Comparing the snap and deb versions of Steam

Ubuntu supports installing software applications in the snap or deb format.

Both the snap and deb versions of Steam provide the full Steam client experience on Ubuntu. However, they differ in packaging, management, and bundled features.

Official documentation for the Debian package

Using the Debian package may have specific requirements, such as enabling the i386 architecture and installing dependencies.

If you prefer to use the Debian package, refer to the Debian wiki for its Steam documentation.

Key differences

Packaging and distribution

The deb version is the traditional Debian package available from the official Steam repositories or as a downloadable .deb file.

The snap version bundles Steam and its dependencies in a self-contained package managed by snapd.

Updates

The deb version requires manual updates or system package manager updates.

The snap version receives automatic updates in the background.

Confinement and security

The snap runs with confinement, restricting access to system resources unless explicitly granted through snap connections.

The deb version has unrestricted system access.

File locations

The deb version stores game libraries and configuration files in traditional locations like ~/.steam and ~/.local/share/Steam.

The snap version uses confined directories under ~/snap/steam/.

Bundled features

The snap includes additional gaming tools, including:

When using the deb version, these tools must be installed separately.

Game compatibility

Both versions support broadly the same number of games.

See What games can I play? for more information on game compatibility.