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Boatswain vs Stream Deck: catalog facts
Boatswain	Stream Deck
Best for: Streamers and Linux users who own an Elgato Stream Deck	Best for: Streamers and creators who want physical shortcut keys
Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0.	Free The desktop software is a free download; Stream Deck hardware is sold separately.
Linux	Windows, macOS
Brings Stream Deck support to Linux Native GNOME interface All 3 strengths for Boatswain Brings Stream Deck support to Linux Native GNOME interface Open source	Configurable keys, dials and multi-step workflows Integrates with other Elgato apps All 4 strengths for Stream Deck Configurable keys, dials and multi-step workflows Integrates with other Elgato apps Plugin SDK for extending actions Mobile app can stand in for hardware
Needs Elgato Stream Deck hardware Linux only	Mainly useful with Elgato Stream Deck hardware Closed source
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Not open source
License: GPL-3.0-or-later	License: Freeware
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Boatswain gitlab.gnome.org/World/boatswain Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Stream Deck elgato.com/us/en/s/downloads Catalog checked October 2, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.