Free OpenGL AlternativesTop Graphics Libraries and other similar apps like OpenGL

Alternatives list

1. 

   

   Vulkan

    95 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

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Graphics Library

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android
   • Chrome OS
   • Tizen OS
   • SteamOS
   • HarmonyOS
   • Nintendo Switch

   

   More about Vulkan  

   

   Is Vulkan a good alternative to OpenGL?

    

   |

   2comments

   20users say it's a good alternative

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   Comments about Vulkan as an Alternative to OpenGL

    

   Guest

   Negative comment•Jun 1, 2019

   -1

   I spent half a year studying this wretched API and was very disappointed, it is not designed to work with graphics.

   This API is made only for implementation in ready-made solutions on opengl to slightly increase the number of frames per second (+5 - +10) in exchange for really titanic efforts (unreadable code in> 10,000 lines).

   Unfortunately, Vulkan API - fail. Better try DirectX.

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   Guest

   Positive comment•Feb 13, 2018

   -5

   Because Vulkan is OpenGL's successor.

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   

   

   • Almost everyone thinks Vulkan is a great OpenGL alternative.

   • Vulkan is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & Linux alternative to OpenGL.

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

   • Vulkan is Free and Open SourceOpenGL is also Free and Open Source
2. 

   

   DirectX

    42 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

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Proprietary

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Windows

   

   More about DirectX  

   

   Is DirectX a good alternative to OpenGL?

    

   |

   6users say it's a good alternative
4. 

   

   WebGL

    26 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.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Graphics Library

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Online

   

   Is WebGL a good alternative to OpenGL?

    

   |

   7users say it's a good alternative

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   • Most users think WebGL is a great OpenGL alternative.

   • WebGL is the most popular Web-based alternative to OpenGL.

   • WebGL is Free and Open SourceOpenGL is also Free and Open Source
5. 

   

   Amethyst Game Engine

    4 likes

   Amethyst uses gfx-rs to render graphics with Vulkan or Metal. It is meant to be used for 2D and 3D, with various utilities for both types of games. It should be beginner friendly but also allow more advanced uses such as custom render passes and GLSL shaders.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Game Development Tool

   Alerts

   • Discontinued

   Platforms

   • Windows
   • Linux

   

   Is Amethyst Game Engine a good alternative to OpenGL?

    
6. 

   

   ANGLE

    1 like

   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.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

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

   

   More about ANGLE  

   

   Is ANGLE a good alternative to OpenGL?

    

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   • ANGLE is the most popular iPhone, iPad & Android Tablet alternative to OpenGL.

   • ANGLE is Free and Open SourceOpenGL is also Free and Open Source
7. 

   

   Crystal Space

    Like

   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).

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Graphics Library

   Alerts

   • Discontinued

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux

   

   

   

   +1

   

   More about Crystal Space  

   

   Is Crystal Space a good alternative to OpenGL?

    

   |

   1comment

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   Comments about Crystal Space as an Alternative to OpenGL

    

   Guest

   Negative comment•Feb 13, 2018

   -1

   Crystal Space is a software using 3D rendering/drawing APIs. OpenGL is a rendering/drawing API.

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   

   

   • Crystal Space is Free and Open SourceOpenGL is also Free and Open Source
9. 

   

   Allegro

    12 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.

   37 Allegro alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application types

   • Game Development Tool
   • Graphics Library

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • iPhone

   

   Is Allegro a good alternative to OpenGL?

    
10. 

    

    GDI

     3 likes

    GDI++.dll is a replacement for the Windows default font rasterizer, which gives you a better font-smoothing capability, just like Mac OS X.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows

    

    

    

    More about GDI  

    

    Is GDI a good alternative to OpenGL?