# Moonlight (open-source remote desktop app)

> Moonlight is a free, open-source remote desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux. GameStream client for PCs (Windows, Mac, Linux, and Steam Link). It has 18,982 GitHub stars and is released under the GPL-3.0 license, and people use it instead of Parsec and NVIDIA GameStream.

Moonlight PC is an open source PC client for NVIDIA GameStream and Sunshine. Moonlight also has mobile versions for Android and iOS.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | https://github.com/moonlight-stream/moonlight-qt |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Interface | desktop GUI |
| GitHub stars | 18,982 |
| License | GPL-3.0 (open source) |
| Replaces | Parsec, NVIDIA GameStream |
| Language | C++ |
| Website | none listed |
| Official | yes (published by the project behind the app) |
| Category | Remote desktop & access |
| Latest release | v6.2.0 (Oct 4, 2026) |
| Last commit | Oct 8, 2026 |

## Install

### Flathub (Linux)

```sh
flatpak install flathub com.moonlight_stream.Moonlight
```

Package page: https://flathub.org/apps/com.moonlight_stream.Moonlight

### Snap (Linux)

```sh
snap install moonlight
```

Package page: https://snapcraft.io/moonlight

## Similar desktop apps

- [RustDesk](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/rustdesk): An open-source remote desktop application designed for self-hosting, as an alternative to TeamViewer. (125,386 stars, AGPL-3.0, official)
- [Lazydocker](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/lazydocker): The lazier way to manage everything docker. (53,070 stars, MIT)
- [Puter](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/puter): The Internet Computer! Free, Open-Source, and Self-Hostable. (43,661 stars, AGPL-3.0, official)
- [Sunshine](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/sunshine): Self-hosted game stream host for Moonlight. (41,963 stars, GPL-3.0, official)
- [Mattermost](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/mattermost): Mattermost is an open source platform for secure collaboration across the entire software development lifecycle.. (39,290 stars, AGPL-3.0, official)
- [Electerm](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/electerm): Free and open-sourced terminal/ssh/sftp/ftp/telnet/serialport/RDP/VNC/Spice client(Linux, Mac, Windows, Android, HarmonyOS, iOS). (15,289 stars, MIT)

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Canonical page: https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/moonlight
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