KAPLAY vs Sapphire Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game engines & frameworks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
KAPLAY
Fun JavaScript library for making browser games fast
VS
Sapphire Server
Open-source server emulator for Final Fantasy XIV
| Feature | KAPLAY | Sapphire Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game Engines & Frameworks | Game Engines & Frameworks |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | source | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,766 | ★ 819 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Phaser | official FFXIV servers |
Why pick each one
Choose KAPLAY if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Sapphire Server if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is KAPLAY or Sapphire Server better?
KAPLAY is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Sapphire Server if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are KAPLAY and Sapphire Server free and open-source?
Yes. KAPLAY is licensed under MIT and Sapphire Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KAPLAY and Sapphire Server with Docker?
KAPLAY: check the project docs for container support. Sapphire Server: yes.