FreeOrion vs Mindustry

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?
FeatureFreeOrionMindustry
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseGPL-2.0GPL-3.0
LanguageC++Java
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM1,024 MB512 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, binary, sourcedocker, bare-metal, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 1,031★ 28,532
First released20032017
ReplacesMaster of OrionFactorio

Why pick each one

Choose FreeOrion if…

  • Deep 4X gameplay
  • Fully free
FreeOrion details

Choose Mindustry if…

  • Lightweight server
  • Large active community
Mindustry details

Frequently asked questions

Is FreeOrion or Mindustry better?

Mindustry is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider FreeOrion if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are FreeOrion and Mindustry free and open-source?

Yes. FreeOrion is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Mindustry under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run FreeOrion and Mindustry with Docker?

FreeOrion: check the project docs for container support. Mindustry: yes.

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