Steam Link streaming to a desktop, with alternative game streaming clients on the same screen

Polygon’s Steam Frame write-up this week put a $1,000-plus price tag on Valve’s next headset and opened reservations at the same time. The Frame is a VR device, but the pitch buried in the spec sheet is that it streams from a Steam Machine or an existing gaming PC over the same wireless stack that has powered Steam Link since 2018. Valve is doubling down on remote play, and the question we are getting from readers is which desktop client to actually run in 2026. Steam Link is fine for a Steam-only household on a wired LAN. The Steam Link alternatives below solve the cases Steam Link skips: non-Steam launchers, cloud libraries, PlayStation Remote Play, and wireless VR from a real PC.

Quick comparison

App Best for Free plan Starting price Standout feature
Moonlight Open-source PC streaming Yes Free Client for Sunshine hosts, runs everywhere
Sunshine Self-hosted GameStream replacement Yes Free Any GPU, works with Moonlight
Parsec Lowest-friction self-hosted streaming Yes Free; Warp $9.99/mo 4:4:4 colour and 4K on the paid tier
NVIDIA GeForce NOW Streaming a library you already own Yes Free; Ultimate $19.99/mo Bring-your-own-Steam-library on RTX servers
Xbox Cloud Gaming Game Pass in a browser tab No $14.99/mo (Ultimate) Zero install, controller-first
Chiaki PS4 and PS5 Remote Play on desktop Yes Free Open-source PSN client for Linux and macOS
Shadow A full gaming PC in the cloud No $29.99/mo (Essential) Not a stream of games, a stream of Windows
ALVR Wireless SteamVR to standalone headsets Yes Free Turns a Quest or Pico into a Steam Frame stand-in

The complaints we see most often on r/SteamLink, r/cloudygamer, and the Steam Discussions:

The Steam-only ceiling

Steam Link streams whatever Steam launches. Non-Steam titles work through “Add a Non-Steam Game,” but the shortcut breaks on launchers that update themselves (Battle.net, Riot, EA App). Readers who mix stores end up wanting a client that treats the whole desktop as the source.

Weak over the open internet

Steam Link’s Remote Play stack was tuned for LAN. Steam Remote Play Anywhere works, but pairing over a mobile connection or a symmetrical NAT still needs relays. Users chasing sub-40 ms latency over WAN move to Parsec or Moonlight.

HDR and 4K are half-supported

Steam Link on desktop caps out at 4K 60 with variable HDR behaviour depending on GPU driver. HDR passthrough is not as clean as Sunshine, and 120 Hz streaming is not officially advertised on desktop clients.

Controller quirks on macOS and Linux

Steam Input carries most controllers, but the macOS client has been the slowest to pick up DualSense features, and the Linux client still needs udev tweaks for some third-party pads.

Each app below answers at least one of those.

The alternatives

1. Moonlight and Sunshine, best open-source pair

Moonlight is the client, Sunshine is the host, and together they replace the Nvidia GameStream setup Steam Link cannot mimic. Sunshine runs on AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs and exposes a clean web UI for apps and encoder settings. Moonlight ships desktop clients for Windows, macOS, and Linux plus mobile and TV builds. HDR, 4K, and 120 Hz all work, and the codec list covers H.264, HEVC, and AV1 depending on the host GPU.

Where it falls short: two projects to install and pair. The first-time setup is longer than Steam Link’s one-checkbox flow, and remote-over-WAN needs port forwarding or a Tailscale-style overlay.

Pricing:

Migrating from Steam Link: install Sunshine on the gaming PC, install Moonlight on the client, pair with the four-digit PIN, and add any launcher as an application. Steam still works, and everything else works too.

Download: GitHub (Moonlight) | Site (Sunshine)

Bottom line: the default recommendation for anyone streaming a whole PC in 2026.

2. Parsec, best lowest-friction self-hosted streaming

Parsec bundles host and client into one account-based service. Sign in on both ends, add the host, and stream. The free tier covers personal use with H.264 up to 1080p 60. Warp ($9.99/mo) adds 4:4:4 colour, 4K resolution, and priority relays. Multiplayer co-play (letting a friend stream into your PC to share a controller) is the feature that keeps Parsec in the conversation.

Where it falls short: not open source, and the account requirement rules it out on locked-down work machines. Warp features are gated behind the subscription.

Pricing:

Migrating from Steam Link: install Parsec on both sides, sign in, and add the host. Non-Steam apps show up automatically because Parsec streams the desktop, not the library.

Download: Site

Bottom line: the pick when the Steam Link WAN experience has been unreliable and the setup budget is under 10 minutes.

3. NVIDIA GeForce NOW, best for a library you already own

NVIDIA GeForce NOW streams games from RTX 4080-class servers to a desktop app or a browser. The Ultimate tier delivers up to 4K 120 with DLSS 3 and Reflex on supported titles. The catch that keeps it honest: you bring your own library. GeForce NOW cross-references your Steam, Epic, Ubisoft, GOG, EA, Xbox, and Battle.net accounts and only streams titles you already own that are on the supported list, which now sits above 2,000 games.

Where it falls short: publisher pull-outs still happen (Rockstar and a handful of Bethesda titles remain absent as of September 2026). Session lengths cap at eight hours on Ultimate and six on Performance.

Pricing:

Migrating from Steam Link: link the Steam account, install the GeForce NOW desktop app or open play.geforcenow.com, and the owned library is there. No host to run.

Download: Site

Bottom line: the pick when the gaming PC does not exist, is turned off, or would cost more to run than the subscription.

4. Xbox Cloud Gaming, best browser-first pick

Xbox Cloud Gaming is the browser client for Game Pass Ultimate. Point Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox at xbox.com/play, connect a controller, and stream Game Pass titles at 1080p 60 from Xbox Series X-class hardware. There is no local install, no host, and no library to import. The catalogue is the Game Pass Ultimate catalogue, which as of September 2026 sits at roughly 400 streamable titles.

Where it falls short: streams only what Microsoft licenses for cloud. Third-party keyboard-and-mouse support is inconsistent, and the touch overlay is designed for phones, not desktops.

Pricing:

Migrating from Steam Link: not a swap. Xbox Cloud Gaming replaces the whole idea of streaming from a home PC. Keep Steam Link for the Steam library, add Xbox Cloud for the Game Pass one.

Download: Site

Bottom line: the pick when the client machine is a Chromebook, a work laptop, or a Mac that has never installed Steam.

5. Chiaki, best for PlayStation Remote Play on desktop

Chiaki is the open-source Remote Play client for PS4 and PS5 that runs on every desktop OS Sony ignores. Set up a PSN link, register the console, and stream in H.264 or H.265 at up to 4K 60 depending on console and firmware. The chiaki-ng fork adds haptic feedback, adaptive-trigger passthrough, and mic support that the original Chiaki left on the floor.

Where it falls short: PlayStation-only, and the PSN pairing flow is fussy. Consoles need Rest Mode configured correctly for remote wake to work reliably.

Pricing:

Migrating from Steam Link: not a swap. Install Chiaki on the desktop, register the PS5, and use it alongside Steam Link for the two libraries.

Download: GitHub

Bottom line: the right pick for anyone who owns both a gaming PC and a PlayStation and wants both libraries on a Steam Deck or a Linux desktop.

6. Shadow, best full cloud PC

Shadow rents an actual Windows 11 machine, not a curated catalogue. Install Steam, Epic, Battle.net, GOG, or whatever launcher you want on the cloud desktop, then stream it back with the Shadow client. Essential ships GTX 1080-class hardware at 1080p 60; Power upgrades to an RTX-class GPU at 1440p and 4K. The full desktop means non-gaming apps (OBS, Discord, browsers with saved logins) all work.

Where it falls short: you install everything yourself, you pay whether you play or not, and the file storage cap on Essential fills up after two AAA installs. Regional availability is still Europe-first with North American coverage on Ultra.

Pricing:

Migrating from Steam Link: subscribe, log in through the Shadow client, install Steam on the cloud PC, and stream it back. The Steam library downloads to the cloud machine on first launch.

Download: Site

Bottom line: the pick when you want a gaming PC without owning one and a subscription catalogue would be too limiting.

7. ALVR, best wireless SteamVR when the Steam Frame ships late

ALVR streams SteamVR from a desktop PC to a standalone headset (Quest 2, Quest 3, Pico 4, and their successors) over Wi-Fi 6. This is the closest thing to a Steam Frame today, and it earns a spot on the list precisely because Valve’s new headset just opened reservations at more than $1,000. Codec support covers H.264, HEVC, and AV1; foveated encoding keeps bandwidth under control on Wi-Fi 6 routers.

Where it falls short: VR-only, and setup is sensitive to router placement. HDR is limited, and controller mapping still requires SteamVR to be running on the host.

Pricing:

Migrating from Steam Link: install ALVR on the desktop, install the client APK on the headset, and pair on the same network. SteamVR launches automatically when a headset connects.

Download: GitHub

Bottom line: the pick for wireless SteamVR right now and the honest reference point for anyone weighing a Steam Frame preorder.

How to choose

Pick Moonlight and Sunshine if the goal is to stream a whole gaming PC to any desktop, TV, or handheld. This is the setup we recommend to anyone who has outgrown Steam Link and does not want to pay a subscription. Pick Parsec if the Sunshine setup feels like too much and Warp’s $9.99 covers the resolution gap. Pick NVIDIA GeForce NOW if the gaming PC does not exist or the electricity bill is the deciding factor. Pick Xbox Cloud Gaming if the client is a Chromebook, a work laptop, or a browser-only machine and Game Pass covers the catalogue you care about. Pick Chiaki for PlayStation-first households with a Linux or macOS desktop that Sony refuses to support. Pick Shadow if a curated cloud catalogue is too narrow and you want a full Windows machine with every launcher you already use. Pick ALVR if the Steam Frame reveal is what brought you here and you already own a Quest or Pico headset. Stay on Steam Link if the whole household plays Steam titles on the same LAN and you are already using Remote Play Together for couch co-op.

FAQ

For non-Steam games and whole-desktop streaming, yes. Steam Link is simpler for Steam-only setups on a wired LAN, but Moonlight paired with Sunshine covers more codecs, more resolutions, and every launcher on the PC.

Yes. Steam Link ships desktop clients for Windows, macOS, and Linux, plus mobile, TV, and Steam Deck builds. The host has to be a PC running Steam, and both sides need a Steam login.

Moonlight with Sunshine on a wired LAN measures within a few milliseconds of Steam Link and often lower on the same hardware. Parsec on a wired LAN is close behind. Cloud services (GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Shadow) sit 20 to 60 ms higher depending on region and server load.

Yes. Moonlight, Sunshine, Parsec’s free tier, Chiaki, and ALVR are all free. GeForce NOW has a free tier capped at one-hour sessions. Xbox Cloud Gaming and Shadow both require a paid subscription.

Not really. Steam Link streams the desktop and Steam library for flat games. For VR, use ALVR to stream SteamVR to a Quest or Pico headset today, or wait for the Steam Frame if a first-party option matters.

Most Linux desktops we see run Moonlight for PC games, Chiaki for PS Remote Play, and Xbox Cloud Gaming in a browser tab for Game Pass. Sunshine handles the host side when the Linux machine is the one being streamed from.