Moonlight review (2026): is it any good?
Open-source client for streaming PC games to other devices
Moonlight report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for streaming your gaming PC to another device
Moonlight is a free client that streams a PC's games and desktop to Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android and more, with no ads or paid versions. It's only a client, so you need a host such as Sunshine or GeForce Experience on the PC. Streaming over the internet needs your own network setup.
Who Moonlight is for
- 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
Who Moonlight is not for
- 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
Why Moonlight gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree with no paid versions, subscriptions, ads or bundled services, against a $2.50 cheaper-quarter start for remote access tools.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with nothing held back and no paid versions at all.
- CFeaturesStreaming, many client devices and full desktop access. It's only a client that needs a compatible host, and console and TV ports are unofficial.
- CEase of useNo rating on record. You set up a host such as Sunshine, and over the internet you need port forwarding or a virtual network.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with Sunshine, GeForce Experience, ZeroTier and Tailscale links. No web version is listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Moonlight's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Moonlight? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/moonlight-game-streaming#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/moonlight-game-streaming.svg" alt="Moonlight: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Moonlight stands among remote desktop apps
Moonlight's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 31 of the 35 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 29 of 35) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Moonlight has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 36 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Moonlight’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 26 of 35, level with 9
- AFree plan and trialAbove 29 of 35, level with 6
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 35, level with 24
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 35, level with 19
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 8 of 35, level with 22
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 29 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Moonlight, or make your own?
Keep it
Moonlight is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 31 of the 35 other remote desktop apps we grade.
What you could not
- A fast, secure link to another computer through any network.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Sunshine, GeForce Experience and ZeroTier among them.
What this rests on. Moonlight’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Moonlight?
Moonlight is an open-source game streaming client, formerly called Limelight, that plays games and the desktop of your own PC on another device over a local network or the Internet. It implements the protocol of NVIDIA's GameStream and works with hosts such as Sunshine. It is a community project with no paid version.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
Moonlight pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Moonlight is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Community project; the site says it has no paid versions, subscriptions, ads or bundled services. |
Read from moonlight-stream.org on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Moonlight before you buy.
Works with
- Sunshine
- GeForce Experience
- ZeroTier
- Tailscale
- NordVPN Meshnet
Moonlight alternatives
- Moonlight vs Parsec
Free plan · from $8.33/mo
- Moonlight vs RustDesk
Free plan · from $11.88/mo
- Moonlight vs Tailscale
Free plan · from $8/mo
- Moonlight vs NoMachine
Free trial · from $24.50/yr
Common questions
Is Moonlight open source?
Yes. Moonlight is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.