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Heroic Games Launcher vs Lutris

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
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: 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.; 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: Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, Lutris covers Community install scripts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Heroic Games Launcher and Lutris differ
AttributeHeroic Games LauncherLutris
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOSLinux

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 Heroic Games Launcher

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

Only in Lutris

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

Both cover

  • Wine and Proton management

What people use each for

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

Heroic Games Launcher

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

Lutris

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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

Heroic Games Launcher

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

Lutris

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

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Lutris if

  • You need community install scripts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want multi-source library.
Lutris review

Questions people ask

Is Heroic Games Launcher or Lutris better?
Neither clearly leads. Heroic Games Launcher 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, Heroic Games Launcher or Lutris?
Heroic Games Launcher starts at Free and Lutris at Free.
Does Heroic Games Launcher or Lutris run on more platforms?
Heroic Games Launcher runs on Linux, Windows, macOS. Lutris runs on Linux.
Can I use Heroic Games Launcher for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Heroic Games Launcher best used for?
Heroic Games Launcher is most often used for a steam deck owner who wants to play epic or amazon titles they already own, a linux desktop user with a gog library and no interest in configuring wine by hand, a macos user wanting access to a gog library without a windows machine, someone consolidating three storefront clients into one interface on windows. Of those, a steam deck owner who wants to play epic or amazon titles they already own and a linux desktop user with a gog library and no interest in configuring wine by hand are not what Lutris is typically brought in for.
What can Heroic Games Launcher do that Lutris cannot?
Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, Cross-platform, Steam Deck packaging, Cloud saves. Lutris covers Community install scripts, Multi-source library, Emulator support, Per-game configuration. Both handle Wine and Proton management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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