Steam Remote Play vs Moonlight: Which to Use?

For streaming your PC games to another screen, Steam Remote Play is the easier, more integrated option, while Moonlight (with Sunshine as the host) offers lower latency and more codec choices for advanced users. If you want a simple setup that works with your existing Steam library, choose Steam Remote Play; if you’re chasing the best possible image quality and have an NVIDIA GPU (or are willing to run Sunshine on any GPU), Moonlight is the stronger contender.

Background: How Each Streaming Option Came to Be

Steam Remote Play launched in 2014 under the name “Steam In-Home Streaming.” It was designed to let you play a game running on one PC on another device in your home network, and later expanded to work over the internet. It’s built into the Steam client, so if you already use Steam, there’s nothing extra to install.

Moonlight started as an open-source client for NVIDIA’s GameStream protocol, which NVIDIA shipped with its graphics cards from 2013 onward. When NVIDIA announced it was removing GameStream from its GeForce Experience software in 2023, the Moonlight project pivoted to support Sunshine, an open-source host that works with any GPU. Today, “Moonlight” usually refers to the client, and “Sunshine” is the recommended server software running on the gaming PC.

How Steam Remote Play Works

Steam Remote Play captures the game’s video and audio on the host PC, encodes it, and sends it to the client device. The client sends your controller or keyboard/mouse input back to the host. The host does all the heavy lifting, so the client can be a low-power laptop, a phone, or even a smart TV.

Key features of Steam Remote Play:

Built into Steam – no separate host software needed.
Works with any GPU that supports hardware video encoding (most modern GPUs do).
Supports remote play together, letting a friend join your local multiplayer game over the internet.
Automatic network detection – it tries to pick the best streaming settings for your connection.
Limited codec options – on most systems it uses H.264, with HEVC (H.265) available on some devices.

You can launch Remote Play from the Steam client on the host, then open Steam on the client device and choose the game. For non-Steam games, you can add them to your Steam library as “non-Steam games” and stream them the same way.

How Moonlight and Sunshine Work

Moonlight is the client app (available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and even some smart TVs). Sunshine is the host program that runs on the gaming PC. Sunshine captures the desktop or a specific application, encodes it, and streams it to Moonlight.

Moonlight’s advantages come from its flexibility:

Supports multiple codecs: H.264, HEVC, and AV1 (on hardware that supports it). AV1 gives better quality at the same bitrate, or lower bitrate for the same quality.
Allows fine-tuning of bitrate, frame rate, resolution, and encoder settings.
Works with any GPU – Sunshine uses NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF, or Intel Quick Sync.
Can stream the entire desktop, not just games, so you can use it for productivity too.
Lower latency in many cases because you can disable Steam’s overhead and use direct network settings.

The trade-off is setup complexity. You need to install Sunshine on the host, configure it (usually via a web interface), and pair Moonlight with a PIN. You also need to forward ports if you want to stream over the internet.

Latency and Image Quality: The Real Differences

Latency is the time between pressing a button and seeing the result on screen. For fast-paced games like shooters or fighting games, lower latency matters. Moonlight generally has a reputation for lower latency because it lets you disable VSync, choose a lower-latency encoder preset, and use the network more efficiently. Steam Remote Play adds a bit of overhead due to Steam’s overlay and its own buffering.

Image quality depends on bitrate and codec. At the same bitrate, AV1 (Moonlight) looks better than HEVC, which looks better than H.264. Steam Remote Play’s H.264 can show blockiness in high-motion scenes, especially at lower bitrates. Moonlight lets you crank the bitrate up to 150 Mbps or more on a wired network, which can look nearly indistinguishable from local play.

However, the differences are less noticeable on a phone screen or a 1080p TV. If you’re streaming to a 4K TV, Moonlight’s support for 4K HEVC or AV1 is a clear advantage – Steam Remote Play’s 4K support is limited and depends on hardware.

How to Choose: What Matters to You

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you want the simplest setup? → Steam Remote Play.
Do you have an NVIDIA GPU and want to avoid extra software? → Moonlight with GameStream (if still available on your driver) or Sunshine.
Do you need the lowest latency for competitive games? → Moonlight with Sunshine, tweaked for performance.
Do you want to stream non-Steam games, your desktop, or emulators? → Moonlight is more flexible.
Do you want to stream over the internet? → Both work, but Steam Remote Play’s automatic NAT traversal is easier; Moonlight requires manual port forwarding or a VPN like ZeroTier.
Do you have a mixed GPU setup (e.g., AMD host, NVIDIA client)? → Sunshine works with any GPU, so Moonlight is fine.

If you’re already deep in the Steam ecosystem and just want to play your library on another screen, start with Steam Remote Play. If you hit latency or quality issues, or you want to stream non-Steam content, switch to Moonlight.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Steam Remote Play won’t connect or stutters: Check that both devices are on the same network (or that the host has a public IP and ports are forwarded). In Steam settings, go to Remote Play and try changing the “Client” and “Host” options – for example, enable “Hardware Encoding” on the host. Also, disable the Steam overlay for the game you’re streaming, as it can cause frame drops.

Moonlight shows “No compatible host found”: Ensure Sunshine is running on the host and that Moonlight and Sunshine are on the same subnet. If you’re using a VPN, make sure the IP addresses match. You may need to manually add the host’s IP in Moonlight.

Audio is out of sync: In both Steam and Sunshine, try setting the audio buffer higher. In Sunshine, you can also change the audio codec to AAC or OPUS.

Controller not working: Steam Remote Play should pick up your controller automatically, but sometimes you need to enable “PlayStation Configuration Support” or “Xbox Configuration Support” in Steam’s controller settings. For Moonlight, make sure the controller is connected to the client device and that Sunshine is set to capture it.

High latency on a good network: If you’re on Wi-Fi, try a wired connection. If that’s not possible, move the router closer or use a 5 GHz band. In Moonlight, lower the resolution or frame rate, and enable “VSync” on the client to reduce tearing.

Cost and Platform Support

Both options are free. Steam Remote Play is included with Steam, and Moonlight and Sunshine are open-source (MIT license). You don’t need a paid subscription for either.

Platform support:

Steam Remote Play: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and some smart TVs (via Steam Link app).
Moonlight: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, ChromeOS, and even Raspberry Pi. Sunshine runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

One caveat: Steam Remote Play requires the host to be running Steam and logged in. Moonlight/Sunshine can stream your entire desktop, so you can use it for work or other apps without launching Steam.

Safety and Security Considerations

Streaming over the internet exposes your PC to the network. Steam Remote Play uses Steam’s relay servers and encryption, so you don’t need to open ports. Moonlight/Sunshine requires you to open a port (usually 47989 TCP and 47984 UDP) or use a VPN. If you open ports, you should:

Use a strong password for Sunshine’s web interface.
Keep Sunshine updated to the latest version.
Consider using a VPN like ZeroTier or Tailscale instead of port forwarding – it’s more secure and often easier.
Never stream sensitive content (like banking sessions) over an unencrypted connection.

Both Steam Remote Play and Moonlight encrypt the stream by default, but the encryption adds a tiny bit of latency. On a trusted local network, you can disable encryption in Sunshine for lower latency, but that’s not recommended over the internet.

Alternatives Worth Knowing

If neither option satisfies you, there are other ways to stream games:

Parsec – now owned by Unity, focuses on low-latency streaming and is popular for remote work and gaming. It’s free for personal use, but the future is uncertain after Unity’s acquisition.
GeForce Now – a cloud gaming service that streams games from NVIDIA’s servers, not your own PC. Different use case.
Rainway – was a promising in-browser streaming solution, but development has stalled.
Chiaki – for streaming PlayStation 4/5 games to other devices, if you own a console.

For most people, the choice comes down to ease of use (Steam Remote Play) versus customization and performance (Moonlight). Try both – they’re free – and see which one feels better on your network and hardware.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Steam Remote Play with non-Steam games? Yes, you can add any game to your Steam library as a “non-Steam game” and then stream it. However, some games with anti-cheat (like Valorant or Fortnite) may block streaming because they detect the remote session.

Does Moonlight work with AMD GPUs? Yes, Sunshine supports AMD GPUs via AMF encoding. You just need to install Sunshine and it will detect the encoder. Moonlight itself is GPU-agnostic.

Which has lower latency, Steam Remote Play or Moonlight? In most tests, Moonlight has lower latency because it allows more aggressive encoder settings and has less overhead. However, the difference is often only 5-15 ms, which is imperceptible in many games.

Can I stream over the internet with Moonlight without port forwarding? Yes, you can use a VPN like ZeroTier or Tailscale to create a virtual LAN between your devices. That avoids opening ports and is more secure.

Does Steam Remote Play support 4K streaming? It can, but it’s limited. The host must have hardware encoding capable of 4K, and the client must support HEVC. In practice, Moonlight is more reliable for 4K at high bitrates.

Is there any reason to use Steam Remote Play over Moonlight? Yes, if you want the simplest setup and you only play Steam games. Steam Remote Play also has “Remote Play Together,” which lets you invite a friend to play a local co-op game online – Moonlight doesn’t have that feature built-in.

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