Softwr

Gaming · head to head

Battle.net vs Lutris

Battle.net logo

Battle.net

Gaming

Blizzard game launcher and store, now owned by Microsoft, for a small first party catalogue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lutris logo

Lutris

Gaming

Open source Linux game manager built around community install scripts and Wine runner management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Battle.net purchases are licences tied to one account in one region, so there is no resale, no transfer and no offline installer if the service or the account goes away.; Lutris it runs on Linux only, so it is irrelevant to the large majority of players and offers nothing to a Windows household.
  • They diverge on capability: Battle.net covers Game installation and patching, Lutris covers Community install scripts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Battle.net and Lutris actually diverge.

Attributes where Battle.net and Lutris differ
AttributeBattle.netLutris
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, macOSLinux

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Gaming).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Battle.net

  • Game installation and patching
  • Account services
  • Social layer
  • In game shops
  • Subscription management
  • Parental controls

Only in Lutris

  • Community install scripts
  • Wine and Proton management
  • Multi-source library
  • Emulator support
  • Per-game configuration
  • Native Linux packaging

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Battle.net

  • Playing any current Blizzard title, since the launcher is mandatory whether or not you bought through Steamnot Lutris
  • Running a World of Warcraft subscription and paying for it with in game gold through tokens instead of cashnot Lutris
  • Keeping Call of Duty installs and updates managed on PC without going through the Xbox appnot Lutris
  • Households that need play time and purchase limits applied to a child account by a parentnot Lutris

Lutris

  • A Linux desktop user with a GOG or Epic library that Steam compatibility does not covernot Battle.net
  • Running an older Windows game that needs a specific Wine build and configurationnot Battle.net
  • Keeping emulators and native Linux games in one launcher rather than severalnot Battle.net

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Battle.net

  • Purchases are licences tied to one account in one region, so there is no resale, no transfer and no offline installer if the service or the account goes away.
  • Battle.net Balance and account region are locked, which blocks the common tactic of buying in a cheaper territory and removes any pricing flexibility for players who move country.
  • The store carries only Microsoft owned publishers, so it is an additional launcher and background updater running for a handful of games.
  • There is no family or library sharing comparable to Steam Families, so a household with two players buys two copies of every title.
  • A ban or a lost authenticator removes access to everything on the account at once, and Blizzard support decisions on account actions are slow and rarely reversed.

Lutris

  • It runs on Linux only, so it is irrelevant to the large majority of players and offers nothing to a Windows household.
  • Install scripts are community-maintained and rot without warning, so a game that installed in one click last year can fail today with an error that means nothing to a new user.
  • Diagnosing a failure requires understanding Wine prefixes, runner versions and library overrides, which is a substantial amount of knowledge for what is presented as a launcher.
  • Runner version management is manual and the naming is opaque, so users end up with several multi-gigabyte Wine builds and no clear idea which game needs which.
  • Multiplayer titles with kernel-level anti-cheat will not run regardless of configuration, and no amount of work in Lutris changes that.

Pricing, plan by plan

Battle.net

Free
  • Battle.net clientFree
    • Free client and account
    • Free to play titles including Hearthstone and Overwatch 2
    • Games and expansions bought individually
  • World of Warcraft subscription$14.99/month
    • Monthly recurring subscription with cheaper three and six month terms
    • Includes access to the current retail and classic realms
    • Can be paid with in game tokens bought from other players

Lutris

Free
  • LutrisFree
    • Full functionality
    • No account required for local use
    • Community install scripts free

Which should you pick?

Choose Battle.net if

  • You need game installation and patching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want account services.
Battle.net review

Choose Lutris if

  • You need community install scripts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want wine and proton management.
Lutris review

Questions people ask

Is Battle.net or Lutris better?
Neither clearly leads. Battle.net starts at Free and Lutris at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Battle.net or Lutris?
Battle.net starts at Free and Lutris at Free.
Does Battle.net or Lutris run on more platforms?
Battle.net runs on Windows, macOS. Lutris runs on Linux.
Can I use Battle.net for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Battle.net best used for?
Battle.net is most often used for playing any current blizzard title, since the launcher is mandatory whether or not you bought through steam, running a world of warcraft subscription and paying for it with in game gold through tokens instead of cash, keeping call of duty installs and updates managed on pc without going through the xbox app, households that need play time and purchase limits applied to a child account by a parent. Of those, playing any current blizzard title, since the launcher is mandatory whether or not you bought through steam and running a world of warcraft subscription and paying for it with in game gold through tokens instead of cash are not what Lutris is typically brought in for.
What can Battle.net do that Lutris cannot?
Battle.net covers Game installation and patching, Account services, Social layer, In game shops. Lutris covers Community install scripts, Wine and Proton management, Multi-source library, Emulator support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Battle.net: Do I still need Battle.net if I buy a Blizzard game on Steam?

Yes. Steam versions launch through Battle.net and require a linked Blizzard account, so you run both clients.

Lutris: Do I need Lutris if I use Steam on Linux?

Not for Steam games, which Steam handles with its own compatibility layer. Lutris is for everything outside Steam.

Battle.net: Can I get a refund?

Blizzard offers refunds within a narrow window and playtime limit, decided case by case. It is significantly less generous than the Steam two hour policy.

Lutris: Why did a game that used to work stop working?

Usually the install script or the runner it referenced changed. Check the script page for the game and whether anyone has updated it recently.

Battle.net: What happened to Battle.net after Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard?

It continues to operate as the launcher for Blizzard titles, but Microsoft has also returned those games to Steam, so it is no longer the only purchase route.

Lutris: Will it run games with anti-cheat?

Often not. Kernel-level anti-cheat blocks Linux regardless of the launcher, and this is a publisher decision rather than a technical gap in Lutris.

Share

Related pages

More on Battle.net

More on Lutris

Keep looking

Other head to heads