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Fanatical vs Heroic Games Launcher

Fanatical logo

Fanatical

Gaming

Authorised key store built around build your own bundles of mostly Steam titles

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroic Games Launcher logo

Heroic Games Launcher

Gaming

Open source client for Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries on Linux, Windows and macOS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fanatical almost everything activates on Steam, so the Steam account rules, regional restrictions and library policies apply and the store is a discount channel rather than an independent platform.; Heroic Games Launcher it depends on reverse-engineered backends for each store, so an authentication change at Epic or Amazon breaks logins until unpaid maintainers respond.
  • They diverge on capability: Fanatical covers Build your own bundle, Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fanatical and Heroic Games Launcher actually diverge.

Attributes where Fanatical and Heroic Games Launcher differ
AttributeFanaticalHeroic Games Launcher
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebLinux, Windows, macOS

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 Fanatical

  • Build your own bundle
  • Star Deals
  • Authorised sourcing
  • Mixed media bundles
  • Steam first catalogue
  • Wishlist alerts

Only in Heroic Games Launcher

  • Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries
  • Cross-platform
  • Wine and Proton management
  • Steam Deck packaging
  • Cloud saves
  • Add to Steam

What people use each for

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

Fanatical

  • Filling a Steam library with back catalogue titles at a few pounds each through a build your own bundlenot Heroic Games Launcher
  • Buying a recent release at a discount from a source with publisher agreements rather than a grey marketplacenot Heroic Games Launcher
  • Picking up a headline title on a Star Deal that undercuts the concurrent Steam sale pricenot Heroic Games Launcher
  • Buying several copies of an inexpensive multiplayer game for a group without paying full price eachnot Heroic Games Launcher

Heroic Games Launcher

  • A Steam Deck owner who wants to play Epic or Amazon titles they already ownnot Fanatical
  • A Linux desktop user with a GOG library and no interest in configuring Wine by handnot Fanatical
  • A macOS user wanting access to a GOG library without a Windows machinenot Fanatical
  • Someone consolidating three storefront clients into one interface on Windowsnot Fanatical

Where each one falls short

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

Fanatical

  • Almost everything activates on Steam, so the Steam account rules, regional restrictions and library policies apply and the store is a discount channel rather than an independent platform.
  • Bundle pools are weighted towards older and low profile titles, and the advertised saving is measured against list prices that the same games rarely sell at any more.
  • There is no refund once a key has been revealed, which is stricter than Steam and leaves no route out of an impulse purchase.
  • Duplicate keys from bundles have no resale route because an activated Steam key cannot be transferred, so overlapping bundle purchases are simply wasted money.
  • Some titles carry regional activation locks, and prices are set per currency rather than tracking exchange rates, so buyers outside the main markets can end up paying more than the local store price.

Heroic Games Launcher

  • It depends on reverse-engineered backends for each store, so an authentication change at Epic or Amazon breaks logins until unpaid maintainers respond.
  • It does not handle Steam, so anyone with a mixed library still runs two clients and the consolidation is partial.
  • Cloud save support varies by store and by game, and finding out that a title does not sync usually happens after losing progress.
  • It is an Electron application, so memory use is high for what is fundamentally a list of games, which matters on a handheld with limited resources.
  • Games protected by kernel-level anti-cheat still do not run on Linux, and the launcher cannot change a publisher decision.

Pricing, plan by plan

Fanatical

Free
  • Store accountFree
    • Free account, you pay per title or per bundle
    • Build your own bundles at a fixed price for a chosen number of titles
    • Most keys activate on Steam

Heroic Games Launcher

Free
  • Heroic Games LauncherFree
    • Full functionality
    • No paid tier
    • Store accounts used directly

Which should you pick?

Choose Fanatical if

  • You need build your own bundle.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want star deals.
Fanatical review

Choose Heroic Games Launcher if

  • You need epic, gog and amazon libraries.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want cross-platform.
Heroic Games Launcher review

Questions people ask

Is Fanatical or Heroic Games Launcher better?
Neither clearly leads. Fanatical starts at Free and Heroic Games Launcher at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fanatical or Heroic Games Launcher?
Fanatical starts at Free and Heroic Games Launcher at Free.
Does Fanatical or Heroic Games Launcher run on more platforms?
Fanatical runs on Web. Heroic Games Launcher runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use Fanatical for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Fanatical best used for?
Fanatical is most often used for filling a steam library with back catalogue titles at a few pounds each through a build your own bundle, buying a recent release at a discount from a source with publisher agreements rather than a grey marketplace, picking up a headline title on a star deal that undercuts the concurrent steam sale price, buying several copies of an inexpensive multiplayer game for a group without paying full price each. Of those, filling a steam library with back catalogue titles at a few pounds each through a build your own bundle and buying a recent release at a discount from a source with publisher agreements rather than a grey marketplace are not what Heroic Games Launcher is typically brought in for.
What can Fanatical do that Heroic Games Launcher cannot?
Fanatical covers Build your own bundle, Star Deals, Authorised sourcing, Mixed media bundles. Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, Cross-platform, Wine and Proton management, Steam Deck packaging.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fanatical: Are Fanatical keys official?

Yes. Fanatical sources under publisher and distributor agreements, unlike marketplaces where individual sellers list keys of unknown origin.

Heroic Games Launcher: Why does this exist when Epic has its own launcher?

Epic publishes no Linux client. Heroic fills that gap and then extended to GOG, Amazon, Windows and macOS.

Fanatical: Can I return a bundle I do not want?

Not once keys have been revealed. Check the contents against your existing library before buying, because duplicates cannot be resold.

Heroic Games Launcher: Is it safe to log into my store accounts?

It is open source and widely used, and it authenticates against the real store endpoints. As with any third-party client, you are trusting the maintainers and the build you installed.

Fanatical: Do the keys work outside the United Kingdom?

Usually yes, but individual titles can be region restricted and the restriction is listed on the product page rather than applied automatically at checkout.

Heroic Games Launcher: Does it work in Steam Deck game mode?

Yes, generally by adding titles to Steam as non-Steam shortcuts, which is a documented part of the normal workflow.

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