Nearcade

Free plan APILinuxMacSelf-hostedWebWindows

What Nearcade is

Nearcade lets a host share local co-op games over the internet, with friends joining from a desktop or mobile web browser. It is open source and self-hosted, with a focus on private sessions for playing couch co-op remotely. Streams use WebCodecs or WebRTC, and peer-to-peer connections are used to keep input delay low. Viewers do not need to download an app to join; mobile browsers also provide touch controls and a virtual joystick.

Hosts can choose gamepad input, raw keyboard and mouse, or keyboard and mouse mapped to a virtual gamepad, and can lock player slots. Sessions can use private Cloudflare or Zrok tunnels or appear in the public Nearcade Arcade lobby. Arcade sessions run for up to 80 minutes and require a verified tunneling provider. A Rust router holds back audio and video until the host validates a viewer's session PIN. On Linux, game audio is routed through a virtual capture sink to keep desktop audio and voice chats off the stream.

The host software supports Linux, Windows, and macOS, but only Linux is marked production-stable. Windows and macOS are experimental, and macOS has no gamepad support. Hosting requires Node.js 18 or newer and Python 3, with extra system requirements on Linux and for Windows gamepad support. Nearcade is released under the GPL-3.0 license.

Who it suits

Nearcade suits people who want to host local co-op games themselves and invite friends to join in a browser. It is especially suited to private couch co-op sessions, with mobile touch controls and several input options for viewers.

What it does well

Viewers join through desktop or mobile browsers without a download.
Mobile browsers include touch controls and a virtual joystick.
Hosts can choose among three input modes.
Session PIN validation gates access to audio and video.
Linux audio routing keeps desktop audio and voice chats off the stream.
Released under the GPL-3.0 license.

What to know first

Public Arcade sessions are limited to 80 minutes.
Linux hosting requires PipeWire and the uinput module; PulseAudio is unsupported.
Windows and macOS are marked experimental.
macOS has no gamepad support.

Limits

Public Arcade sessions are limited to 80 minutes and require a verified Cloudflared or Zrok tunneling provider. Windows and macOS are experimental; macOS has no gamepad or multi-controller support.

Getting started

Open the Nearcade repository at https://github.com/TheRealFame/Nearcade.
Choose a host system: Linux, Windows, or macOS.
Install Node.js 18 or newer and Python 3 on the host.
Meet the additional host requirements for your system: PipeWire and uinput on Linux, or ViGEmBus for Windows gamepad support.
Configure a private Cloudflare or Zrok tunnel, or list the session in the public Nearcade Arcade lobby.
Have viewers join from a desktop or mobile web browser.

Verdict

Choose Nearcade if you want to self-host local co-op sessions and let friends join through a browser. Its private tunnel options, PIN validation, and flexible input modes suit shared play. Look elsewhere if you need production-stable Windows or macOS hosting, or gamepad support on macOS.

Questions

How much does Nearcade cost?

Nearcade is free, with a free plan.

Which systems can host games?

Hosts can use Linux, Windows, or macOS. Linux is listed as production-stable; Windows and macOS are experimental.

Do viewers need to install anything?

No. Viewers join using a desktop or mobile web browser. The mobile interface includes touch controls and a virtual joystick.

Is Nearcade open source?

Yes. The repository is published under the GPL-3.0 license.

What does hosting require?

The host needs Node.js 18 or newer and Python 3. Linux also requires PipeWire and the uinput module; Windows gamepad support requires ViGEmBus.

What are the public Arcade session limits?

Public Arcade sessions are limited to 80 minutes and require a verified tunneling provider such as Cloudflared or Zrok.

Facts from Nearcade's own pages

Arcade limit: Public Arcade sessions are limited to 80 minutes and require a verified tunneling provider such as Cloudflared or Zrok. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Audio: On Linux, Nearcade routes game audio through a virtual sink so personal desktop audio and voice chats stay off the stream. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Audio routing: On Linux, Nearcade routes game audio to a virtual capture sink to keep desktop audio and voice chats off the stream. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Connections: It uses peer-to-peer connections and native operating system audio and input routing to keep input delay low. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Hosting options: Hosts can use private Cloudflare or Zrok tunnels, or list sessions in the public Nearcade Arcade lobby. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Host requirements: The host requires Node.js 18 or newer and Python 3; Linux also requires PipeWire and the uinput module, while Windows gamepad support requires ViGEmBus. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Input controls: Hosts can assign viewers gamepad, raw keyboard and mouse, or emulated keyboard and mouse input, and lock player slots. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Input modes: Hosts can allow gamepad, raw keyboard and mouse, or keyboard and mouse emulated as a virtual gamepad. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Integrations: Nearcade bundles Cloudflared and Zrok for tunneling and uses Trystero over BitTorrent trackers for signaling. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Intended users: The project describes its main focus as private setups for sharing local couch co-op games with friends. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Joining sessions: Viewers join in a desktop or mobile web browser without downloading anything, and the mobile interface includes touch controls and a virtual joystick. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
License: The Nearcade repository is published under the GPL-3.0 license. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Linux requirements: Linux hosting requires PipeWire and the uinput kernel module; the app does not work with PulseAudio. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Mobile controls: The mobile viewer interface includes touch controls and a virtual joystick. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
PIN protection: The Rust router blocks video and audio streams until the host app validates the viewer's Session PIN. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Platform limits: The project lists Linux as production stability, Windows and macOS as experimental, and macOS as having no gamepad support. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Platform maturity: The project lists Linux as production stability and Windows and macOS as experimental; macOS has no gamepad or multi-controller support. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: Nearcade is an open-source, self-hosted platform for playing local co-op games over the internet with friends. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Streaming: It streams using WebCodecs or WebRTC and uses peer-to-peer connections to keep input delay low. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Support: The repository links setup guides, host usage instructions, API and setup documentation, and VPS server setup instructions. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Viewer access: Viewers join through a desktop or mobile web browser without downloading anything to play. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Viewer access control: The Rust router blocks video and audio streams until the host validates the viewer's session PIN. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
What it does: Nearcade is an open-source, self-hosted platform for playing local co-op games over the internet with friends. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Windows requirements: Windows gamepad support requires manually installing the ViGEmBus driver. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026

Where Nearcade stands on Freedom251

ROM Management Software#8 of 39
Game Remote Play Software#14 of 27