Sunshine review (2026): is it any good?
Self-hosted game stream host for Moonlight clients
Sunshine report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a free game-stream host for your own PC
Sunshine is a free, open-source game-stream host that runs on your own Windows, Mac or Linux PC. It is only the host, so you also need a Moonlight client, and the README warns that its hardware tables are unfinished.
Who Sunshine is for
- Fits if you want free game streaming from your own PC using Moonlight
- Works for people comfortable with setting up ports and encoders themselves
Who Sunshine is not for
- Skip it if you need a client, as Sunshine is a host only and needs Moonlight
- Not for you if you want support sessions or unattended admin, since it targets game streaming
- Watch out: the README says its hardware requirement tables are unfinished and should not drive purchases
- Watch out: gamepad support is partial on FreeBSD, and macOS needs a separately licensed Virtual HID Broker
Why Sunshine gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree and open source under GPL-3.0, with no cloud subscription, and you run it on your own PC.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright with no cap listed, and no account or cloud service to pay for.
- DFeaturesIt is a host only: you also need a Moonlight client to use it, so it needs another product to be useful.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. It has a browser-based management page, but you configure encoders, ports and pairing yourself.
- CPlatforms and integrationsHosts run on Windows, macOS and Linux, and clients come through Moonlight. No phone host or web client is listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from LizardByte's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/sunshine#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/sunshine.svg" alt="Sunshine: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Sunshine stands among remote desktop apps
Sunshine's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 49 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 19.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 71 of 85) and worst on features (D, above 0).
Sunshine has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 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 86 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Sunshine’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 63 of 85, level with 22
- AFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 85, level with 14
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 85
- CEase of useAbove 10 of 85, level with 48
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 12 of 85, level with 15
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 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 Sunshine, or make your own?
Keep it
Sunshine is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- A fast, secure link to another computer through any network.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Sunshine’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 Sunshine?
Sunshine is a free, open-source game streaming host that you install on your own PC. Moonlight clients connect to it from other devices, and a browser-based interface handles settings and pairing. It uses AMD, Intel or NVIDIA hardware encoding where available, with software encoding as a fallback.
Worth knowing
- It is a host only; you also need a Moonlight client on the device you play on.
- The README warns that its hardware requirement tables are a work in progress and should not drive purchases.
- Gamepad support is partial on FreeBSD, and macOS needs a separately licensed Virtual HID Broker for emulated pads.
- It targets game streaming, not support sessions or unattended administration of other people's computers.
Key features
- Hardware encoding
- Streams with AMD, Intel or NVIDIA hardware encoding for low latency, with software encoding available on all supported systems.
- Works with Moonlight clients
- Sunshine is the host half of the pair; you install a Moonlight client on a laptop, phone, TV or handheld and pair it.
- Browser-based management
- A web interface lets you choose applications, adjust streaming settings and pair devices, from the host or from a mobile device.
- Gamepad emulation
- The README lists emulation of generic, DualShock, DualSense, Switch Pro and Xbox controllers, with limits on FreeBSD and macOS.
- Several host systems
- The site lists Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD hosts, each with its own supported capture and encoding methods.
Sunshine pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Sunshine is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source with no cloud subscription; released under the GPL-3.0 license.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine | $0 | Free and open source, run on your own hardware. The site has a Donate link for voluntary support. |
Read from sunshine.lizardbyte.dev on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Sunshine before you buy.
Works with
- Moonlight
Sunshine alternatives
- Sunshine vs Parsec
Free plan · from $8.33/mo
- Sunshine vs RustDesk
Free plan · from $11.88/mo
- Sunshine vs Shadow PC
From $29.99/mo
Common questions
Does Sunshine have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Sunshine is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Sunshine have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Sunshine is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Sunshine open source?
Yes. Sunshine is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.