The Best Steam AlternativesTop Game & App Stores like Steam
Steam is described as 'Digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation' and is a leading Game Store in the gaming software category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Steam for a variety of platforms, including Web-based, Windows, Mac, Android and Linux apps. The best Steam alternative is GOG.com, which is free. Other great apps like Steam are itch.io, Lutris, Humble Bundle and Epic Games Store.
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Steam alternatives are mainly Game Stores but may also be Game Library Managers or App Stores. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Steam.- Game Store
- Free • Proprietary
- 665 likes48 GOG.com alternatives
GOG.com, or Good Old Games, is a digital platform selling PC games. It offers a wide variety of classic and new titles, all free from Digital Rights Management (DRM) and updated to be compatible with current operating systems.
License model
- Free • Proprietary
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
GOG.com VS Steam
Is GOG.com a good alternative to Steam? - 235 likes40 itch.io alternatives
An online game marketplace and community. Also an app which manages downloading and updating of games acquired through the website.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- Android Tablet
- Epic Games Store
itch.io Features
itch.io VS Steam
Is itch.io a good alternative to Steam?Comments about itch.io as an Alternative to Steam
Quite possibly the best place available to lose an afternoon digging through both free and paid indie games ever since Desura kicked the bucket.
15bonepyramidLive life, breathe air. I know somehow we're gonna get there, and it'll be so wonderful.
0thebenmix11In my experience, it's one of the few that are both user-friendly and developer-friendly at the same time.
0 - 203 likes50 Lutris alternatives
Lutris is an open source gaming platform for GNU/Linux. It allows you to gather and manage (install, configure and launch) all your games acquired from any source, in a single interface.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Linux
- Online
- Flathub
Lutris VS Steam
Is Lutris a good alternative to Steam?Comments about Lutris as an Alternative to Steam
Conner VieiraLutris isn't exactly a store, the way Steam is, but it's great for managing large game libraries, and even supports seamless emulation.
3ab1Many Installers are broken and users are welcomed to guess which and how... Mix of minefield and junkyard in practice. Just save your time.
-1 - 319 likes26 Humble Bundle alternatives
Buy a bundle of games, you decide the price, and support charity in the process.
License model
- Paid • Proprietary
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- Android Tablet
Humble Bundle Features
Humble Bundle VS Steam
Is Humble Bundle a good alternative to Steam?Comments about Humble Bundle as an Alternative to Steam
somegirlfromitBe careful when purchasing - vendors can choose to either sell DRM-free copies (most common), Steam keys (also common), or keys for other less common platforms (uPlay, Origin, Battle.net, and proprietary vendor launchers among them).
3tvgoing1humble bundle requires steam and other stores websites, i do not think its an alternative to steam or other platforms that sell games/software.
4Hiki HollowNot only is there sales for games, but also books and software. And if you keep an eye out, you can get a lot of games for dirt-cheap. Usually upon buying games, you get key for them. There are exceptions, where you have to download, or can download additional content.
You can also freely choose how much of the money goes to the charity, devs etc.
0 - 108 likes30 Epic Games Store alternatives
The Epic Games Store is a digital platform for computer games that champions developer success by offering an 88% revenue share. With the "Epic First Run" program, developers enjoy 100% revenue for the first six months for exclusive titles, transitioning to the standard split thereafter?
License model
- Free • Proprietary
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Online
- iPhone
- iPad
- Android
- Android Tablet
Epic Games Store Features
Epic Games Store VS Steam
Is Epic Games Store a good alternative to Steam?Comments about Epic Games Store as an Alternative to Steam
Anipedifferent games and encourages competition in the industry, its good
1brakyEpic Games forces games (not all) who were announced to release on other distribution platforms to release exclusively on their storefront.
7Alan MaccormakWhatever you said Steam is just more easy to use and more widespread than Epic Games, but EGS itself is quite good
0 - 60 likes27 Ubisoft Connect alternatives
Multiplatform ecosystem uniting gamers with cross-progression and cross-play features. Enjoy news, rewards, and social benefits across devices, accessible via desktop and mobile apps.
License model
- Free • Proprietary
Application types
Platforms
- Windows
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
Ubisoft Connect Features
Ubisoft Connect VS Steam
Is Ubisoft Connect a good alternative to Steam?Comments about Ubisoft Connect as an Alternative to Steam
somegirlfromitAlmost purely used for the Ubisoft catalog (Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, etc.) but a much tighter offering than it was when it launched in 2009.
2DL300Garbage. Constant nagging, terrible UI, awful prices, very buggy and slow. Literally not one single positive. Also rammed down your throat on Steam so double DRM, also for no reason.
1 - 197 likes35 Playnite alternatives
Video game library manager and launcher with support for 3rd party libraries like Steam, GOG, Origin and Uplay, providing one unified interface for your games.
Playnite VS Steam
Is Playnite a good alternative to Steam?Comments about Playnite as an Alternative to Steam
DL300Way, way better than Steam in every single way. Even has exotic console features like quick-resume. Steam is an absolute first-year-coder joke compared to this. Playnite's devs work hard and are talented.
2
Comments about GOG.com as an Alternative to Steam
Lack of DRMs, no requirements to stay online during playing, offline installers that you can keep forever, and they let you specify any target location for game files. You are legally allowed to redownload and install all games on unlimited number of computers in your household. Optional Steam-like client is available.
Better than Steam in every way except player counts. If you aren't going to be playing multiplayer, GoG is objectively superior in every way.
The curated content means that there's significantly less absolute crap than you'll find on Steam. DRM free means no DRM treating you like a pirate when you're just trying to play the game you bought. I love GoG Galaxy 2.0 as a launcher, since it can also add in games from other services, although I am sad that there's no native Linux client yet. Overall, just great stuff.