Agones vs Prism Launcher
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Agones
Kubernetes-based hosting and scaling for dedicated game servers
VS
Prism Launcher
Open-source Minecraft launcher for managing instances and modpacks
| Feature | Agones | Prism Launcher |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game Servers | Game Servers |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | kubernetes, helm | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,967 | ★ 10,064 |
| First released | 2018 | 2022 |
| Replaces | GameLift | Official Minecraft Launcher, CurseForge app |
Why pick each one
Choose Agones if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 7k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is Agones or Prism Launcher better?
Prism Launcher is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Agones if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Agones and Prism Launcher free and open-source?
Yes. Agones is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Prism Launcher under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Agones and Prism Launcher with Docker?
Agones: check the project docs for container support. Prism Launcher: check the project docs for container support.