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Heroic Games Launcher vs Ubisoft Connect

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
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: 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.; 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: Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, 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 Heroic Games Launcher and Ubisoft Connect actually diverge.

Attributes where Heroic Games Launcher and Ubisoft Connect differ
AttributeHeroic Games LauncherUbisoft Connect
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer user per month
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOSWindows, 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 Heroic Games Launcher

  • Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries
  • Cross-platform
  • Wine and Proton management
  • Steam Deck packaging
  • Add to Steam

Only in Ubisoft Connect

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

Both cover

  • Cloud saves

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 Ubisoft Connect
  • A Linux desktop user with a GOG library and no interest in configuring Wine by handnot Ubisoft Connect
  • A macOS user wanting access to a GOG library without a Windows machinenot Ubisoft Connect
  • Someone consolidating three storefront clients into one interface on Windowsnot Ubisoft Connect

Ubisoft Connect

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

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

Heroic Games Launcher

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

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 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 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 Heroic Games Launcher or Ubisoft Connect better?
Neither clearly leads. Heroic Games Launcher 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, Heroic Games Launcher or Ubisoft Connect?
Heroic Games Launcher starts at Free and Ubisoft Connect at Free.
Does Heroic Games Launcher or Ubisoft Connect run on more platforms?
Heroic Games Launcher runs on Linux, Windows, macOS. Ubisoft Connect runs on Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Web.
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 Ubisoft Connect is typically brought in for.
What can Heroic Games Launcher do that Ubisoft Connect cannot?
Heroic Games Launcher covers Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, Cross-platform, Wine and Proton management, Steam Deck packaging. Ubisoft Connect covers Launcher and patching, Cross platform progression, Units rewards, Ubisoft+ Premium. Both handle Cloud saves.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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