Software Alternatives & Startups

Steamworks VS CloudLinux

Compare Steamworks VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Steamworks

Steamworks is a set of tools and services that help game developers and publishers build their games and get the most out of distributing on Steam.

Rating
0 reviews
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Steamworks seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 27 times since March 2021.

social mentions
27 vs 0
Game Engine popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Steamworks
CloudLinux
Website partner.steamgames.com cloudlinux.com
Pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Steamworks 5 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Large User Base
    Steam is one of the largest digital distribution platforms for PC gaming, providing access to millions of active users who regularly engage with games.
  • Comprehensive Toolset
    Steamworks offers a suite of tools for game development, distribution, and management, including features like cloud saves, achievements, trading cards, and more.
  • Community Features
    Steam provides built-in community features such as forums, workshops for mods, and user reviews, which can help foster a community around a game.
  • Global Reach
    With support for multiple currencies and languages, Steam makes it easier to reach a global audience and expand the game's market.
  • Frequent Sales and Promotions
    Steam regularly hosts sales events, offering opportunities for games to gain visibility and increase sales.

Possible disadvantages

  • Revenue Share
    Steam takes a significant portion of the revenue (usually 30%), which can impact the financial returns for developers, especially for smaller studios.
  • High Competition
    The platform hosts a large number of games, making it difficult for new releases to stand out without sufficient marketing or unique features.
  • Platform Dependence
    Relying on Steam as the primary platform can make developers vulnerable to policy changes or shifts in market dynamics that impact the platform.
  • Complex Systems
    The wide range of features offered by Steamworks can be overwhelming for new developers and can require a significant investment in time to effectively utilize.
  • User Review System
    While the user review system can help build community trust, it can also be exploited or misused, potentially harming a game's reputation unfairly.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Steamworks
CloudLinux

No analysis of Steamworks yet.

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Steamworks 1 video + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

SteamWorks MADchester Review

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Steamworks
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Steamworks and CloudLinux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Steamworks 27 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • 🤔How do I find out the system requirements for my game (built with Unreal)? 👉 STEAMWORKS Onboarding 👈
    Then that can be done on partner.steamgames.com -> Edit Store Page -> Basic Info tab -> Supported Platforms section. You don't have to put any requirements for the sound card btw. Source: over 3 years ago
  • [HELP] Is there a way to find name_id by market_hash_name?
    I also tried this weird thing partner.steamgames.com. I thought that it is possible to find name_id by classid but it doesn't work. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Releasing a Web game onto Steam
    Go to https://partner.steamgames.com/ and Join steamworks. You can reuse your Steam gamer account or create a new one. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Steamworks and CloudLinux

When comparing Steamworks and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.