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Lutris vs Ubisoft Connect

Lutris logo

Lutris

Gaming

Open source Linux game manager built around community install scripts and Wine runner management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ubisoft Connect logo

Ubisoft Connect

Gaming

Ubisoft launcher, rewards programme and the Ubisoft+ subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lutris it runs on Linux only, so it is irrelevant to the large majority of players and offers nothing to a Windows household.; Ubisoft Connect ubisoft revoked access to The Crew after shutting its servers down in 2024, which established that a purchased title with a single player mode can be made unplayable, and no purchase here is insulated from that.
  • They diverge on capability: Lutris covers Community install scripts, Ubisoft Connect covers Launcher and patching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lutris and Ubisoft Connect actually diverge.

Attributes where Lutris and Ubisoft Connect differ
AttributeLutrisUbisoft Connect
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer user per month
PlatformsLinuxWindows, PlayStation, Xbox, Web

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 Lutris

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

Only in Ubisoft Connect

  • Launcher and patching
  • Cross platform progression
  • Units rewards
  • Ubisoft+ Premium
  • Ubisoft+ Classics
  • Cloud saves

What people use each for

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

Lutris

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

Ubisoft Connect

  • Playing a single big Ubisoft release at launch for one or two months of subscription instead of seventy up frontnot Lutris
  • Carrying progress between a PC and a console on titles that support cross platform savesnot Lutris
  • Households already on PlayStation Plus at a tier that bundles Ubisoft+ Classics, where the back catalogue costs nothing extranot Lutris
  • Running Ubisoft titles bought on Steam, where the launcher is required whether you want it or notnot Lutris

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Ubisoft Connect

  • Ubisoft revoked access to The Crew after shutting its servers down in 2024, which established that a purchased title with a single player mode can be made unplayable, and no purchase here is insulated from that.
  • The launcher is mandatory even for copies bought on Steam or Epic, so you run two clients, two overlays and two update services for one game.
  • Ubisoft+ leaves nothing behind when you stop paying and there is no credit toward buying a title outright, so a subscription kept across a quiet release year is money with no residue.
  • Ubisoft has operated an inactive account closure policy, which means a library can be put at risk by simply not logging in for a long period.
  • At around eighteen a month the Premium tier costs more than three big releases a year, so it only pays for players who genuinely play a lot of Ubisoft output.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lutris

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

Ubisoft Connect

Free
  • Ubisoft ConnectFree
    • Free launcher, account and rewards programme
    • Required to run Ubisoft titles bought anywhere
    • Games bought individually from the store
  • Ubisoft+ Premium$17.99/month
    • New PC releases at launch
    • Back catalogue, expansions and premium editions
    • Cancel any time, access ends immediately
  • Ubisoft+ Classics$7.99/month
    • Console tier covering older titles
    • Included within some PlayStation Plus tiers

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Ubisoft Connect if

  • You need launcher and patching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Web.
  • You also want cross platform progression.
Ubisoft Connect review

Questions people ask

Is Lutris or Ubisoft Connect better?
Neither clearly leads. Lutris starts at Free and Ubisoft Connect at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lutris or Ubisoft Connect?
Lutris starts at Free and Ubisoft Connect at Free.
Does Lutris or Ubisoft Connect run on more platforms?
Lutris runs on Linux. Ubisoft Connect runs on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Web.
Can I use Lutris for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lutris best used for?
Lutris is most often used for a linux desktop user with a gog or epic library that steam compatibility does not cover, running an older windows game that needs a specific wine build and configuration, keeping emulators and native linux games in one launcher rather than several. Of those, a linux desktop user with a gog or epic library that steam compatibility does not cover and running an older windows game that needs a specific wine build and configuration are not what Ubisoft Connect is typically brought in for.
What can Lutris do that Ubisoft Connect cannot?
Lutris covers Community install scripts, Wine and Proton management, Multi-source library, Emulator support. Ubisoft Connect covers Launcher and patching, Cross platform progression, Units rewards, Ubisoft+ Premium.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Ubisoft Connect: Do I need Ubisoft Connect if I buy on Steam?

Yes. Ubisoft PC titles bought on Steam still install and launch the Ubisoft Connect client and require a Ubisoft account.

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.

Ubisoft Connect: Can Ubisoft take away a game I bought?

It has done so. The Crew was delisted and access revoked in 2024 after the servers were shut down. Treat purchases as licences, not property.

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.

Ubisoft Connect: Does Ubisoft+ include Assassin Creed releases at launch?

Premium does on PC. The cheaper Classics tier covers older titles only, so new releases are not included there.

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