๐น๏ธ Unity vs Unreal vs Godot โ Which is Best for Beginners in 2025?

๐ Confused about which game engine to start with? Letโs compare Unity vs Unreal vs Godot side-by-side to find the best one for beginners in 2025.
Whether you’re dreaming of making a mobile game, a PC shooter, or even your first 2D platformer โ choosing the right engine is your first big step.
In this article, weโll break down the top 3 game engines in 2025 โ Unity, Unreal Engine, and Godot โ and help you pick the best one for beginners like you.
โ๏ธ 1. Overview: Meet the Engines
Feature | Unity | Unreal | Godot |
---|---|---|---|
Language | C# | C++ / Blueprints | GDScript / C# |
Platform Support | โ Android, iOS, PC, Web | โ All platforms | โ All major platforms |
2D Support | Good | Average | Excellent |
3D Support | Great | Excellent | Decent |
Learning Curve | Beginner-friendly | Steep | Beginner-friendly |
File Size | Lightweight | Heavy | Very lightweight |
Popularity | High | Very High | Growing fast |
Open Source | โ No | โ No | โ Yes |
๐ฎ 2. Unity โ The All-Rounder
Unity is the most popular engine among indie developers, mobile game studios, and even AR/VR devs.
โ Pros:
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Easy to learn with C#
-
Massive community support
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Thousands of free and paid assets & plugins
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Great for mobile, 2D, and 3D games
-
Huge job opportunities
โ Cons:
-
Pricing changed in 2024 (Runtime Fee drama)
-
Can be slow for high-end graphics
๐ฅ Ideal for:
-
Beginners who want to publish Android games
-
Freelancers or solo developers
-
Students aiming for a job in mobile/AR/VR industry
๐ง Bonus:
You can even integrate AdMob, Leaderboards, Firebase, and Multiplayer easily in Unity โ ideal for making money from mobile games.
๐งจ 3. Unreal Engine โ The Visual Powerhouse
Unreal Engine by Epic Games is famous for jaw-dropping graphics and AAA game development.
โ Pros:
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Stunning real-time graphics and lighting
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Used in Fortnite, PUBG, Valorant
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Blueprints let you build games without coding
-
Industry standard for AAA studios
โ Cons:
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Heavy setup (20+ GB)
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Complex for beginners
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C++ is harder to learn than C#
๐ฅ Ideal for:
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Those aiming for a career in PC/console gaming
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Teams working on realistic visuals
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Film/architecture/automotive projects
๐ก Note:
Unreal is amazing, but not ideal if your goal is mobile game monetisation or indie solo projects.
๐ 4. Godot โ The Lightweight Open Source Gem
Godot is gaining popularity due to being open-source, lightweight, and beginner-friendly.
โ Pros:
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Completely free & open source
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Great for 2D games
-
Easy to learn GDScript
-
Super lightweight (<50 MB)
โ Cons:
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Limited marketplace
-
3D performance not as strong as Unity/Unreal
-
Less third-party tutorials/tools
๐ฅ Ideal for:
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Beginners who want to experiment
-
Game jam participants
-
Developers who want full control (open source)
๐ง 5. Which Engine Should You Choose?
It all depends on your goal as a beginner in 2025:
Your Goal | Best Engine |
---|---|
Mobile games (Android/iOS) | โ Unity |
PC/Console AAA games | โ Unreal |
2D indie platformers | โ Godot |
Monetise games (Ads/IAP) | โ Unity |
No coding experience | โ Unreal (Blueprints) or Godot |
Lightweight setup | โ Godot |
๐ผ 6. Career & Earning Opportunities
Engine | Job Market | Freelance | Ad Revenue |
---|---|---|---|
Unity | ๐ฅ High demand | โ Easy | โ High (AdMob/Unity Ads) |
Unreal | ๐ AAA studios | Limited | โ Not ideal for ads |
Godot | Growing | Okay | Low (not built-in support for ads) |
๐ฌ Final Verdict: Unity is Still the Best Choice for Beginners
If youโre starting in 2025 and want to:
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Learn coding easily with C#
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Build mobile games and publish to Play Store
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Earn from your games
-
Build a career as a game developer
Then Unity is the best engine to begin with.
Once youโre experienced, you can always shift to Unreal or Godot for specific projects.
๐ ๏ธ Extra Resources for You
๐ Download free Unity beginner project templates.
๐ Follow my YouTube playlist for Unity mobile game development
๐ Hire me on Linkedin to publish your first Unity game to the Play Store