non-profit. ¹⁶

Pros and cons

Pros

Free for personal and commercial games, with no fee owed to the project. ¹⁷
Project files stay in a folder you choose. ⁵
The editor stays offline until you click Go Online. ⁵
One project can be exported to desktop, Android, iOS and the web. ⁴
GDScript is included. The .NET build adds C#. ³⁴
Godot 4.7.2 stable is dated 18 August 2026. ³

Cons

A first game means learning GDScript or another supported language. ⁴
C# needs the .NET build, and C# support is missing on the web. ³⁴
Android and web editors are experimental. The iPhone is an export target, not an editor. ⁴
The Foundation does not maintain official console ports. W4 Games offers official middleware ports for Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. ⁸
Online Asset Library requests can include the engine version, your search, selected assets and your IP address. The policy says these are not stored, but the server may log them. ²
Third-party code shipped inside Godot has its own licences. ¹

Is Godot Engine safe and private?

With the editor left offline, the project stays in the folder you chose. ⁵ Go Online also lets the project manager check for new versions. ⁵ The Asset Library, the catalogue of add-ons and demos, then makes HTTPS requests that may contain the Godot version, the search, the assets you select, and your IP address. The privacy policy says that data is processed without being stored, that the server may log the request for abuse protection, and that this is the only personal data the application collects. ² The policy was last amended on 1 February 2021. It says the website uses SSL, which encrypts personal data sent to the site. ²

The Godot Foundation, registered in the Netherlands as Stichting Godot, was formed on 23 August 2022. It does not own the project. Donations fund the work. ⁶ The source is public under the MIT licence, and Godot 4.7.2 is on the official archive. ¹³

How to get started with Godot Engine

Download Godot 4.7.2 stable from the official download archive. Use the standard build for Windows, macOS or Linux, or the .NET build if you want C#. ³
Unpack it and start the program. Installing it is optional. ⁴
The Project Manager opens first. Leave it offline unless you want demos or update notices. Network Mode can be set to Offline in its settings. ⁵
Click Create, name the project, and choose an empty folder. A green tick means the folder is empty. Then open the project. ⁵
Follow the official Your first 2D game guide. Draw in Inkscape, record in Audacity, and find licensed pictures on Openverse. Blender files import for 3D. ⁷
Download the export templates from the same archive page when you want a file other people can play. ³
If players receive Godot’s program file, include the copyright and licence notice. ¹

Who should use Godot Engine (and who might prefer something else)

Godot Engine fits you if you want to learn game-making, keep the project on your own computer, and publish without a fee to the project. ⁷ The same editor can export to Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and the web. ⁴

For a console store, read Godot’s console page. The Foundation does not maintain official console ports. W4 Games offers official middleware ports for Switch, Xbox Series and PlayStation 5. ⁸ Another engine to read about is Unity. For a 3D scene or animation, Blender is the closer tool, and Godot can import those files. ⁷ Drawings or a voice recording alone are jobs for Inkscape and Audacity.

Frequently asked questions

Is Godot Engine free?

Yes. You can download and use it for personal, non-profit or commercial work under the MIT licence. ¹⁴ You do not owe a fee beyond a friendly mention. ⁷ Donations are optional and fund the project. ⁶

Is Godot Engine safe to use?

Left offline, the editor does not connect, and a new project is a folder you pick. ⁵ The privacy policy says an Asset Library request can include your IP address, and that this is the only personal data the application collects. ² Download from the official archive. ³

Does Godot Engine work on iPhone?

You can export a game for iOS. The editor is listed for Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD, plus experimental Android and web versions. An iPhone is not an editor platform. ⁴ The 4.7.2 macOS build supports Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. ³

Does Godot Engine take a share of sales?

The project says there is no contract and no hidden fee, other than a friendly mention. ⁷ Your game’s content is yours. ¹ If you redistribute the engine program, include the copyright and licence notice. ¹