The Steam Link Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Steam Link in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Steam Link
The Insider’s Guide
Stream Steam games from your PC to phones, TVs and other PCs
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from Steam Link’s own pages.
Made by Valve Corporation · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Steam Link’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Steam Link’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 79 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade
Steam Link is Valve's app for streaming games from a computer running Steam to another device on your network or over the internet. The same Remote Play feature streams between two PCs, and Remote Play Together lets friends join local multiplayer games online. The app is listed as free on its US App Store page.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Steam Link, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It needs that Steam computer switched on as the host, it streams games and not a full desktop, and small screens make games play worse.
- 1
Best for streaming PC games to a phone, TV or laptop
Steam Link is a free app that streams games from a computer running Steam to another screen.
- 2
It is free
Steam Link has no paid plan at all. The Steam Link app is free; it connects to a computer running Steam, which hosts the games you own.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 4
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.
- 5
PC to PC streaming
Log in to Steam on two computers and stream games from one Steam library to the other.
- 6
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.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 79 of 85
That is against the other remote desktop apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Steam Link is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Steam Link at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Valve Corporation
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 3.3 on the App Store, 3,057 ratings
The report card
Best for streaming PC games to a phone, TV or laptop
Steam Link is a free app that streams games from a computer running Steam to another screen. It needs that Steam computer switched on as the host, it streams games and not a full desktop, and small screens make games play worse.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The app is free, with no plan or subscription to buy. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright: the Steam Link app costs nothing and has no cap listed, though the host computer must run Steam and own the games. |
| Features | C | It 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 | B | No store rating on record. You install it and pair it with a Steam computer, which is a short setup. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android are listed, tied to Steam. No API is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Steam Link is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Playing a Steam library from the couch or a phone
- Streaming games between two PCs at home
- Playing local co-op games with friends online
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Steam Link is free to use.
The app is free, with no plan or subscription to buy.
Steam Link
$0
Free app listed on the App Store. Remote Play Together is described as free on Valve's page.
The free plan
The Steam Link app is free; it connects to a computer running Steam, which hosts the games you own.
Read from apps.apple.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Stream Steam games from your PC to phones, TVs and other PCs. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: real-time collaboration, remote desktop.
It does one job: streaming games, with PC-to-PC streaming, Remote Play Together and game controls.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Steam
Steam Link is made by Valve Corporation.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
79/85
Other remote desktop apps it is graded above
Steam Link's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 79 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 71 of 85) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Steam Link has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 86 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Steam Link’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 63 of 85
- AFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 85
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 85
- BEase of useAbove 59 of 85
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 85
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Steam Link is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Steam Link 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 3.2 is higher than 79 of the 85 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.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
What this rests on. Steam Link’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Moonlight, Sunshine, Parsec, Shadow PC and Chrome Remote Desktop
The 5 tools Steam Link is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Moonlight
Free
Open-source client for streaming PC games to other devices.
- Moonlight is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Sunshine
Free
Self-hosted game stream host for Moonlight clients.
- Only Steam Link lists iOS and Android apps.
- Sunshine is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Parsec
Free plan · from $8.33/mo
Low-latency remote desktop for games and creative work.
- Only Steam Link lists an iOS app.
- Only Parsec lists a web app.
- 1.8GPA
Shadow PC
From $29.99/mo
A full Windows PC in the cloud for gaming and creative work.
- Steam Link has a free plan. Shadow PC does not.
- Only Shadow PC lists a web app.
- Shadow PC also covers AI agents.
- 3.2GPA
Chrome Remote Desktop
Free
Google's free remote access to your own computers from a browser.
- Only Chrome Remote Desktop lists a web app.
- Only Chrome Remote Desktop lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Steam Link free?
Yes. Steam Link is free to use.
How much does Steam Link cost?
Steam Link lists one plan. Steam Link: $0.
What platforms does Steam Link work on?
Steam Link is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
How is Steam Link rated?
Steam Link's iPhone and iPad app averages 3.3 out of 5 from 3,057 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Is Steam Link open source?
Steam Link is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Steam Link integrate with?
Steam Link's listing names Steam. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Steam Link?
Steam Link is made by Valve Corporation.
What are the alternatives to Steam Link?
The closest alternatives to Steam Link in our directory are Moonlight, Sunshine, Parsec, Shadow PC and Chrome Remote Desktop.
How does Steam Link compare with other remote desktop apps?
Steam Link's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 79 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 6.
Is Steam Link good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Steam Link A for value for money. Steam Link has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Steam Link?
Steam Link is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Steam Link’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Valve's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Valve Corporation. Prices change, so check store.steampowered.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Steam Link, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/steam-link
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Steam Link: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/steam-link
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/steam-link/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded remote desktop apps after Steam Link, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Remote Desktop Insider's GuideEvery one of the 86 remote desktop apps we grade, compared
- Chrome Remote Desktop Insider's GuideGoogle's free remote access to your own computers from a browser3.2 GPA
- DWService Insider's GuideFree browser-based remote access to computers via an agent3.2 GPA
- HopToDesk Insider's GuideFree open-source remote desktop with a paid device dashboard3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Steam Link’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Steam Link is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Valve Corporation. Prices and plans change: check store.steampowered.com before you buy.