Overview

GridCraft is a 2D tile-map editor for game developers, available in a browser and as a desktop app. It is best suited to teams that need flexible tile painting, shared editing, and routes into several engines or formats. Its strongest case is combining those workflows with Tiled-file compatibility; the tradeoff is that cloud use is capped by plan and the MCP server does not yet support infinite chunked maps.

Key features

Editing and export

GridCraft lets users paint tiles of different sizes from one atlas onto the same map, a useful distinction for projects whose art does not fit a uniform tile size. Brush, terrain, flood-fill, shape, selection, stamp, and object tools cover both tilemap work and entity placement. Export targets include Godot 4, GameMaker, Defold, LDtk, LOVE2D, Lua, and CSV, giving developers several ways to move map data into a project.

It opens and saves Tiled .tmx and .tmj maps, which Tiled can continue to read. That makes GridCraft a more practical option for a team considering a change of editor without giving up those file formats.

Collaboration, version control, and AI

Live collaboration shows teammates’ cursors, selections, and edits, synchronized with CRDTs. This suits shared map work, though the number of collaborators per map depends on the cloud plan. The desktop app adds GitHub and GitLab workflows for committing, pushing, and pulling map files, a meaningful fit for teams that keep map changes in version control.

The desktop app can expose the open map to MCP clients so an AI agent can read and edit it. The MCP server is off by default and binds to the local machine, which keeps it opt-in and local; it does not yet edit infinite chunked maps, so that workflow is a poor fit for projects using those maps. The documented API uses JSON over HTTPS, and authenticated endpoints use JWT bearer tokens that expire after 24 hours.

Pricing

The free Web editor costs 0.00 USD per free, billed $0 forever. It includes all 19 tools and every export format, and requires no account. This is the clearest starting point for solo users who want to edit and export without paying, but it does not include the cloud quotas offered by paid plans.

Cloud costs 3.99 USD per month, billed $3.99/month. It allows 10 cloud maps, 1 GB of storage, five people per map, synced devices, and uploads up to 50 MB per file. It suits small teams that need shared maps and synchronization without Team’s higher caps.

Team costs 13.99 USD per month, billed $13.99/month. Its 50 cloud maps, 5 GB of storage, ten people per map, synced devices, and 100 MB per-file upload limit make it the better fit when Cloud’s map, storage, collaboration, or upload ceilings are too restrictive.

The Desktop app is a one-time 19.99 USD purchase, billed $19.99 once. It covers Mac, Windows, and Linux, with offline use, local file access, Git, the MCP server, and LAN hosting. It is aimed at users who need desktop workflows rather than recurring cloud capacity; the purchase is distinct from the monthly cloud plans.

Free accounts are capped at three cloud maps, 25 MB total storage, one bound desktop device, and collaboration for up to three people per map. GridCraft is in early access and ships updates most weeks; support is directed through Discord.

Platforms

GridCraft is available on the web and on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its API is also listed as a platform, with JSON over HTTPS and 24-hour JWT bearer tokens for authenticated endpoints.

Who it's for

GridCraft fits game developers who want variable-size tiles, terrain and object editing, broad export targets, or continued use of Tiled map files. It is especially relevant to teams that benefit from live collaboration or desktop Git integration. Solo users can start with the no-account web editor; teams should choose a cloud tier based on map count, storage, upload size, and collaborators per map. Projects centered on infinite chunked maps should look elsewhere for MCP-based editing.

Pros and cons

Pro: Different-sized tiles from one atlas can share a map, avoiding a uniform-size constraint.
Pro: Tiled .tmx and .tmj compatibility, alongside exporters for multiple engines and formats, gives teams several ways to fit maps into existing workflows.
Pro: Live collaboration and desktop GitHub and GitLab support cover both shared editing and version-control workflows.
Con: Free cloud use is tightly bounded by three maps, 25 MB of storage, one bound desktop device, and three collaborators per map.
Con: Larger cloud allowances require monthly plans, and the per-file upload ceilings remain 50 MB on Cloud and 100 MB on Team.
Con: MCP map editing does not yet extend to infinite chunked maps.

Alternatives

Game Level Editors is the broader category to browse when comparing level-design tools.

2D Tiler is a free web option with no recurring subscription or arbitrary limits, if a browser-only workflow and its stated free offer are a better fit.
Hammer++ is a free Windows modification of Valve’s Hammer editor for the Source engine, making it the relevant choice for that engine-specific editing context.
Sprite Fusion offers a free Web Edition for personal and commercial use with unlimited projects; choose it if those terms suit the project.
Tiled is free on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with a name-your-own-price voluntary payment model; choose it if that editor and its platform coverage suit your workflow.
LDtk is free and open source for Linux, macOS, and Windows; it is the alternative to consider when open-source availability is the priority.
Mega Man Maker is a free fan-made non-profit game for creating and sharing levels and playing user-created levels.
SonLVL is another free option for readers comparing level-editing tools.
J.A.C.K. has a freemium model and a Steam version for 14.99 USD per once, with access to beta updates.

Verdict

GridCraft is a strong fit for game teams that want flexible tile sizes, Tiled-file continuity, several export routes, and collaboration or Git workflows in one editor. The no-account web tier is a useful way to begin, while cloud caps make plan choice important for shared work. Look elsewhere if the MCP workflow must handle infinite chunked maps or if your project does not benefit from GridCraft’s particular combination of editing and integrations.

	Doom Builder X	GridCraft
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	$3.99/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Windows	api, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Level dimensions	2d_and_3d	2d
Entity placement	Yes	Yes
Prefab or template tools	Yes	—
Tilemap tools	—	Yes
Terrain tools	—	Yes

Doom Builder X vs GridCraft

Doom Builder X

GridCraft