Metal AlternativesGraphics Libraries and other similar apps like Metal

Metal is described as 'Provides near-direct access to the graphics processing unit (GPU), enabling you to maximize the graphics and compute potential of your apps on iOS, macOS, and tvOS. Building on an approachable, low-overhead architecture with precompiled GPU shaders, fine-grained resource' and is a graphics library in the development category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Metal for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, iPhone and Android apps. The best Metal alternative is OpenGL, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Metal are Vulkan, DirectX, WebGL and SDL.

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Metal alternatives are mainly Graphics Libraries but may also be Game Development Tools. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Metal.
Metal iconMetal
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Metal provides near-direct access to the graphics processing unit (GPU), enabling you to maximize the graphics and compute potential of your apps on iOS, macOS, and tvOS. Building on an approachable, low-overhead...

More about Metal
Metal alternatives page was last updated Mar 12, 2024
  1. OpenGL icon
     182 likes

    OpenGL is the premier environment for developing portable, interactive 2D and 3D graphics applications. Since its introduction in 1992, OpenGL has become the industry's most widely used and supported 2D and 3D graphics application programming interface (API), bringing...

    11 OpenGL alternatives
    Project64 (Nintendo 64 emulator) with the Glide64 video plugin (which uses OpenGL) playing Super Mario 64.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    OpenGL iconMetal Icon

    OpenGL VS Metal

    Is OpenGL a good alternative to Metal?
     
    • OpenGL is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to Metal.

    • OpenGL is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Metal.

    • OpenGL is Free and Open SourceMetal is Paid and Proprietary
  2. Vulkan icon
     90 likes

    Vulkan is a new generation graphics and compute API that provides high-efficiency, cross-platform access to modern GPUs used in a wide variety of devices from PCs and consoles to mobile phones and embedded platforms.

    10 Vulkan alternatives
    Baldur's Gate 3

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Chrome OS
    • Tizen OS
    • SteamOS

    Vulkan Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  OPENGL
    Vulkan iconMetal Icon

    Vulkan VS Metal

    Is Vulkan a good alternative to Metal?
     
  3. DirectX icon
     41 likes

    DirectX is a set of components in Windows that allows software, primarily and especially games, to work directly with your video and audio hardware.

    12 DirectX alternatives
    DirectX screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    DirectX iconMetal Icon

    DirectX VS Metal

    Is DirectX a good alternative to Metal?
     
  4. WebGL icon
     24 likes

    WebGL is a cross-platform, royalty-free web standard for a low-level 3D graphics API based on OpenGL ES 2.0, exposed through the HTML5 Canvas element as Document Object Model interfaces. Developers familiar with OpenGL ES 2.

    14 WebGL alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online

    WebGL Features

    1.  OPENGL
    WebGL iconMetal Icon

    WebGL VS Metal

    Is WebGL a good alternative to Metal?
     
    • WebGL is the most popular Web-based alternative to Metal.

    • WebGL is Free and Open SourceMetal is Paid and Proprietary
  5. SDL icon
     34 likes

    Simple DirectMedia Layer is a cross-platform multimedia library designed to provide low level access to audio, keyboard, mouse, joystick, 3D hardware via OpenGL, and 2D video framebuffer. It is used by MPEG playback software, emulators, and many popular games, including the...

    28 SDL alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Windows Mobile
    • iPhone
    • Symbian S60
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Haiku

    SDL Features

    1.  Drawing 2D
    2.  Extensible window manager
    SDL iconMetal Icon

    SDL VS Metal

    Is SDL a good alternative to Metal?
     
    • SDL is the most popular iPad alternative to Metal.

    • SDL is Free and Open SourceMetal is Paid and Proprietary
  6. Allegro icon
     11 likes

    Allegro 4 and Allegro 5 are cross-platform, libraries mainly aimed at video game and multimedia programming. They handle common, low-level tasks such as creating windows, accepting user input, loading data, drawing images, playing sounds, etc.

    34 Allegro alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • iPhone
    Allegro iconMetal Icon

    Allegro VS Metal

    Is Allegro a good alternative to Metal?
     
  7. PyOpenGL icon
     3 likes

    Python bindings for OpenGL API.

    5 PyOpenGL alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    PyOpenGL Features

    1.  OPENGL
    PyOpenGL iconMetal Icon

    PyOpenGL VS Metal

    Is PyOpenGL a good alternative to Metal?
     
  8. ModernGL icon
     1 like

    OpenGL is a great environment for developing portable, platform independent, interactive 2D and 3D graphics applications. The API implementation in Python is cumbersome, resulting in applications with high latency.

    3 ModernGL alternatives
    ModernGL screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    ModernGL Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  OPENGL
    ModernGL iconMetal Icon

    ModernGL VS Metal

    Is ModernGL a good alternative to Metal?
     
  9. ANGLE icon
     Like this app

    The goal of ANGLE is to allow users of multiple operating systems to seamlessly run WebGL and other OpenGL ES content by translating OpenGL ES API calls to one of the hardware-supported APIs available for that platform. ANGLE currently provides translation from OpenGL ES 2.0, 3.

    10 ANGLE alternatives
    ANGLE screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Android Tablet

    ANGLE Features

    1.  OPENGL
    2.  WebGL
    ANGLE iconMetal Icon

    ANGLE VS Metal

    Is ANGLE a good alternative to Metal?
     
    • ANGLE is the most popular Android Tablet alternative to Metal.

    • ANGLE is Free and Open SourceMetal is Paid and Proprietary
  10. Crystal Space icon
     Like this app

    Crystal Space is a mature, full-featured Software Development Kit (SDK) providing real-time 3D graphics for applications such as games and virtual reality. It is free (LGPL) and cross-platform (Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS X).

    10 Crystal Space alternatives
    Yo Frankie!

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Crystal Space Features

    1.  Games library
    Discontinued

    Discontinued since July 2012 : http://www.crystalspace3d.org/main/Download

    Crystal Space iconMetal Icon

    Crystal Space VS Metal

    Is Crystal Space a good alternative to Metal?
     
10 of 10 Metal alternatives