LinuxGSM vs PufferPanel
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
PufferPanel
Open-source game server management panel for many games
| Feature | LinuxGSM | PufferPanel |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 85 · Excellent |
| Category | Game Servers | Game Servers |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Shell | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,906 | ★ 1,748 |
| First released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Replaces | TCAdmin, Multicraft | AMP, Multicraft |
What are LinuxGSM and PufferPanel?
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
PufferPanel
Pufferpanel is a free, open-source game server management panel that provides a web interface to install, configure, and control dedicated game servers. It supports a wide range of games through its template system.
- Web-based game server panel
- Multi-game template support
- User and subuser permissions
- OAuth login
LinuxGSM vs PufferPanel: key differences
LinuxGSM is written in Shell, while PufferPanel is built with Go. Licensing differs — MIT for LinuxGSM versus Apache-2.0 for PufferPanel. LinuxGSM is the more established project (first released 2012), while PufferPanel arrived in 2015. LinuxGSM has the considerably larger community, at 4,906 GitHub stars versus 1,748. PufferPanel 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 PufferPanel if…
- Lightweight panel
- Supports many games
Watch out for
- Smaller than Pterodactyl ecosystem
- Templates need tuning
Frequently asked questions
Is LinuxGSM or PufferPanel 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 PufferPanel free and open-source?
Yes. LinuxGSM is licensed under MIT and PufferPanel under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LinuxGSM and PufferPanel with Docker?
LinuxGSM: check the project docs for container support. PufferPanel: yes.