Softwr

Gaming · head to head

Fanatical vs Lutris

Fanatical logo

Fanatical

Gaming

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

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: 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.; 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: Fanatical covers Build your own bundle, Lutris covers Community install scripts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fanatical and Lutris actually diverge.

Attributes where Fanatical and Lutris differ
AttributeFanaticalLutris
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebLinux

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 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.

Fanatical

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

Lutris

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

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

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

Lutris

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

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 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 Fanatical or Lutris better?
Neither clearly leads. Fanatical 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, Fanatical or Lutris?
Fanatical starts at Free and Lutris at Free.
Does Fanatical or Lutris run on more platforms?
Fanatical runs on Web. Lutris runs on Linux.
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 Lutris is typically brought in for.
What can Fanatical do that Lutris cannot?
Fanatical covers Build your own bundle, Star Deals, Authorised sourcing, Mixed media bundles. Lutris covers Community install scripts, Wine and Proton management, Multi-source library, Emulator support.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Fanatical

More on Lutris

Keep looking

Other head to heads