Apollo vs Moonlight
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Apollo
Self-hosted game and desktop streaming host
VS
Moonlight
Open-source game streaming client for low-latency desktops
| Feature | Apollo | Moonlight |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,488 | ★ 18,184 |
| First released | 2024 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Steam Remote Play, Parsec | Parsec, Steam Remote Play |
Why pick each one
Choose Apollo if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 10.5k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Choose Moonlight if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 18.2k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Apollo or Moonlight better?
Moonlight is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Apollo if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Apollo and Moonlight free and open-source?
Yes. Apollo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Moonlight under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apollo and Moonlight with Docker?
Apollo: check the project docs for container support. Moonlight: check the project docs for container support.