GameEx vs GameIndex

GameEx is an arcade and emulator front end for MAME, GameBase, Daphne, PC games and command-line emulators, with HTPC features. The site lists original GameEx, GameEx Arcade Edition and GameEx Evolution. Its feature list describes support for nearly any emulator, with advanced MAME support, and compatibility with arcade controls such as X-Arcade, Slik-Stik, JPAC and IPAC, as well as remotes and gamepads. Media features include video and DVD playback, picture viewing, internet radio, a jukebox, a news reader and a YouTube module. Named integrations include Steam, EA Origin, Uplay, iTunes, Windows Media Player, GameBase, GameEx Arcade and the TMDb API. GameEx Online and GameExtender add networked display, remote control and online game statistics. Its listed free plan costs nothing, but commercial use requires each copy to be registered or purchased. The listing includes Android, Linux, macOS and Windows; the maker describes Linux or Mac use through WINE as experimental, while the multiplatform alpha builds may lack features.

GameIndex is a free native launcher and library manager that combines PC game collections from multiple stores. It can sync Steam, GOG, Epic, Rockstar, Ubisoft, and Humble libraries, while also accepting manual imports. Discovery tools include an IGDB-powered storefront, deals, a wishlist, activity tracking, and achievement tracking across platforms. The interface offers six UI styles, theme customization, and a Layout Studio for rearranging elements. GameIndex runs on Windows and Linux, including Steam Deck, with configurable Wine and Proton runners and per-game compatibility settings. Linux packaging includes AppImage and .deb. Integrations listed by the project include Steam Workshop, Nexus Mods, Discord Rich Presence, RetroAchievements, IGDB, and HowLongToBeat. Its social layer is local-first, with a Privacy & Data tab for viewing and wiping local storage, and secrets use the operating system keychain. The project is free to use, modify, and distribute under the MIT License.