Side by side
Gaseous vs RetroFE
Both stand on game library managers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedWeb+1
Gaseous combines ROM management with basic emulation and several deployment options. It is best suited to users able to manage the server requirements and heed the maintainers' internet-exposure guidance.
Visit Gaseous Free plan LinuxMacWindows
RetroFE provides configurable collections, artwork, layouts and launcher settings for a game-focused front end. Setup involves editing files, and platform-specific build requirements vary.
Visit RetroFEThe facts
| Gaseous | RetroFE | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | retrofe.nl |
| On game library managers | #8 of 40 | #22 of 40 |
Gaseous: what it does well
- Manages ROMs across platforms listed by IGDB.
- Built-in emulation covers a documented system subset.
- Offers Docker, source, and Unraid installation options.
- Supports two-factor authentication and OAuth2/OIDC.
- Free and open source under AGPL-3.0.
What to know first
- Requires MariaDB 11.1.2 or MySQL Server 8+ and FFmpeg.
- Windows installation is described as experimental.
- Self-hosted setup requires a database and FFmpeg.
- Internet exposure carries risk, according to maintainers.
RetroFE: what it does well
- Collections can mix games and menu items.
- Layouts can be assigned to individual collections.
- Per-game launch settings can override the default.
- Game information can include year, genre and player count.
- Community-made themes are available.
What to know first
- macOS users need to compile their own executable.
- Some Linux distributions may require compiling from source.
- Windows requires a recent Visual C++ Redistributable.
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