24 Best Steam Alternatives For Buying Games

Steam is one of the biggest and best known online marketplaces for PC game titles. However, it’s not the only option for gamers so it is good to know what are the best Steam alternatives for buying games.

Valve Corporation’s Steam has grown in popularity over the past decade. It is now one of the largest digital game marketplaces.

They have a vast selection of game titles and their secure, safe platform and often discounts have helped gamers grow their gaming collection.

POPULAR GAME KEY MARKETPLACES

Steam is an effective solution, but not without issues. Their customer service is often slow and unhelpful. Steam also takes a 30% cut of the revenue for each sold game from game authors.

If looking for lower prices on games (any why wouldn’t you), it is good to know what are sites like Steam for buying cheap PC keys.

Below you will see a list of stores where you can purchase games either as game keys (for Steam, Origin,Uplay, etc.) or as direct redeem.

Best Steam Alternatives

There are plenty of options for gamers when it comes to buying their favorite game titles. Each online marketplace has its own community, special offers, and benefits.

The following is a list of some reliable online stores worth visiting if you’re looking for something different or if you are looking for cheaper prices on games.

GOG

GOG (previously known as Good Old Games) is almost the opposite of Steam in several ways. All of their titles are DRM-free and their client, GOG Galaxy (equivalent to the Steam client), is simple to use.

Another advantage is the fact there’s only a single price for most of the titles that they offer. This means there is no one price for Europe, different price for North America, etc. All get the same price without injustice of $1=1€.

The majority of their games also include bonus content, such as wallpaper, digital art books, and soundtracks. Most of GOG’s library are older titles, although they are improving their selections of indie games, newer releases, etc.

You can even find DOS games on their website. These games come with DOSBox or other similar tools so that you can play them on modern computers.

Origin

Origin was first used as a game launcher and installer for Electronic Arts titles. It is also one of Steam’s first rivals.

The company has since grown from its initial focus on EA’s ever-expanding PC game library. There are now titles from Warner Bros., Ubisoft, Capcom, Square Enix, and other developers and game publishers available.

Downloads are a little quicker on Origin. Their customer service has also been much better than Steam (from my experience and what others have expressed).

Humble Bundle

Humble Bundle is probably best known for its very generous game bundles. You decide what you want to pay for those bundles and it is up to you how much of that payment is received by developers, Humble Bundle and what portion of your payment goes to charity.

Humble Bundle definitely lives up to its name by offering incredibly great deals to everyone. PC games are its primary focus, although it’s been known to have bundles for software, Android games, and eBooks.

While in most cases bundles consist of indie titles, very often there are bundles consisting of game titles from big publishers.

Site visitors can also shop at their Humble Store, which sells a wide variety of games at great prices. You can even sign up for Humble Monthly. You’ll receive a random assortment of titles for $12 every month. Humble Bundle and its Humble Store both offer DRM-free games and DRM titles.

For more info you can check Humble Bundle review, or see best sites similar to Humble Bundle.

Epic Games Store

Epic Games Store is one of the newer online game marketplaces. They’re publishing veterans responsible for Fortnite along with Unreal Engine.

The company entered the market hoping to draw business from the millions of Fortnite players who use Epic Launcher. They quickly entered into exclusive arrangements with other publishers to offer their games exclusively on Epic Games Store.

Epic Games’ online store isn’t quite packed with features like Steam but it is quickly becoming great Steam alternative. It’s still lacking a search bar, cloud saves, and other important features. It’s still a worthwhile option, especially when you consider the fact that they offer quality gaming titles for free every two weeks.

Uplay

Many often stay clear of Ubisoft’s official store and their Uplay desktop gaming client. That’s because they know that even Steam editions of Ubisoft games have to go through Uplay.

Double DRM just isn’t appealing. It’s probably better to choose an Uplay version of a game instead of Steam so that you avoid this situation.

Uplay’s app works well but doesn’t have a lot of bells or whistles. It has a friends list, store search, library options, and cloud saves.

“XP” points are earned by playing games via Uplay. However, the rewards are little more than badges and bragging rights among friends.

The Uplay online store doesn’t have big library but it does contain several well-known titles including all Ubisoft titles.

Uplay has some good discounts and free Ubisoft games from time to time. They’ve been known for limited-time offers that included giveaways for Far Cry: Blood Dragon, For Honor, Assassin’s Creed 3, etc.

Microsoft Store

We all know that Microsoft has always wanted to be the digital distribution platform leader on Windows. The main thing that’s prevented them from achieving that goal was the rise in popularity of Steam during the time when Microsoft was focused on the Xbox and Xbox 360.

Steam came from out of nowhere and basically took over the majority of the PC gaming market. Another obstacle for Microsoft was the fact that many of the initial games for Xbox Live and the Microsoft Store were pretty awful for gaming.

Microsoft has definitely seen the error of its ways. Xbox Play Anywhere is now one of Microsoft’s best products. Most Xbox titles that you buy are compatible with both the Xbox and PCs.

Purchasing a PC or Xbox edition of Gears of War 4, Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon 4, and other popular titles give you a game that can be played on both platforms at any time.

The Xbox Game Pass is a nice option alongside the Play Anywhere feature. Game Pass lets you play many games for a monthly subscription. Microsoft has stated that it will eventually include all of the Xbox One games from third parties to the Game Pass on PC. That’s an additional 200 titles to choose from.

Green Man Gaming

Green Man Gaming (GMG) is one of the Steam alternatives that most gamers already know. Their store is entirely web-based and you can purchase game titles for Battle.net, Origin, Steam, etc.

Most of the games on their site are often on discount so whenever you visit site you will see discounts on various game titles.

There are additional discounts for people who sign up for an account to become part of their loyalty program and for VIP customers. GMG doesn’t use a dedicated download client, either. You can check Green Man Gaming review for more info about the store.

Gamersgate

GamersGate is a store that sells digital games. They sell direct downloads for DRM-free games and game keys. Store doesn’t always have the latest releases, but GamersGate does have its own “Blue Coin” system.

Coins are earned by buying games, answering help topics, posting game reviews, and being involved in other activities in GamersGate’s online community. Coins that are earned can then be used on the site toward the purchase of digital games.

For more info you can check is GamersGate safe to use site post review.

G2A

There are very few gamers who don’t know about G2A or haven’t visited their website at some point. G2A’s online marketplace was designed to help connect game buyers and sellers.

You can buy and sell game keys for Uplay, Epic Games, Origin, Steam, etc. You’ll also find a variety of gift cards, gaming chairs, electronics, 3D game skins, apparel, gift cards, and more on their site.

One of the main reasons why so many people flock to G2A’s website is the fact that their prices for game keys are some of the lowest you can find.

There are also loot boxes and other incentives. Loot boxes provide users with the opportunity to potentially win popular games at prices that are far below retail rates.

G2A is comparable to eBay or Amazon. It’s an e-commerce platform that allows people to sell digital products. G2A makes its money from the fees that it charges to buyers and sellers for every transaction that occurs on their site.

For more info about G2A you can check:

Kinguin

Kinguin is another online marketplace that lets people buy and sell game keys. Besides game keys, you can buy anti-virus programs, keys for Windows, Microsoft Office, and other popular software programs, CSGO skins, gift cards, and other items.

Kinguin helps buyers and sellers connect. The game keys sold on their site are from different third-party sellers.

Marketplace sellers on Kinguin put keys for various games up for sale. Sellers can be individuals or businesses that have bought game keys in areas of the world where such keys are cheaper or they purchased large quantities from official suppliers and received a significant discount.

For more info about Kinguin you can check:

Eneba

Eneba is one of the newer online game marketplaces. It operates along the same lines as Gamivo, Kinguin, and G2A. Eneba has a great selection of games at very affordable prices.

Eneba is another marketplace that connects game key buyers and sellers. Game keys for well-known titles can be acquired without having to break the bank.

You can find game keys for Battle.net, Epic Games, GOG, Nintendo Switch, Origin, PSN, Steam, Uplay, Xbox, and others. You can also buy gift cards for Amazon, Apple iTunes, Blizzard, Google Play, Nintendo Switch, Netflix, PSN, Xbox, etc.

Eneba has Nintendo and Xbox memberships and keys for different antivirus software available to purchase. You can buy or sell game keys on their website. Sellers can use API to automate sales or conduct transactions by uploading keys manually.

For more info about Eneba you can check:

Is Eneba legit and safe to use?
How to sell on Eneba?

Gamivo

Gamivo has game keys for Battle.net, Bethesda, Epic Games, GOG, Origin, Steam, Uplay, etc. titles for sale.

There are also keys for Office and Windows software products, Amazon gift cards, Nintendo CD keys, Google Play gift cards, Xbox live memberships and game keys, PUBG cases, Playstation Network cards, software licenses, etc.

Gamivo.com is an online marketplace for digital game distribution. They’re a relatively new site that’s set its sights on bringing better options to the highly competitive video game market.

All of the items on Gamivo’s site are digital. There aren’t any physical DVDs or product boxes. Purchasing is easy because there’s no shipping involved. All orders are sent within a few minutes after they have been placed.

For more info about Gamivo you can check:

GamesPlanet

GamesPlanet has been in the game market since 2006. It only deals in PC games for Linux, Mac, and Windows. It’s a good place to find popular PC titles at reasonable rates.

There are flash sales, weekly deals, and other regular discounts and special promotions on their website. GamesPlanet works with EA, CD Project Red, Developer Digital, and other well-known game publishing companies.

Games are divided into several categories. You can easily scroll through different sections to find just the titles that you’re looking for. The Community section of their site often has helpful information about the various titles that you can purchase from them.

Instant Gaming

Instant Gaming has quickly become one of the most trusted places for purchasing various games. You can look for games that are sorted by the site’s filters according to ratings, price, platform, region, and language.

They have titles for Battle.net, GOG, Origin, Steam, Uplay, etc. You can also purchase Nintendo 3DS, PS4, and Xbox game keys. Instant Gaming accepts payments from Bitcoin, PayPal, and Skrill.

Their site’s product page has gaming platforms, system requirements, game genre tags, and other relevant data for a particular game. You can see how many languages each game supports, the number of keys that are still left for a particular title, and how many users are on that product page right now.

For more info you can check my Instant Gaming review.

IndieGala

IndieGala business methods are somewhat similar to Humble Bundle. Both companies offer independent game titles at very affordable prices in form of store and bundles. They both have impressive selections of AAA titles on their websites.

IndieGala has game bundle sales throughout the year. You can visit their site to find out more information about each sale. You could even win a few free games during some of their giveaways and other special promotions.

For more info, be sure to check is IndieGala safe to use site review where I go in depth about this store.

Fanatical

Fanatical is a popular online digital game marketplace. More than one million people use it every month. They initially offered single bundles.

Fanatical has now evolved into an impressive game store with regular bundles and other offers.

For more info, you can check my Fanatical review.

WinGameStore

WinGameStore started in 2014 branching off from MacGameStore, its sister website. You can buy digital copies of Linux and Windows titles on site. They want their customers to have the best shopping experience each time.

WinGameStore has great customer service, new titles, daily deals, and good game prices. They also provide a wealth of information and advice to simplify buying decisions.

For more info, check is WinGameStore legit article.

GameFlip

You can buy or sell gift cards, game keys, in-game items, and other digital game products on GameFlip site. They operate much like Kinguin. The company guarantees that all transactions are kept confidential and secure.

The site has been around since 2005. Both physical game items and game keys can be purchased on GameFlip. There are both games and consoles for 3DS, DS, NES, and N64. Retro gamers will really enjoy visiting and shopping on this website.

You can also find Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo titles as well as a good assortment of digital and physical copies of popular movies. They also have affordable Battle.net, Origin, Steam, Uplay, etc. PC games. Gift cards on GameFlip’s site typically sell for far less than retail prices.

For more info, pros, cons, features, etc. you can check my Gameflip review.

SCDkey

SCDkey has a wide assortment of game keys at great prices. Their site has keys for Steam, Origin, Uplay, and other platforms. You can also buy gift cards for Xbox, Playstation, Steam, etc.

You can even purchase pre-order titles at the “coming soon” section of their site. You can review all upcoming releases and which games will soon be on sale.

Clicking on a particular product will automatically take you to the product page for that item. There you can find the game’s price, platform, region, and availability.

You can talk via chat with SCDkey’s customer service support staff if you have any questions or concerns about their products.

DLgamer

DLgamer site has various titles sorted by categories. There are titles for Epic Games, GOG, Origin, Steam, Uplay, etc.

They have occasional sales and special offers. Several of their top-selling titles are listed at prices below the retail rates.

You can pay for purchases on their site using several different methods. DLgamer has great Trust Pilot ratings. You don’t have to worry about whether or not a game key purchased on their site is legitimate.

GamesRocket

GamesRocket has been around for several years. Site has game keys, gift cards, and software for sale. There are titles from popular game publishers as well as indie titles.

You can also purchase antivirus software keys and keys for other programs on GamesRocket. All offerings on their website are entirely digital. You’ll receive your orders via email after your payment has been processed.

There are online game console memberships available on GamesRocket’s site as well. You can purchase memberships for Xbox (Gold), Playstation (Plus), and Nintendo Switch (online membership).

CDKeys

CDKeys has been one of the most reputable online game marketplaces for several years. The site has Playstation titles, PC games (for Origin, Uplay, Steam, etc.), Nintendo titles (for Switch, 3DS, U, and Wii), Xbox titles, etc.

Game keys are emailed to customers after purchase. Payments are accepted via PayPal, Bitcoin, Apple Pay, and credit cards.

You’ll find many AAA titles on CDKeys’ site at lower prices than the same games on Steam.

GamesDeal

GamesDeal has very reasonably priced gift cards, game keys for PC, and games for consoles.

You can find all of their special promotions and current deals on the deals section of the site. There you can expect to find surprise deals, their best deals, and limited-time offers.

CJS-CD Keys

CJS-CD Keys has great prices on various game titles. Autokey, their instant online order delivery system is where their activation code images are uploaded. This gives users instant access to any game keys that they’ve purchased on CJS-CD Keys.

Game keys are emailed to you after they’ve been purchased. There’s no need to worry about shipping charges because all products are delivered digitally.

CJS-CD Keys gets products from distributors in countries such as Israel and Australia, where the games’ retail prices are usually much cheaper. Unlike physical games which often have regional restrictions, these games are digital and can be used anywhere in the world.

Sites Like Steam Conclusion

Steam is the unquestioned global PC game distribution leader. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Steam’s the only site that you should search for your favorite games.

There are lots of online game marketplace options besides Steam. Some of these sites have games at very competitive and affordable prices.

If you’re a devoted PC gamer who wants something other than Steam, you should find something that meets your needs from one or more of the previously mentioned Steam alternatives.

Although Steam seems to have set gaming service standards, they’re not the only fish in the sea. More and more competitors are emerging with prices and services to meet almost every type of interest and budget.

PC gamers now have more choices than ever before. More services translate into better overall experiences. You can find great deals and great selections of popular and independent titles on various online stores.