Moonlight vs Neko
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?
Moonlight
Open-source game streaming client for low-latency desktops
VS
Neko
Self-hosted virtual browser running in Docker
| Feature | Moonlight | Neko |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 18,184 | ★ 21,884 |
| First released | 2015 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Parsec, Steam Remote Play | Browserling |
Why pick each one
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++
Choose Neko if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 21.9k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is Moonlight or Neko better?
Neither is universally better. Neko has the larger community, while Moonlight is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Moonlight and Neko free and open-source?
Yes. Moonlight is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Neko under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Moonlight and Neko with Docker?
Moonlight: check the project docs for container support. Neko: yes.