Moonlight vs Steam Link (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Steam Link grades higher than Moonlight: 3.2 against 3.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Steam Link grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features 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
Free
Steam Link
Stream Steam games from your PC to phones, TVs and other PCs
Free
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 Steam Link if
- Fits if you own games on Steam and want to play them on a TV, phone or laptop
- Works for couch co-op with Remote Play Together
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to administer a PC for support or unattended work, as it is not a general remote-access tool
- Watch out: it needs a computer running Steam as the host
- Tight if you play on a small screen, as the App Store reviews note games play worse there
- Watch out: quality depends on your network and device
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAMoonlightVery good | 3.2GPASteam LinkVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree with no paid versions, subscriptions, ads or bundled services, against a $2.50 cheaper-quarter start for remote access tools. | AThe app is free, with no plan or subscription to buy. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with nothing held back and no paid versions at all. | AFree outright: the Steam Link app costs nothing and has no cap listed, though the host computer must run Steam and own the games. |
| 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. | CIt does one job: streaming games, with PC-to-PC streaming, Remote Play Together and game controls. That is a smaller job than a full remote desktop. |
| 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. | BNo store rating on record. You install it and pair it with a Steam computer, which is a short setup. |
| 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, iPhone and Android are listed, tied to Steam. No API is listed. |
| Best for | streaming your gaming PC to another device | streaming PC games to a phone, TV or laptop |
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 Steam Link. 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. Steam Link has no paid plan and scores 2.7.
Steam Link scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than Moonlight for less, and none scores higher than Steam Link 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.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidRemote desktop
At a glance
| Moonlight | Steam Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | The Steam Link app is free; it connects to a computer running Steam, which hosts the games you own. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Moonlight Game Streaming Project | Valve Corporation |
| Price read from | moonlight-stream.org | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
Steam Link
- It needs a computer running Steam as the host, and it streams games rather than a full remote desktop session.
- It is not a general remote-access tool for managing a computer for support or unattended work.
- Quality depends on the network and the device; the App Store reviews note that games play worse on small screens.
- The listed platforms include Apple TV and Meta Quest, which this directory does not list as separate platforms.
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.
Steam Link
- Stream to many devices
- Valve lists iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Android phones, tablets and TV, Amazon Fire TV, Raspberry Pi, Meta Quest, Windows, Linux and macOS.
- PC to PC streaming
- Log in to Steam on two computers and stream games from one Steam library to the other.
- Remote Play Together
- Share a local multiplayer game with Steam friends online, with each player on their own controller or sharing the keyboard and mouse.
- Controls tuned for games
- The page says control schemes are optimized for hundreds of top titles when playing on a phone or tablet.
- Play on lower-end hardware
- Demanding games run on the host PC, so a weaker device or an operating system without native support can still show them.
Plans
Moonlight
Free$0
Community project; the site says it has no paid versions, subscriptions, ads or bundled services.
Steam Link
Steam Link$0
Free app listed on the App Store. Remote Play Together is described as free on Valve's page.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Moonlight or Steam Link?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Moonlight and Steam Link are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Moonlight or Steam Link?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Moonlight and Steam Link have a free plan.
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.