Photon Realtime
8.1#2 in game networking middlewareFrom $0.29 a monthFree planAndroidiOSWebAPI
VisitPhoton Realtime vs Photon Server
Photon Server
5.2#25 in game networking middlewareAPISelf-hostedWindows
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Photon Realtime | Photon Server |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | Authentication accepts user IDs and external-provider data, including custom endpoints and platform providers such as Steam, Oculus, PlayStation, Xbox, Epic and Nintendo Switch. | The documentation lists custom authentication and providers including Epic EOS, Facebook, Oculus, Steam, and VIVEPORT. |
| Founded | 2003 | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Hamburg, Germany | Hamburg, Germany |
| Integrations | The documented Realtime SDK variants are for Unity and .NET, and Photon’s SDK downloads also include JavaScript and native platform packages. | The SDK's LoadBalancing (MyCloud) application is compatible with Photon Cloud and is the recommended setup for clients using PUN, Photon Voice, or Photon Realtime. |
| Security | Photon Engine states that it is ISO 27001:2022 certified and aligned with GDPR and CCPA; it says Photon Cloud does not store personally identifiable information. | Secure WebSocket connections can be configured with TLS certificates, with the documentation recommending certificates signed by a trusted certificate authority for production. |
| Support | Photon offers public Discord, email contact and an authenticated support form. | Photon provides a public Discord community, general email contact, and a support form available after logging in. |
Photon Realtime plans
- Development Only — 20 CCUFree
- 20 CCU Development OnlyFree
- Premium Cloud$0.29 a month
- 100 CCU$95, paid once
- 500 CCU$95 a month
- 1000 CCU$185 a month
Photon Server plans
- Photon Server licensePriced on request
Pick Photon Realtime if…
Photon Realtime suits multiplayer game developers who need matchmaking, room-based play, and cloud-hosted networking across platforms. Its free development plan is limited to 20 concurrent users, while paid plans address higher usage.
Pick Photon Server if…
It suits teams wanting to run and configure their own multiplayer backend on Windows and .NET/C# environments. It is intended for shared game sessions requiring matchmaking, custom server code, and multiple transport protocols.