Microsoft’s Xbox app on Windows is where Game Pass, cloud streaming, and first-party PC releases now live. It is also the launcher that most Reddit threads complain about: slow to open, wobbly installs, storefront blank screens after a Windows update. If you want to play the same games without the same friction, these Xbox app alternatives cover Game Pass, third-party stores, and unified libraries on Windows.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | Widest library | Free client | $0 (games priced separately) | Steam Cloud saves everywhere |
| Epic Games Store | Free-game hunters | Free client | $0 | Weekly free game giveaways |
| GOG Galaxy | DRM-free collectors | Free client | $0 | Unified library across stores |
| Ubisoft Connect | Ubisoft owners | Free client | $17.99 (Ubisoft+ Classics) | Ubisoft+ subscription bundle |
| EA app | EA sports and shooters | Free client | $4.99 (EA Play) | EA Play in the base client |
| Battle.net | Blizzard titles | Free client | $0 | Rock-solid patcher |
| Playnite | Library organizer | Open source | $0 | Merges every launcher into one UI |
Why people leave the Xbox app
Look at r/XboxSeriesX, r/pcgaming, or the Microsoft Answers forum and the same three problems keep coming back.
Installs and updates get stuck
Game Pass installers routinely park at 99%, disappear from the download queue, or corrupt after a Windows security update. Uninstalling and reinstalling clears it about half the time. The other half means clearing the WindowsApps cache or a full account resync.
Mods are gated behind protected folders
Xbox-app titles live under a protected WindowsApps directory that most mod loaders cannot write into. Games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, or Starfield installed from Game Pass need workarounds that the Steam and GOG versions of the same games do not.
Cloud gaming lags on the same PC as native
The Xbox Cloud client bundled into the app streams from Azure over the same connection your PC already uses. On mid-range broadband the encode/decode overhead makes native downloads feel snappier for the same title.
The alternatives
Steam — best for the widest library
Steam is the default PC storefront and has been since before “launcher” was a word. The library covers roughly 90,000 titles, workshop mods live one click below the store page, and Steam Cloud syncs saves across every machine you sign in on.
Where it falls short: Valve takes a 30% cut, and some publishers keep exclusives off Steam for a year. The interface still feels like a browser from 2010 in places.
Pricing:
- Free: the client itself, forever.
- Paid: games are priced individually; Steam has no all-you-can-play subscription.
- vs Xbox app: no Game Pass equivalent, but a much larger catalog to own outright.
Migrating from Xbox app: most third-party publishers sell the same title on Steam. Save transfers between Xbox and Steam versions depend on the game; Halo Infinite and Sea of Thieves carry saves across, most single-player games do not.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: the safe pick for anyone who wants to own a PC game outright.
Epic Games Store — best for free-game hunters
Epic Games Store gives away a full game every Thursday, and the 2026 catalog has picked up more high-end launches than skeptics predicted. Fortnite lives here, and so do most Unreal Engine tech demos.
Where it falls short: the client eats CPU when idle, the achievement system is barebones next to Steam or Xbox, and social features are minimal.
Pricing:
- Free: client and weekly giveaway.
- Paid: games priced individually; no subscription tier.
- vs Xbox app: no Game Pass; the weekly free game is the closest freebie play.
Migrating from Xbox app: any Epic-exclusive third-party title (Alan Wake 2, Fortnite) already needs Epic anyway. Owned Xbox games do not carry over.
Download: Epic Games Store
Bottom line: worth installing solely for the Thursday freebies, even if it never becomes your primary launcher.
GOG Galaxy — best for DRM-free collectors
GOG Galaxy started as a launcher for the DRM-free CD Projekt store and quietly became the best library aggregator on Windows. Connect Steam, Epic, Xbox, and PSN accounts and every game shows up in one shelf, launched from one client.
Where it falls short: aggregation depends on unofficial plugins for Xbox and PSN. The store itself is thinner than Steam for AAA titles.
Pricing:
- Free: client and the aggregation layer.
- Paid: games sold outright, no subscription.
- vs Xbox app: no Game Pass; the DRM-free promise is the draw.
Migrating from Xbox app: re-buy the game on GOG when a DRM-free version exists, or use the Xbox integration plugin to launch Xbox games from Galaxy’s shelf.
Download: GOG Galaxy
Bottom line: the launcher for anyone who wants their library to still be theirs in ten years.
Ubisoft Connect — best for Ubisoft owners
Ubisoft Connect is required for Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six, and The Division whether you buy on Steam or the Ubisoft store. The Ubisoft+ Classics subscription is bundled inside for $17.99/mo and covers back-catalog access.
Where it falls short: the client insists on running whenever you launch a Ubisoft game from Steam. Cloud saves have taken hours to sync in the past.
Pricing:
- Free: the launcher.
- Paid: Ubisoft+ Classics at $7.99/mo or Ubisoft+ Premium at $17.99/mo for day-one access.
- vs Xbox app: Ubisoft+ Premium is comparable to Game Pass Ultimate for Ubisoft first-party output.
Migrating from Xbox app: most Ubisoft games install natively without the WindowsApps protection layer. Modding is easier here than under the Xbox app.
Download: Ubisoft Connect
Bottom line: unavoidable for Ubisoft first-party fans, and Ubisoft+ is one of the few Game-Pass-shaped subscriptions on PC.
EA app — best for EA sports and shooters
EA app replaced Origin in 2024 and finally opens in under three seconds. Battlefield 6, EA Sports FC, and The Sims all live here, and EA Play is bundled at $4.99/mo, which also gives Game Pass Ultimate subscribers Vault access.
Where it falls short: launching an EA game from Steam still bounces you through the EA app; two launchers to keep updated. Cloud saves are limited to EA-owned properties.
Pricing:
- Free: the client.
- Paid: EA Play at $4.99/mo, EA Play Pro at $16.99/mo for early access.
- vs Xbox app: EA Play is included in Game Pass Ultimate but not in the cheaper tiers.
Migrating from Xbox app: EA titles installed through Game Pass need re-download from the EA app, but saves for the Sims and EA Sports FC carry across via the EA account.
Download: EA app
Bottom line: unavoidable if you play EA titles, worth $4.99 for the EA Play back catalog even if you already have Game Pass.
Battle.net — best for Blizzard titles
Battle.net is Blizzard’s launcher for Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Call of Duty. The patcher is one of the most reliable on Windows and handles multi-hundred-gigabyte Call of Duty updates without a WindowsApps folder in sight.
Where it falls short: locked to Blizzard and Activision output. No aggregation of other libraries.
Pricing:
- Free: the launcher.
- Paid: subscription optional for World of Warcraft ($14.99/mo) and Diablo IV seasonal passes.
- vs Xbox app: Call of Duty is now Game Pass day-one; Battle.net is the alternative install for CoD on PC.
Migrating from Xbox app: CoD players can point at the same install on disk between Battle.net and the Xbox app in some cases; other Blizzard games need a fresh download.
Download: Battle.net
Bottom line: the cleanest way to install Call of Duty and Diablo on PC without touching the Xbox app.
Playnite — best for library organization
Playnite is the open-source frontend that sits over every other launcher. Add plugins for Xbox, Steam, GOG, Epic, EA, Ubisoft, Battle.net, and emulator libraries and see all of them in one interface, with metadata scraped from IGDB and SteamGridDB.
Where it falls short: it does not replace any launcher, it just consolidates the front door. First setup takes an hour to wire up every plugin.
Pricing:
- Free: open-source under the MIT license, funded by donations.
- Paid: none.
- vs Xbox app: not a replacement, a way to keep the Xbox app hidden.
Migrating from Xbox app: install the Xbox Games Library plugin, sign into your Microsoft account, and every Game Pass title shows up in Playnite’s list. Launch still bounces through the Xbox app briefly.
Download: Playnite
Bottom line: the best organizer for anyone using three or more launchers already.
How to choose
Pick Steam if you want the widest library and full ownership. Pick Epic Games Store for the weekly free game alone. Pick GOG Galaxy if DRM-free ownership matters or you want a real aggregator without extra plugins. Pick Ubisoft Connect with Ubisoft+ Premium if you buy every Assassin’s Creed. Pick EA app if you play Battlefield, FC, or the Sims. Pick Battle.net for Call of Duty and Diablo installs that just work. Add Playnite on top of any combination when the taskbar gets crowded. Stay on the Xbox app if Game Pass is the whole point and cloud streaming is the feature you use most.
FAQ
Is there a Game Pass alternative on PC?
Ubisoft+ Premium and EA Play are the closest analogues, each covering one publisher’s first-party output. There is no single third-party subscription that matches Game Pass Ultimate’s breadth.
Which Xbox app alternative gives me DRM-free ownership?
GOG Galaxy is the only one. Every DRM-free game bought from GOG runs from a plain installer with no launcher required.
Why can I not mod games from the Xbox app?
The Xbox app installs games into the protected WindowsApps directory, which most mod loaders cannot write to. Steam, GOG, and Epic install into normal folders that mod tools can reach without extra permissions.
Are there Xbox Cloud Gaming alternatives?
GeForce Now streams from Nvidia’s data centers and works with games you already own on Steam, Epic, or Ubisoft Connect. Boosteroid is another cloud option that overlaps with the Steam catalog.
Can I uninstall the Xbox app entirely?
Yes, on Windows 11 the Xbox app is a removable Microsoft Store app. Uninstalling it does not remove Game Pass games already installed, but you lose the storefront and cloud streaming.
