Steam vs itch.io

Struggling to choose between Steam and itch.io? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Steam is a Games solution with tags like gaming, digital-distribution, game-library, multiplayer, chat, forums, discounts.

It boasts features such as Game library & storefront, Social features like chat & forums, Achievements & trading cards, Remote play & streaming, User reviews & curation, Mod distribution and pros including Huge game library, Frequent discounts on games, Convenience of digital downloads, Social features allow connecting with friends, Remote play allows gaming away from PC.

On the other hand, itch.io is a Games product tagged with indie-games, game-marketplace, open-source-games.

Its standout features include Game publishing platform for indie developers, Sell games, assets, books, etc. directly to customers, Customizable storefronts for creators, Built-in tools for managing projects, Community features like forums and jams, Open revenue sharing model, and it shines with pros like Easy publishing for indie creators, Large audience of gamers looking for content, Very customizable storefronts, Good revenue share for developers, Active community of indie developers.

Feature	Steam	itch.io
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Games	Games

Product Overview

Steam

Description: Steam is a popular digital distribution platform developed by Valve Corporation in 2003. It allows users to purchase, play and update games online. Steam offers frequent discounts on games and has a large community with discussion forums and in-game chat.

itch.io

Description: itch.io is an open marketplace for independent digital creators with a focus on indie games. It allows developers to upload, publish, sell, and distribute their content easily.

Key Features Comparison

Steam Features

• Game library & storefront
• Social features like chat & forums
• Achievements & trading cards
• Remote play & streaming
• User reviews & curation
• Mod distribution

itch.io Features

• Game publishing platform for indie developers
• Sell games, assets, books, etc. directly to customers
• Customizable storefronts for creators
• Built-in tools for managing projects
• Community features like forums and jams
• Open revenue sharing model

Pros & Cons Analysis

Steam

Pros

• Huge game library
• Frequent discounts on games
• Convenience of digital downloads
• Social features allow connecting with friends
• Remote play allows gaming away from PC

Cons

• DRM restrictions on some games
• No ability to resell digital games
• Requires an internet connection and Steam client
• Technical issues or downtime can prevent gaming
• Security vulnerabilities exist

itch.io

Pros

• Easy publishing for indie creators
• Large audience of gamers looking for content
• Very customizable storefronts
• Good revenue share for developers
• Active community of indie developers

Cons

• Less features than Steam or other full marketplaces
• Lower visibility than mainstream platforms
• Less quality control than curated stores
• Smaller customer base than mainstream stores

Pricing Comparison

Steam

• Free
• One-time Purchase
• Subscription-Based

itch.io

• Free
• Revenue Share