Moonlight Web vs Pulsar

Moonlight Web is a free, open-source self-hosted server that streams a gaming PC to devices with a modern browser. The server is installed only on the gaming PC; clients open a URL without installing an app or creating an account. The maker states support for streams up to 4K HDR at 240 fps and latency under 20 ms over Wi-Fi. Browser decoding uses WebCodecs for H.264, HEVC, and AV1, depending on available browser support. Supported controls include Xbox and PlayStation controllers with rumble, keyboard, pointer-lock mouse, touch trackpad, and virtual keyboard. The client can discover and pair with Sunshine, Wolf, and MultiSeat hosts. Remote sessions use direct peer-to-peer WebRTC, with an outgoing connection to an introduction server and no public web ports exposed. Sessions support up to four players, including the host. The gaming PC needs a hardware-encoding-capable GPU; Linux hosting also requires x64 and a sufficiently recent distribution. Linux-host HDR is not implemented.

Pulsar combines remote desktop control and low-latency game streaming in one free, open-source app. It is aimed at gamers and IT or support teams connecting to servers, client machines, or personal computers. Remote desktop tools include ID and one-time-password access, unattended access, file transfer, clipboard sync, session chat, multi-monitor support, and remote restart. Connections try peer-to-peer first and automatically use a relay if needed. For games, Pulsar supports hardware H.265 or AV1 encoding at up to 120 fps, HDR, ultrawide displays, multichannel audio, adaptive bitrate, and Xbox and PlayStation controller mapping. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android; the iOS App Store release is in development. The maker says no account is required and there are no ads or telemetry. Encryption keys are generated on user devices, and users can self-host a relay and device identity server with a Docker command. The plan is free, free forever.