Gaseous vs RomVault
Gaseous
github.comRomVault
romvault.comSide by side
| Figure | Gaseous | RomVault |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · ROM Management Software | 8.0 (#5) | 7.3 (#23) |
| Open source | The repository identifies the project as open source and provides an AGPL-3.0 license. | The public RVWorld repository describes itself as the home of RomVault 3.8 and is licensed under Apache-2.0. |
| Support | The project links users to its Discord server for community support. | The project directs users to its wiki and Discord community for help and bug reporting. |
Plans
In their own words
Gaseous
Gaseous Server is a free, open-source self-hosted server for managing ROMs and game titles with basic in-browser emulation. It uses multiple sources to identify games and provide metadata. ROM management supports platforms listed by IGDB, while the built-in emulator covers a documented subset including Game Boy, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Super Nintendo. Installation options include Docker, source, Unraid, and a Windows MSI package. Windows installation is described as experimental. Setup requires MariaDB 11.1.2 or MySQL Server 8+ and FFmpeg; an IGDB API key is optional when using the Hasheous proxy. From version 2.0, authentication includes passwords, two-factor authentication, and OAuth2/OIDC, with Google, Microsoft, and custom OIDC providers documented. The project uses the AGPL-3.0 license and links to Discord for community support. Maintainers recommend avoiding internet exposure when remote access is unnecessary and state that exposure is at the user’s own risk. The free plan is a self-hosted server, so the operator supplies the database and FFmpeg.
RomVault
RomVault is ROM management software for maintaining collections against DAT files on Windows and Linux. It scans ROMs, identifies available fixes, and rebuilds sets according to DAT definitions. Duplicate detection, file renaming, and hash verification are included. The built-in DATVault can update DAT files from ROM cataloging projects, although access without a key is limited to official MAME listxml DATs. Patreon supporters receive full repository access and a unique key. RomVault handles uncompressed files, ZIP, 7z, and CHD archives; RAR is not supported. The graphical interface runs directly as a standalone executable without an installer and needs write access to its directory. Separate command-line builds are available for Windows and Linux. Scanning and fixing default to Level 2. Removed files move to ToSort, with an optional double-check before deletion. The free plan costs nothing and includes core functionality without ads or nag screens.