PX4 vs 
Gazebo
PX4 vs Gazebo compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. The autopilot behind most commercial drones vs Simulate a whole robot, sensors included.
Updated regularly · curated by OpenSourceAI.tech
PX4 vs Gazebo at a glance
| Spec | PX4 | Gazebo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Robotics & embodied AI | Robotics & embodied AI |
| Type | Drone autopilot | Robot simulator |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | Apache-2.0 |
| Runs locally | Yes | Yes |
| Primary language | C++ | C++ |
| Ease of use | Advanced | Intermediate |
| Best for | building a drone product rather than a hobby project | testing a full robot stack, including cameras and lidar |
| GitHub stars | 12.1k | 1.4k |
How PX4 and Gazebo score
| Criterion | PX4 | Gazebo |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| Maintenance | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of use | 2.5 | 3.5 |
| Privacy | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| License freedom | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Scores are computed automatically from public signals — GitHub stars (popularity), recent commit activity (maintenance), license type (freedom), local-first design (privacy) and onboarding complexity (ease of use). Indicative, not a verdict.
What each one is
PX4
PX4 is the flight control stack used across research and industry, with a clean architecture and a strong simulation story.
- Modular architecture, easy to extend
- Excellent simulation and testing tooling
- Strong industrial adoption
Gazebo
Gazebo simulates robots with their sensors and environment — the classic testing ground before deploying to real hardware.
- Realistic sensor simulation
- Tight ROS integration
- Decades of robotics use behind it
Key differences
PX4 is drone autopilot, while Gazebo is robot simulator. Their licenses differ (BSD-3-Clause vs Apache-2.0), which matters if you ship a commercial product. PX4 leans more advanced-friendly, whereas Gazebo is more suited to intermediate users. In short, PX4 fits building a drone product rather than a hobby project, and Gazebo fits testing a full robot stack, including cameras and lidar.
Which should you choose?
Choose PX4 for building a drone product rather than a hobby project. Choose Gazebo for testing a full robot stack, including cameras and lidar.
There is rarely one winner — many setups use both. The right pick depends on your hardware, your team's skills, and whether you value simplicity or control.
Frequently asked questions
Is PX4 or Gazebo easier to use?
Gazebo is generally the easier of the two to get started with, while PX4 rewards more setup with more control.
Are PX4 and Gazebo free?
PX4 is free and open source (BSD-3-Clause), and Gazebo is free and open source (Apache-2.0). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run PX4 and Gazebo locally?
PX4: yes · Gazebo: yes. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
PX4 vs Gazebo — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose PX4 for building a drone product rather than a hobby project. Choose Gazebo for testing a full robot stack, including cameras and lidar.
People also compare
Explore more open-source AI
Browse thousands of open-source AI tools, models and projects — all curated in one place, updated daily.
Explore the directory →