Best Game Launcher Software in 2026
Updated
In short: GameVault is ranked #1 of 22 as of 2 October 2026, ahead of Steam and Heroic Games Launcher. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Steam. The lowest first paid tier on this page is EA app at $3.33/mo.
22 game launcher software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Desktop platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GameVault | 8.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | €4.16/mo | Yes | — | Windows, Linux, macOS | View |
| 2 | Steam | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 3 |  Heroic Games Launcher | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 4 | GOG Galaxy | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 5 | LaunchBox | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 6 |  EA app | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $3.33/mo | Yes | 5.99 /mo | — | View |
| 7 | Prism Launcher | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 8 |  Epic Games Launcher | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS | View |
| 9 | Playnite | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 10 | GDLauncher | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 11 | Lutris | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 | itch app | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 13 | Minecraft Launcher | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 14 |  Faugus Launcher | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Linux | View |
| 15 | Paradox Launcher | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 16 | Gameforge Client | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 17 |  Wargaming.net Game Center | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 18 | Nexon Launcher | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 19 |  Minigalaxy | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Linux | View |
| 20 | Jagex Launcher | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 21 | GameHub Backlog | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 22 |  Infrared | 4.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which game launcher software is ranked first on Inferse?
GameVault is ranked #1 of 22 with a score of 8.3. Steam is second and Heroic Games Launcher third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 22 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, EA app has the lowest first paid tier we found: $3.33/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.