# Moonlight review (2026): is it any good? > Open-source client for streaming PC games to other devices Checked Nov 12, 2026 ยท graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA. 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. - **Category:** Remote Desktop - **Made by:** Moonlight Game Streaming Project - **Website:** https://moonlight-stream.org - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you want a plug-and-play remote support tool, as you must set up a host and network yourself. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 12, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 12, 2026, Moonlight is free to use. - **Pricing model:** 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 https://moonlight-stream.org on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Moonlight before buying. ## 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. ## Good for - Gamers streaming from a home PC to a phone, TV or laptop - Users who want a free, open-source alternative to paid streaming - Anyone running a self-managed remote gaming setup ## 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. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 3.0 out of 4**, graded Nov 12, 2026. 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. - **Value for money: A.** Free with no paid versions, subscriptions, ads or bundled services, against a $2.50 cheaper-quarter start for remote access tools. - **Free plan and trial: A.** Free outright, with nothing held back and no paid versions at all. - **Features: C.** Streaming, many client devices and full desktop access. It's only a client that needs a compatible host, and console and TV ports are unofficial. - **Ease of use: C.** No rating on record. You set up a host such as Sunshine, and over the internet you need port forwarding or a virtual network. - **Platforms and integrations: B.** Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with Sunshine, GeForce Experience, ZeroTier and Tailscale links. No web version is listed. These are ToolGPA's own grades. 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. ## Where it 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. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/remote-access ## Keep it, 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. - You could not: A fast, secure link to another computer through any network. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other. - You could not: It plugs into other products, Sunshine, GeForce Experience and ZeroTier among them. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with Sunshine, GeForce Experience, ZeroTier, Tailscale, NordVPN Meshnet **Tags:** Remote desktop, Open source ## Alternatives - [Parsec](https://toolgpa.com/tools/parsec): Low-latency remote desktop for games and creative work. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/moonlight-game-streaming-vs-parsec) - [RustDesk](https://toolgpa.com/tools/rustdesk): Open-source remote desktop you can run on your own server. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/moonlight-game-streaming-vs-rustdesk) - [Tailscale](https://toolgpa.com/tools/tailscale): Private network that links your devices, servers and teams. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/moonlight-game-streaming-vs-tailscale) - [NoMachine](https://toolgpa.com/tools/nomachine): Self-hosted remote desktop sold as yearly server subscriptions. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/moonlight-game-streaming-vs-nomachine) - [Chrome Remote Desktop](https://toolgpa.com/tools/chrome-remote-desktop): Google's free remote access to your own computers from a browser. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/chrome-remote-desktop-vs-moonlight-game-streaming) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026: - https://moonlight-stream.org Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/moonlight-game-streaming Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).