VGSources / Battle.net / Alternatives
Instead of Battle.net
Best Battle.net Alternatives in 2026
Battle.net is a free Blizzard launcher for Windows and Mac, with mobile apps for iOS and Android. It installs and updates Blizzard games, combines them in one library, and adds chat, voice, news, patches, a shop and digital gifts.
- 1
RomM
RomM is a free, open-source, self-hosted app for organizing and playing a personal ROM collection.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- Web
- Open source
- 2
Steam
Valve operates Steam as a free service for playing, discussing, and making games.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- Web
- 3
Albion Online Launcher
Albion Online is a free sandbox MMORPG playable on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 4
ES-DE Frontend
On Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, ES-DE Frontend brings games from more than 150 systems into one launcher.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- Open source
- 5
RetroArch
RetroArch puts emulators, game engines, and media players under one settings framework.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- Web
- 6
Minecraft Launcher
Minecraft Launcher puts Java and Bedrock editions on PC in one place.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 7
Prism Launcher
Prism Launcher provides free Minecraft management on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 8
GameEx
GameEx is an arcade and emulator front end for MAME, GameBase, Daphne, PC games and command-line emulators, with HTPC features as well.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 9
itch app
The itch app is a desktop client for downloading and running games and software from itch.io.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 10
Attract-Mode
Attract-Mode is a free, open-source graphical frontend for command-line emulators such as MAME, MESS, and Nestopia.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- Open source
- 11
GDLauncher
GDLauncher is a free Minecraft launcher for installing and managing separate game instances on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 12
- 13
- 14
Pegasus Frontend
Pegasus Frontend is a free interface for gathering games from multiple platforms, viewing their information and media, and launching games or emulators.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 15
Yamata Launcher
Yamata Launcher combines game catalogs, downloads, and libraries from multiple ecosystems in one free, open-source application.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 16
Rocksmith+
Rocksmith+ is Ubisoft’s music-learning service for guitar, bass, and piano on Android, iOS, and Windows.
- Free
- Windows
- 17
LaunchBox
LaunchBox is a game collection frontend and manager for modern PC titles and emulated console games.
- Free
- Windows
- 18
- 19
- 20
Bezel
Bezel is a retro game launcher and library organizer for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with an optional AI companion called Bezelie.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 21
- 22
Epic Games Launcher
Epic Games Launcher is a free app for installing and launching games from an Epic Games Store Library.
- Free
- Windows
- 23
Heroic Games Launcher
Heroic Games Launcher is a free, open-source app for installing and playing games from Epic Games Store, GOG and Amazon Prime Gaming.
- Free
- Windows
- Linux
- 24
The alternatives below cover broader PC platforms, Minecraft profiles and mods, emulator collections, and self-hosted ROM libraries. Each gives up part of Battle.net’s Blizzard-focused store, social tools or mobile companion.