The console conversation this year has been unusually about ownership. Sony announced it will stop releasing new discs in 2028, and Xbox is prototyping a way to scan your physical collection into a digital library. Whichever side you land on, the practical upshot for PC gamers is the same: game libraries are now spread across five or six storefronts, and the only reliable way to remember what you own is a proper library manager.
We tested seven desktop apps that pull your Steam, GOG, Epic, Amazon, Battle.net, Ubisoft, and Xbox libraries into one grid and let you launch them without opening five different clients. Some are free, some are paid, and one is worth using even if you only own Steam games.
What to look for
- Coverage. How many storefronts does it aggregate natively, without side-loaded scripts?
- Metadata quality. Cover art, release dates, playtime, and Steam-style categories should all populate automatically.
- Actual launching. Does clicking “play” open the game, or does it dump you back into another launcher first?
- Import for offline installers. If you back up GOG installers, does the manager index them?
- Cloud saves and cross-launcher achievements. Rare but valuable.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playnite | Aggregating everything on Windows | Windows | Yes | Free | Very high |
| GOG Galaxy 2.0 | Cross-store library with clean UI | Windows, macOS | Yes | Free | High |
| LaunchBox | Retro and modern together | Windows | Yes | One-time paid for Premium | Very high |
| Lutris | Linux-first aggregator | Linux | Yes | Free | Very high |
| Heroic Games Launcher | Epic, GOG, Amazon on any OS | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | Free | High |
| Steam | Steam library plus non-Steam shortcuts | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | Free | Very high |
| Amazon Games | Prime Gaming freebies | Windows | With Prime | Bundled | Mid |
The apps
1. Playnite — Best for aggregating everything on Windows
Playnite is the strongest all-in-one library manager on Windows. It pulls Steam, GOG, Epic, Xbox Game Pass, Battle.net, EA, Ubisoft, Amazon, and Origin together into one grid, and its plugin ecosystem covers pretty much every remaining store. Metadata fetching is fast and covers cover art, background art, and clear logos.
Where it falls short: Windows only. Some plugins fall out of date when stores change their APIs.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set. No paid tier.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Playnite
Bottom line: The default answer for Windows users with libraries spread across three or more stores.
2. GOG Galaxy 2.0 — Best for cross-store library with clean UI
GOG Galaxy 2.0 is CD Projekt’s own client, and its aggregation feature is officially supported. Integrations for Steam, Epic, Xbox, PSN, Origin, and Battle.net pull your libraries directly, and it tracks achievements across services when the store exposes them.
Where it falls short: Development pace has slowed. Some integrations are community-maintained and can break after store API changes.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: GOG Galaxy 2.0
Bottom line: The cleanest UI in the category and the only major aggregator with a macOS build.
3. LaunchBox — Best for retro and modern together
LaunchBox started as a front-end for emulators and grew into a full library manager. It handles modern storefront integrations and thousands of retro platforms in the same grid, with scraper support for MobyGames, TheGamesDB, and Wikipedia.
Where it falls short: The Premium tier is required for the polished Big Box couch UI, cloud sync, and playlists.
Pricing:
- Free: Full base features.
- Paid: Premium is a one-time or annual payment for Big Box and advanced sync.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: LaunchBox
Bottom line: The pick if your library is half modern and half retro. Nothing else comes close for that combination.
4. Lutris — Best for Linux-first aggregator
Lutris is the community answer on Linux. It integrates GOG, Steam, Epic, Battle.net, and Ubisoft, and it ships install scripts that handle Wine and Proton per-title. On Steam Deck and other Linux gaming devices it is often paired with Heroic and EmuDeck.
Where it falls short: Windows and macOS support is limited. UI shows its age.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set.
Platforms: Linux.
Download: Lutris
Bottom line: The Linux equivalent of Playnite.
5. Heroic Games Launcher — Best for Epic, GOG, Amazon on any OS
Heroic Games Launcher is the open-source Epic Games client Linux and macOS users have been asking for. It downloads and updates games natively, handles cloud saves for supported Epic titles, and now covers GOG and Amazon Prime Gaming too.
Where it falls short: Only covers three storefronts. For Steam and Xbox you still need something else.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Heroic Games Launcher
Bottom line: The only sensible way to run Epic and Amazon games on macOS and Linux.
6. Steam — Best for Steam library plus non-Steam shortcuts
Steam itself is a decent library manager if most of your games are on Steam. The “Add a non-Steam game” feature has quietly become useful thanks to Playnite plugins that push shortcuts back into Steam, and Big Picture mode gives you a controller-friendly grid.
Where it falls short: Aggregation of other stores is manual and shortcut-based. No metadata for non-Steam games without a helper.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: If 80% of your library is on Steam, this plus shortcuts covers you.
7. Amazon Games — Best for Prime Gaming freebies
Amazon Games is bundled with Prime and dispenses several free games every month. The client itself is nothing special, but the value of the freebies alone justifies keeping it installed.
Where it falls short: UI is dated. No aggregation of other stores. Some claimed games only work through the client.
Pricing:
- Free with Prime.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Amazon Games
Bottom line: Not a library manager, but pair it with Playnite or Heroic and you get a monthly stream of free titles.
How to pick the right one
If you are on Windows and have libraries across three or more stores, install Playnite and be done. If you want something Sony or Microsoft would ship, GOG Galaxy 2.0 is the polished commercial answer. If your library includes retro platforms, only LaunchBox covers both worlds properly. On Linux, Lutris plus Heroic Games Launcher is the standard pairing. On macOS, Heroic for Epic and GOG Galaxy 2.0 for the rest. Skip the rest if you already own every game you play through Steam, since the built-in client plus a shortcut plugin will do.
FAQ
Which library manager supports Xbox Game Pass? Playnite has an official Xbox Game Pass plugin that pulls your library directly. Heroic and GOG Galaxy do not.
Do these apps let me back up my games? Playnite and LaunchBox both track install paths, so you can back up game folders manually. None of them download games for offline archive automatically except from stores that already support it (GOG installers, Amazon Games installers).
Can I use one library manager to launch every game? Playnite and GOG Galaxy 2.0 both do this on Windows. On Linux, Lutris covers the same ground. macOS users can chain Heroic and GOG Galaxy for close to full coverage.
What is the best free library manager? Playnite. It has no paid tier and the widest store coverage of anything on this list.
