Softwr

Gaming · head to head

GOG vs Heroic Games Launcher

GOG logo

GOG

Gaming

DRM-free PC game store with a focus on preservation

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: GOG a much smaller catalogue than Steam, and many new releases never appear; 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: GOG covers DRM-free downloads, 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 GOG and Heroic Games Launcher actually diverge.

Attributes where GOG and Heroic Games Launcher differ
AttributeGOGHeroic Games Launcher
Pricing modelFree to use; individual games purchased separatelyOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxLinux, 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 GOG

  • DRM-free downloads
  • Game preservation
  • GOG Galaxy
  • Offline installers

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.

GOG

  • Buying games that will keep working without a store or clientnot Heroic Games Launcher
  • Playing older titles patched to run on current hardwarenot Heroic Games Launcher
  • Archiving a game library independently of any platformnot Heroic Games Launcher

Heroic Games Launcher

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

Where each one falls short

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

GOG

  • A much smaller catalogue than Steam, and many new releases never appear
  • DRM-free means fewer multiplayer and anti-cheat systems, so competitive titles are largely absent
  • GOG Galaxy is optional and less capable than the clients it competes with
  • Preservation work is slow, so requested older titles may never arrive

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

GOG

Free
  • GOGFree
    • Free account
    • DRM-free installers
    • Game purchases billed individually

Heroic Games Launcher

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

Which should you pick?

Choose GOG if

  • You need drm-free downloads.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want game preservation.
GOG 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 GOG or Heroic Games Launcher better?
Neither clearly leads. GOG 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, GOG or Heroic Games Launcher?
GOG starts at Free and Heroic Games Launcher at Free.
Does GOG or Heroic Games Launcher run on more platforms?
GOG runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Heroic Games Launcher runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use GOG for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GOG best used for?
GOG is most often used for buying games that will keep working without a store or client, playing older titles patched to run on current hardware, archiving a game library independently of any platform. Of those, buying games that will keep working without a store or client and playing older titles patched to run on current hardware are not what Heroic Games Launcher is typically brought in for.
What can GOG do that Heroic Games Launcher cannot?
GOG covers DRM-free downloads, Game preservation, GOG Galaxy, Offline installers. Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, Cross-platform, Wine and Proton management, Steam Deck packaging.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GOG: Is GOG free?

The store and account are free; games are bought individually.

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.

GOG: What does DRM-free mean here?

Every purchase is a standalone installer that runs with no client, no account check and no internet connection, so the game keeps working whatever happens to the store.

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.

GOG: Why is the catalogue smaller?

Many publishers require DRM, and GOG will not sell with it. That policy is the reason for both its loyal audience and its narrower selection.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on GOG

More on Heroic Games Launcher

Keep looking

Other head to heads