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Gaming · head to head

Epic Games Store vs Heroic Games Launcher

Epic Games Store logo

Epic Games Store

Gaming

PC game storefront with a lower revenue cut for developers

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: Epic Games Store far fewer community features than Steam: no workshop, limited forums and a weaker review system; 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: Epic Games Store covers 12% revenue share, 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 Epic Games Store and Heroic Games Launcher actually diverge.

Attributes where Epic Games Store and Heroic Games Launcher differ
AttributeEpic Games StoreHeroic Games Launcher
Pricing modelFree to use; individual games purchased separatelyOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, macOS, WebLinux, 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 Epic Games Store

  • 12% revenue share
  • Unreal Engine royalty waiver
  • Weekly free games
  • Cross-platform services

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.

Epic Games Store

  • Buying PC games, often at lower prices than competing storesnot Heroic Games Launcher
  • Claiming the weekly free gamenot Heroic Games Launcher
  • Developers wanting a better revenue share than the 30% standardnot Heroic Games Launcher

Heroic Games Launcher

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

Where each one falls short

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

Epic Games Store

  • Far fewer community features than Steam: no workshop, limited forums and a weaker review system
  • A smaller catalogue, and its exclusivity deals have been unpopular with players
  • The client has a longstanding reputation for being slower and less capable than competitors
  • A smaller audience means developers trade reach for the better revenue split

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

Epic Games Store

Free
  • Epic Games StoreFree
    • Free account
    • Weekly free games
    • 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 Epic Games Store if

  • You need 12% revenue share.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want unreal engine royalty waiver.
Epic Games Store 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 Epic Games Store or Heroic Games Launcher better?
Neither clearly leads. Epic Games Store 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, Epic Games Store or Heroic Games Launcher?
Epic Games Store starts at Free and Heroic Games Launcher at Free.
Does Epic Games Store or Heroic Games Launcher run on more platforms?
Epic Games Store runs on Windows, macOS, Web. Heroic Games Launcher runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use Epic Games Store for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Epic Games Store best used for?
Epic Games Store is most often used for buying pc games, often at lower prices than competing stores, claiming the weekly free game, developers wanting a better revenue share than the 30% standard. Of those, buying pc games, often at lower prices than competing stores and claiming the weekly free game are not what Heroic Games Launcher is typically brought in for.
What can Epic Games Store do that Heroic Games Launcher cannot?
Epic Games Store covers 12% revenue share, Unreal Engine royalty waiver, Weekly free games, Cross-platform services. Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, Cross-platform, Wine and Proton management, Steam Deck packaging.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Epic Games Store: Is the Epic Games Store free?

Yes, the store and account are free. Games are purchased individually, and one is given away free each week.

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.

Epic Games Store: Why do developers use it?

A 12% revenue share against the 30% platform standard, plus waived Unreal Engine royalties on sales through 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.

Epic Games Store: How does it compare with Steam?

Steam has a much larger catalogue and far richer community features. Epic competes on price, developer revenue share and free games.

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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