MAME Smart ROM Sorter vs Nearcade
MAME Smart ROM Sorter
github.comNearcade
github.comSide by side
| Figure | MAME Smart ROM Sorter | Nearcade |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 0 |
| Spec score · ROM Management Software | 7.3 (#22) | 7.9 (#8) |
| Integrations | The README lists ProgettoSnaps, AntoPISA MAME Support Files, Controls.dat, Arcade Database, and NPlayers as metadata and arcade data resources. | Nearcade bundles Cloudflared and Zrok for tunneling and uses Trystero over BitTorrent trackers for signaling. |
| Intended users | The project describes use cases including general arcade cabinets, controller setups, light-gun or trackball builds, driving setups, fighters, and lean playable-game folders. | The project describes its main focus as private setups for sharing local couch co-op games with friends. |
| Purpose | MAME Smart ROM Sorter helps home arcade builders curate large MAME collections into smaller, purpose-built folders. | Nearcade is an open-source, self-hosted platform for playing local co-op games over the internet with friends. |
In their own words
MAME Smart ROM Sorter
MAME Smart ROM Sorter has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Nearcade
Nearcade is a free, open-source, self-hosted platform for playing local co-op games over the internet with friends. A host runs the game, while viewers join from a desktop or mobile web browser without installing a client. Streaming uses WebCodecs or WebRTC and peer-to-peer connections. Hosts can allow gamepad input, raw keyboard and mouse, or keyboard and mouse mapped to a virtual gamepad; mobile viewers get touch controls and a virtual joystick. Sessions can use private Cloudflare or Zrok tunnels, or appear in the public Nearcade Arcade lobby. Public Arcade sessions are limited to 80 minutes and require a verified tunneling provider. A host needs Node.js 18 or newer and Python 3. Linux also requires PipeWire and the uinput module, while Windows gamepad support requires ViGEmBus. Linux is listed as production-stable; Windows and macOS are experimental, and macOS lacks gamepad support. The project is published under GPL-3.0 and provides setup, usage, API, and VPS server documentation.