Moonlight vs NoMachine (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Moonlight grades higher than NoMachine: 3.0 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Moonlight grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Moonlight
Open-source client for streaming PC games to other devices
NoMachine
Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions
Which one is for you
Pick Moonlight if
- Fits if you want to play games from your PC on another screen in the house
- Works for people who can set up a host such as Sunshine
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a plug-and-play remote support tool, as you must set up a host and network yourself
- Not for you if the PC has no compatible host, since Moonlight is only a client
- Watch out: console and TV ports are community or homebrew builds, not official apps
- Tight if you want to stream over the internet, which needs port forwarding or a virtual network
Pick NoMachine if
- Fits if you run Linux or a Raspberry Pi and want to connect straight to it
- Works for businesses hosting several virtual Linux desktops on one server
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you have lots of computers, as each needs its own $24.50 yearly license
- Skip it if you want something free, since only the Player is, and it needs a paid server to connect to
- Tight if two people need the same desktop at once, as Personal Edition allows one connection
- Watch out: reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs Network Personal at $84.50 a year on top
- Too light for browser access, VPN or single sign-on unless you pay for Enterprise at $44.50 a computer
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAMoonlightVery good | 2.2GPANoMachineFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree with no paid versions, subscriptions, ads or bundled services, against a $2.50 cheaper-quarter start for remote access tools. | CPersonal Edition is $24.50 a year per computer, so two computers come to $49, and getting past a firewall by Machine Id adds Network Personal at $84.50, or $133.50 a year in all. RustDesk, Parsec and Jump Desktop reach your own computers for nothing, so for the same job it's on the dear side. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with nothing held back and no paid versions at all. | CNo free plan: only the Player is free, and it needs a paid server edition to connect to. Each server edition has a free trial, and NoMachine Network has a 7-day one; the listing doesn't mention a card. |
| Features | CStreaming, many client devices and full desktop access. It's only a client that needs a compatible host, and console and TV ports are unofficial. | CThe NX protocol with hardware H.264, multi-monitor, terminal sessions, file, disk, printer and USB sharing, Wake-on-LAN and recording. The gaps it lists itself: Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time, and browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You set up a host such as Sunshine, and over the internet you need port forwarding or a virtual network. | CNo App Store rating on record. You connect by IP address on your own network, and reaching a machine behind a firewall by ID needs a separate Network subscription. That's a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with Sunshine, GeForce Experience, ZeroTier and Tailscale links. No web version is listed. | BWindows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi, with a free Player for iPhone and Android and browser access on Enterprise. Sign-in works with Okta, Entra ID and Active Directory, but there's no API on record. |
| Best for | streaming your gaming PC to another device | remote desktops for Linux and your own network |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Moonlight and NoMachine. How we grade
Price against what you get
Moonlight has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. NoMachine starts at $2.04 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Moonlight starts $2.04 a month lower. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than Moonlight for less, and 5 score higher than NoMachine for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Moonlight is open source, according to its own site.
- NoMachine is self-hostable, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Moonlight | NoMachine | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial of each server edition; NoMachine Network has a 7-day trial |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Moonlight Game Streaming Project | NoMachine S.Ã r.l. |
| Price read from | moonlight-stream.org | nomachine.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Moonlight
- It is only a client: you need a compatible host such as Sunshine or GeForce Experience on the PC.
- Console and TV ports are community or homebrew builds, not official apps.
- Streaming over the Internet needs your own network setup, such as port forwarding or a virtual network.
NoMachine
- Personal Edition is now an annual subscription; only the Player client is free, and it needs a NoMachine server edition to connect to.
- Reaching a computer behind a firewall by Machine Id needs a separate NoMachine Network subscription on top of the server edition.
- Personal Edition allows one desktop connection at a time; browser access, VPN and single sign-on are Enterprise only.
- Terminal Server and Workstation editions host virtual desktops on Linux only.
Key features
Moonlight
- High-quality streaming
- The site lists streaming at up to 4K with HDR support and up to 120 FPS on the PC client, with an option to disable V-Sync for lower latency.
- Many client devices
- Clients are listed for Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Link, Raspberry Pi 4, iOS, Apple TV, Android, Fire OS and ChromeOS, plus community ports for consoles and TVs.
- Full desktop access
- Anything visible on the host PC can be streamed, including the whole Windows desktop, not only games.
- Your own host
- Sunshine, an open-source host built for Moonlight, is the recommended host; GeForce Experience and an Internet Hosting Tool are also listed.
- Remote hosting options
- The site says a home server can be reached through port forwarding, IPv6 or software-defined networks such as ZeroTier and Tailscale.
NoMachine
- NX protocol
- Hardware-accelerated H.264 encoding and decoding, audio and video streaming, and multi-monitor support, for work, media and games.
- Free Player on every platform
- NoMachine Player is free for commercial and non-commercial use on Windows, Mac, Linux, ARM, Raspberry Pi, iOS and Android, with no limit on machines.
- Terminal access
- Open remote command-line sessions to Windows, macOS or Linux NoMachine systems without a full desktop and without SSH on the server.
- Devices and files
- File transfer with drag and drop, disk and printer sharing in both directions, USB device forwarding, port forwarding and Wake-on-LAN.
- Recording and guest sharing
- Record your session on the fly, and let guests join your desktop to collaborate or help troubleshoot.
- Enterprise sign-in and browser access
- Enterprise editions add access from any browser, a built-in VPN, and sign-in with Okta, Entra ID, Google Cloud Identity, Keycloak, LDAP or Active Directory.
Plans
Moonlight
Free$0
Community project; the site says it has no paid versions, subscriptions, ads or bundled services.
NoMachine
Personal Edition$24.50
per year per computer
For individuals and businesses: 1 desktop connection and up to 4 terminal connections from the same client. Also sold in packs of 5 to 100.
Enterprise Desktop$44.50
per year per computer
Unlimited connections, access from any browser, a built-in VPN and single sign-on. Also sold in packs of 10 to 100; the support table lists a pack at $244.50.
Network Personal$84.50
per year ($8.50 billed monthly)
Optional: 1 connection at a time over NoMachine Network by Machine Id, for computers behind a firewall. Plans for 4 to 32 connections cost more.
Workstation$124.50
per year per server
Runs up to 4 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, with unlimited connections and browser access.
Small Business Terminal Server$744.50
per year per server
Runs up to 10 virtual Linux desktops and apps on one server, for departments and small businesses.
Ways to pay less
Moonlight
No public discounts listed.
NoMachine
- Annual discount
Network subscriptions cheaper paid yearly
Network Personal is $84.50 a year against $8.50 a month, which is $102 over twelve months: about 17% less.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Moonlight or NoMachine?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Moonlight is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $2.04 a month when paid by the year for NoMachine. Moonlight is free, and NoMachine starts at $24.50 per year (Personal Edition, one computer).
Which has a free plan, Moonlight or NoMachine?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Moonlight has a free plan. NoMachine does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Moonlight and NoMachine run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only NoMachine lists a web app. Both list macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.