itch.io logo

itch.io

Open marketplace and publishing platform for indie games. Developer-friendly with flexible pricing, bundle support, HTML5 embedding, and 0-100% revenue share at the devs choice.

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Our Verdict

The heart of indie and jam culture, but treat it as marketing and community, not your main revenue channel.

Pros

  • Developer-set revenue share starting at 0%
  • HTML5 embedding lets devs host and sell web games
  • Jam infrastructure is the de facto standard
  • No gatekeeping, anyone can publish anything

Cons

  • Discovery is weak compared to Steam
  • Audience skews hobby and jam, not premium buyers
  • Sales volumes much lower than Steam for same price
  • Payouts via PayPal and Stripe, no true wallet system
Best for: Indies launching prototypes, jam games, and building audience before Steam release Not for: Studios depending on platform discovery and premium-priced releases

When to Use itch.io

Good fit if you need

  • Indie game published with pay-what-you-want pricing model
  • Game jam submission uploaded and playable in browser
  • HTML5 demo embedded on itch.io page for viral sharing
  • Early-access beta distributed to community backers for free
  • Revenue-share set to 100% for developer-owned game sales

Lock-in Assessment

Low 5/5
Lock-in Score
5/5

itch.io Pricing

Pricing Model
free
Free Tier
Yes
Entry Price
Enterprise Available
No
Transparency Score

Beta — estimates may differ from actual pricing

1,000
1001K10K100K1M

Estimated Monthly Cost

$25

Estimated Annual Cost

$300

Estimates are approximate and may not reflect current pricing. Always check the official pricing page.

Community Discussion

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