Is itch.io free? What it costs players and creators

Is itch.io free? Yes for creators, and partly for players: itch.io costs nothing to join or upload to, but each game's creator decides whether it is free, pay what you want, or paid. If you want a site where every game is free to play in the browser, Mayavoo is the simpler answer.

That short version hides a few details worth knowing, whether you make games or play them.

Is itch.io free for creators?

itch.io's creator FAQ says it costs nothing to use. You can create pages and upload your work without paying, and it says it will never place ads on your pages.

Money only enters the picture when you sell something. itch.io uses what it calls open revenue sharing: you choose what share of each sale goes to itch.io, anywhere from 0% to 100%, with 10% as the default. Payment providers such as PayPal and Stripe also take their own fee per transaction. So uploading is free, and selling has a cost you partly control.

Is itch.io free for players?

Some of it. Every project page carries a price the creator picks:

• Free games you can download or play right away.
• Pay what you want games with a minimum of zero, where paying is optional.
• Paid games with a set or minimum price.

Browser games on itch.io run in a frame on the project page, and the developer page notes that players can donate any amount to a browser game they like. Downloads can be anything the creator uploaded, for any platform.

A free alternative where everything plays in the browser

Mayavoo takes a narrower approach. It is a free site for finished web games from independent creators, so nothing on it asks you to install, unzip or pay.

On Mayavoo you sign in with Google or GitHub only if you want to like games or comment. Each game page lists its controls and the devices it supports, and the team plays every game before it goes live.

Which should you use?

For a free game you can start in a tab during a break, open Mayavoo. For buying indie games, supporting a creator directly or downloading a desktop build, itch.io is the better site, and it is where you will find pay what you want pricing and game jams.

For creators choosing a free home

If you made a browser game and want it in front of players at no cost, both sites are free to upload to. Mayavoo is the stronger pick when you want a checked listing on a site that is only about playing in the browser; itch.io is the stronger pick when you plan to charge for the game. You can read how Mayavoo publishing works before you decide.