LinuxGSM vs Pelican Panel
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
LinuxGSM
Command-line tool for dedicated game servers
VS
Pelican Panel
Modern open-source game server control panel
| Feature | LinuxGSM | Pelican Panel |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Game Servers | Game Servers |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Shell | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,906 | ★ 2,330 |
| First released | 2012 | 2024 |
| Replaces | TCAdmin, Multicraft | TCAdmin, Multicraft |
What are LinuxGSM and Pelican Panel?
LinuxGSM
LinuxGSM is a free, open-source command-line tool for deploying and managing dedicated game servers on Linux. It automates installation, updates, backups, and monitoring for many games.
- Supports 100-plus games
- Automated install and updates
- Backups and monitoring
- Email and alert integrations
Pelican Panel
Pelican is a free, open-source game server management panel built with Laravel. It is a modern successor in spirit to Pterodactyl, running game servers in isolated containers.
- Container-isolated game servers
- Modern Laravel-based UI
- Egg-based game definitions
- Streamlined installer
LinuxGSM vs Pelican Panel: key differences
LinuxGSM is written in Shell, while Pelican Panel is built with PHP. LinuxGSM is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Pelican Panel. LinuxGSM is the more established project (first released 2012), while Pelican Panel arrived in 2024. LinuxGSM has the considerably larger community, at 4,906 GitHub stars versus 2,330. Pelican Panel lists first-class Docker deployment; LinuxGSM does not.
Why pick each one
Choose LinuxGSM if…
- Huge game coverage
- Lightweight CLI approach
Watch out for
- No graphical interface
- Per-game configuration needed
Choose Pelican Panel if…
- Easier setup than predecessors
- Active development
Watch out for
- Young project
- Smaller community so far
Frequently asked questions
Is LinuxGSM or Pelican Panel better?
Neither is universally better. LinuxGSM has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are LinuxGSM and Pelican Panel free and open-source?
Yes. LinuxGSM is licensed under MIT and Pelican Panel under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LinuxGSM and Pelican Panel with Docker?
LinuxGSM: check the project docs for container support. Pelican Panel: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, LinuxGSM or Pelican Panel?
LinuxGSM has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Pelican Panel. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.