// OPENBOX DOCS
Compare
OpenBoxGL compared to LaunchBox and Windows-first launchers on Linux and Windows.
Compare
OpenBoxGL exists because LaunchBox is Windows first and gates useful workflows behind Premium. This page uses the same source as the docs parity matrix and the README comparison, with no invented claims.
Since 1.13.0 OpenBoxGL runs on Linux and Windows x86_64, so the comparison below covers both. Linux remains the primary distro-integration target; the Linux-only boundaries are named in the rows that follow.
At a glance
| Topic | OpenBox 1.15.0 | LaunchBox |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0, full source on GitHub | Proprietary |
| Cost | Free, no subscription | Premium paywall for advanced workflows |
| Platform | Linux x86_64 and aarch64; Windows x86_64 | Windows first, no Linux build |
| Install | AppImage, Flatpak, or source on Linux; signed portable package via install.ps1 on Windows | Windows installer only |
| Data | Local JSON at ~/.local/share/openbox-game-launcher/library.json on Linux, %LOCALAPPDATA%\openbox-game-launcher\library.json on Windows; no account | Cloud library for Premium |
| Game sources | Steam, Heroic, Lutris, Faugus, RetroArch, ROMs, Arcade, ScummVM, RPCS3, Vita3K, Eden | Windows-first imports |
| Native window | WebKitGTK on Linux; WebView2 on Windows, shipped compiled in the portable release (source checkouts build it with scripts/build_native_host_windows.ps1) | Windows-only desktop app |
| Automation | Local REST API on loopback with per-launch token auth | Limited external automation surface |
| Handheld | Big Box Stage, Hybrid, CoverFlow with controller mapping, AppImage on immutable systems, --game-mode guest under gamescope — Linux only | Big Box exists, handheld flows are secondary |
| Windows emulators | Every bundled emulator definition carries its Windows executable name, so adapter detection, resume state, and Launch Doctor work with Windows builds | Windows-native emulator support |
Linux-only, with no Windows equivalent: gamescope and Steam Game Mode, AppImage and Flatpak packaging, XDG desktop entries, sudo make install, Steam Deck / handheld tuning, and Flathub-aware emulator management. The Windows path is documented in Windows; install steps for both platforms are in Installation.
See the full capability matrix with acceptance checks in Parity matrix and the source matrix at OpenBoxGL/PARITY.md.
What ships free
Every LaunchBox Premium equivalent ships without a subscription in OpenBoxGL: custom fields, ESRB filters, list view, media packs, and cloud statistics sync. premium_features_free: true is set in settings and bundled media packs require no license gate. See Parity matrix for the evidence row.
Intentionally not replicated
| LaunchBox feature | OpenBox decision |
|---|---|
| Windows shell replacement | Not applicable: OpenBox is a launcher, not a shell replacement on either platform |
| LEDBlinky and cabinet LED control | Use external arcade I/O tools instead of a bundled integration |
| Teknoparrot arcade launcher | Use Lutris and Wine launch profiles on Linux, or a per-game launch profile pointing at the title's own launcher |
| Native Xbox PC package scanning | Use Heroic and Lutris on Linux, or import the installed executable as a standalone game |
| Bundled proprietary media packs | Replaced by free bundled media packs in OpenBox |
| LaunchBox Premium cloud library | Replaced by OpenBox's local mounted-folder statistics sync and opt-in catalog sync plus local backups (no LaunchBox account involved) |
| LaunchBox online theme storefront | Replaced by local CSS theme import and open folder workflow |
How to verify
- Check the current release tag at Releases, currently v1.15.0.
- For Windows, the same release publishes
OpenBox-x86_64-windows.zipwith its.sha256and.sig, plusinstall.shandinstall.ps1as standalone assets; the installer verifies the key, checksum, and signature before extracting. The uninstaller is not a standalone asset — it ships inside the zip and the installed tree, where the installer also puts it, so it is run from the install atscripts\uninstall.ps1(for a default install,%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenBox\share\openbox\scripts\uninstall.ps1). It removes exactly what the installer created while leaving your library in place. The full path is in Windows. - Open PARITY.md in the application repository and confirm the acceptance check for any row before relying on it.
- For pricing, LaunchBox Premium pricing is published by Unbroken Software. OpenBox cost is zero and source is AGPL-3.0 at LICENSE.