itch.io
Open marketplace for indie games and creative work, with an optional open-source desktop app.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 4
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About itch.io
itch.io is an online store where independent creators sell or give away games, as well as tools, game assets, comics, soundtracks and tabletop material. Anyone can set up a page and upload files at no cost, choose a fixed price, a minimum or pay-what-you-want, and decide what share of each sale goes to itch.io. Downloads are delivered exactly as uploaded, with no DRM, and many games can be played straight in the browser. It is also the home of countless game jams, which makes it a good place to find small, experimental and student projects you won't see on bigger stores. Players can buy in the browser or use the itch desktop app, which is open source and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux to install, update and launch purchases. The catch is uneven quality and discovery: the catalogue is huge and lightly curated, and few big-budget titles are sold there.
Best for: Players hunting for indie, experimental and jam games, and small creators who want an easy place to sell.
Pros and cons
What works
- Huge range of indie and free games, many playable in the browser
- No DRM: files download exactly as the creator uploaded them
- Creators choose their price and the store's revenue share
- Open-source desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux
Why people leave
- Few big-budget titles
- Lightly curated, so quality varies a lot
- Fewer social and library features than Steam
Top itch.io alternatives
See all 4- 1
Steam66.5The biggest PC store, with far more big releases plus reviews, workshops and friends lists.
- 2
GOG Galaxy62.6Also DRM-free, but with a curated catalogue of classic and mainstream games.
- 3
Heroic Games Launcher59.6Open-source launcher for Epic, GOG and Amazon libraries, handy on Linux and the Steam Deck.
- 4
Lutris57.2Linux game manager that can install and run games from several stores and emulators in one place.
Why people left itch.io
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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itch.io: common questions
Is itch.io free?
Yes, itch.io is free to use.
Is itch.io open source?
No, itch.io is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Heroic Games Launcher and Lutris.
What platforms does itch.io run on?
itch.io is available for Web, Windows, macOS and Linux.
What are the best alternatives to itch.io?
The highest-ranked itch.io alternatives right now are Steam, GOG Galaxy and Heroic Games Launcher. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.