Moonlight vs Selkies
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
Selkies
Low-latency WebRTC remote desktop streaming
| Feature | Moonlight | Selkies |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 18,184 | ★ 1,983 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Parsec, Steam Remote Play | Parsec |
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 Selkies if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Active community (2k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Moonlight or Selkies better?
Moonlight is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Selkies if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Moonlight and Selkies free and open-source?
Yes. Moonlight is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Selkies under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Moonlight and Selkies with Docker?
Moonlight: check the project docs for container support. Selkies: yes.