Steam icon

Steam

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.

What is Steam?

Steam is a leading digital distribution platform for PC games, software, and other media. It was launched in 2003 by Valve Corporation as a means to deliver automatic updates and new features to their games, starting with Counter-Strike.

Over time, Steam has grown into the largest digital storefront for PC gaming, with over 30,000 games available from major publishers and independent developers alike. Some of Steam's key features include:

  • Seamless game downloads, automatic updates and cloud saves for supported titles.
  • A friends list and chat client allowing users to see what their friends are playing and chat with them.
  • A vibrant community hub with discussion forums, user reviews and guides for every game on the platform.
  • Frequent seasonal sales offering deep discounts on a wide catalog of games.
  • Early access to in-development games, allowing users to play unfinished titles as they evolve over time.
  • Family sharing options to easily share libraries between accounts.
  • Steam workshop where users can browse and install user-created mods and content.

With its vast selection, social features and convenience as an all-in-one platform for PC gaming, Steam has become the go-to destination for millions of gamers around the world.

The Best Steam Alternatives

Top Apps like Steam

Google Play Store, Microsoft Store, Playnite, Lutris, Epic Games Store, itch.io, Mac App Store, Eneba, Ubisoft Connect, Heroic Games Launcher, GOG.com, Humble Bundle, Instant Gaming, Google Play Games, Kinguin, Spark Console, Legendary, Rockstar Games Launcher, Game Jolt, Desura, GameSpy Arcade, 2Game, Pegasus, EA App, GameGator, Kartridge, Gameplay Time Tracker, Keysticks, FreeToGame, Voobly, IndieGameStand, Bethesda Launcher, Game Center, CJS CD Keys, GameFly Digital Download Client, Social Club, GameDatum.com, Vizzed.com, RetroAchievements.org, RPGMaker.net, Cdkeybay.com, Enjify, ShinyLoot, Green Man Gaming, GamersGate, Get Games, Alawar, Aurora Game Hub, FireFlower Games, DJL, KEYLLER, GameRankr, Direct2Drive, NEXARDA, gamerDNA, Gameolith, Sila Games, PLAYXPERT, YoYo Games, GameStreamer, Tiggit, DotEmu, Splitplay, Steam Tiles, Indievania, Gametionary are some alternatives to Steam.

Google Play Store

The Google Play Store, formerly known as the Android Market, is a digital distribution platform operated by Google. It serves as the official app store for the Android operating system, allowing users to browse and download applications and digital media.The Google Play Store launched in October 2008 as the Android...

Microsoft Store

The Microsoft Store, previously known as the Windows Store, is an app store and digital distribution platform built into Windows 10, Windows 11, and Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S consoles. It allows users to browse, search for, download, and install applications developed specifically for devices running the Windows 10, Windows...

Playnite

Playnite is an open source video game library manager and launcher application for Windows. It integrates games from platforms like Steam, GOG, Origin, Battle.net, Uplay, Epic Games Store, emulators, and even DRM-free games into one unified library.Some key features of Playnite include:Automatic game library import from different...

Lutris

Lutris is an open source gaming platform made for Linux operating systems. It allows Linux users to easily install and manage video games across multiple platforms like Steam, GOG, Origin, Battle.net, etc. in one unified interface.Some key features of Lutris include:Support for installing games from multiple game...

Epic Games Store

The Epic Games Store is a digital video game storefront for Microsoft Windows and macOS, operated by Epic Games. It was launched in December 2018 to compete with Valve's Steam store by offering more revenue share to publishers.Some key features and information about the Epic Games Store:Offers an 88/12 revenue...

Itch.io

itch.io is an open marketplace and publishing platform for independent digital creators. Founded in 2013, itch.io's focus is on indie games, allowing developers to easily upload, publish, sell, and distribute their games to a large audience of fans and players.As an open platform, itch.io aims to empower...

Mac App Store

The Mac App Store is a digital distribution platform developed by Apple Inc. for macOS applications. It was launched in January 2011 as part of Mac OS X Snow Leopard version 10.6.6. The Mac App Store allows users to easily browse, purchase, download, and install applications for their Mac computers, similar to...

Eneba

Eneba is an online marketplace launched in 2018 that allows users to buy and sell video game keys, software licenses, and gift cards. It offers a wide selection of digital games and software for platforms like Steam, Origin, Uplay, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo at discounted prices.Some key things to know...

Ubisoft Connect

Ubisoft Connect is a desktop client and online service developed and published by Ubisoft to provide social, communicative, and digital rights management capabilities for Ubisoft games across Windows, Stadia, PlayStation, Xbox platforms. The service was launched in July 2020, replacing Ubisoft's previous Uplay and Ubisoft Club services.The client allows players...

Heroic Games Launcher

Heroic Games Launcher is an open-source game launcher and storefront for Linux and macOS operating systems to access games from the Epic Games Store. Developed by Heroic-Games, it aims to bring an easy way for gamers on Linux or macOS to install and play their favorite Epic Games titles natively...

GOG.com

GOG.com (formerly Good Old Games) is a digital distribution platform specialized in reintroducing classic PC games to modern audiences. Launched in 2008, it offers a curated selection of DRM-free games, meaning users can download and install games on multiple devices without restrictions.Unlike platforms such as Steam, GOG.com focuses...

Humble Bundle

Humble Bundle is an online platform that sells bundles of digital goods, including video games, ebooks, and software, using a pay-what-you-want model. Customers can pay any price they want for a bundle, often obtaining numerous items for just a few dollars, while supporting charitable causes.Humble Bundle sets minimum prices...

Instant Gaming

Instant Gaming is an online marketplace focused on selling digital video games and in-game content. It was launched in 2010 and has since become a popular platform for PC gamers looking to buy games at discounted rates.The Instant Gaming storefront offers a large catalog of game keys for various digital...

Google Play Games

Google Play Games is a software platform developed by Google in 2013 that provides infrastructure services for Android games. It allows game developers to easily add common gaming features such as achievements, leaderboards, multiplayer support, cloud saves, and more.By integrating with Google Play Games, games gain access to players' Google...

Kinguin

Kinguin is an online marketplace launched in 2013 that allows people to buy and sell unused software license keys and game keys. It serves as a digital goods marketplace connecting buyers and sellers around the world. On Kinguin, vendors offer new or used license keys and game keys at discounted prices...

Spark Console

Spark Console is a lightweight, cross-platform integrated development environment (IDE) and interactive shell for Apache Spark. It enables data engineers, data scientists, and developers to easily build, run, debug, and monitor Spark applications using Python, R, Scala and SQL interactively without having to leave the graphical interface or IDE.Some...

Legendary

Legendary is a free and open-source video game launcher and library manager for Windows. It allows users to browse, download, install, update, and manage games from different digital distribution platforms like Epic Games Store, GOG, Steam, Origin, Uplay, and more - all from one unified application.Some key features of...

Rockstar Games Launcher

The Rockstar Games Launcher is a proprietary video game digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications service created by Rockstar Games. It allows users to purchase and play Rockstar games on PC.Some key features of the Rockstar Games Launcher include:Access to purchase and download Rockstar games for...

Game Jolt

Game Jolt is a popular free online community and platform designed for independent (indie) video game developers and players. It provides a suite of tools and services to help developers at all stages of game development, from creation to launch to post-release monitoring.For developers, Game Jolt offers free and...

Desura

Desura is a digital distribution and online gaming platform focusing primarily on indie games as well as award winning mods and user generated content. It was launched in December 2010 and quickly gained popularity among indie game developers and players thanks to its flexible business model, allowing game makers to set...

GameSpy Arcade

GameSpy Arcade was a free peer-to-peer online gaming service launched in 2004 that allowed users to play popular multiplayer games online. It worked by connecting players directly rather than routing connections through central servers.The service featured popular casual game titles like Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Mahjong, Bejeweled 2, Scrabble, Collapse, Bookworm and...

2Game

2Game is a free online gaming platform that provides access to hundreds of high-quality games across various genres including action, adventure, puzzle, sports, and more. The website features a simple, user-friendly interface that makes finding and launching games easy for all experience levels.Some standout features of 2Game include:Huge...

Pegasus

Pegasus is an open-source, privacy-focused email client developed by a non-profit organization called the Pegasus Foundation. It was created in response to growing concerns over government surveillance and corporate data mining of private communications.Some key features of Pegasus include:End-to-end encryption of emails to prevent unauthorized accessAnonymous registration that...

EA App

EA App is a free mobile application developed and published by Electronic Arts for iOS and Android devices. It serves as a centralized hub to browse, purchase, download, and play games from Electronic Arts' catalog on a mobile device.Some key features and capabilities of the EA App include:Browse...

GameGator

GameGator is a powerful yet easy-to-use game library manager and launcher for Windows. It automatically detects and imports all your games from various platforms like Steam, Epic Games, Origin, Uplay, GOG Galaxy and more into one unified game library.Key features of GameGator include:Auto-import your games from different platforms...

Kartridge

Kartridge is a gaming platform for PC that was launched in 2018 by Kongregate, a popular browser gaming site. It aims to bring all your PC games from various libraries and launchers into one unified hub.Some key features of Kartridge include:One-click game installation and launching, without needing to juggle...

Gameplay Time Tracker

Gameplay Time Tracker is a free and open source application developed specifically for video game enthusiasts who want to track their gameplay time across different platforms. It allows users to manually log playing sessions for any game on any platform like PC, console, or mobile. Once games are added, the...

Keysticks

Keysticks is a free and open-source keyboard shortcut mapping software for Windows. It provides users with an intuitive interface to create custom keyboard shortcuts to automate tasks, launch programs, insert text, and more.With Keysticks, you can set global shortcuts that work across all programs, as well as program-specific shortcuts...

FreeToGame

FreeToGame is an online platform that serves as a curated database of free-to-play video games across multiple platforms such as Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and browsers. The website provides useful information and user ratings for a wide variety of free games spanning diverse genres such as MMORPGs, shooters, strategy...

Voobly

Voobly is an online gaming platform launched in 2007 that focuses on classic real-time strategy (RTS) games. It allows users to easily find opponents and play multiplayer matches of games like Age of Empires II, Rise of Nations, and Warcraft III.Some key features of Voobly include:Multiplayer lobbies and matchmaking...

IndieGameStand

IndieGameStand is an online platform focused on indie video games. It regularly offers pay-what-you-want bundles, allowing customers to get multiple indie games for whatever price they want to pay.The site works directly with indie developers, featuring their games in bundles to help promote them to a wider audience while...

Bethesda Launcher

The Bethesda Launcher is a video game digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications service created and developed by Bethesda Softworks. It allows users to purchase and play Bethesda games on PC.The Bethesda Launcher was launched in 2016 along with Bethesda's games Fallout 4 and Fallout Shelter for PC. It...

Game Center

Game Center is Apple's social gaming network, digital distribution, and multiplayer platform. It was first released in 2010 along with iOS 4 as a way for users to connect with friends and play games online.Some key features of Game Center include:Connecting with friends using a Game Center account and following...

CJS CD Keys

CJS CD Keys is an online store that specializes in selling discounted license keys and activation codes for a variety of popular software titles and suites. Founded in 2008, they have become one of the most trusted sites for finding cheap CD keys for programs from major developers like Microsoft, Adobe...

GameFly Digital Download Client

The GameFly Digital Download Client is a desktop application developed by GameFly, an online video game rental service. The client allows GameFly members to browse, purchase and instantly download games to their Windows PC.Some key features of the GameFly Download Client include:Browse and search a catalog of over...

Social Club

Social Club is a social media platform and launcher developed by Rockstar Games in 2008 for use with their video games. It provides social and multiplayer functionality across Rockstar titles on various platforms.Some key features of Social Club include:Ability to connect and add friends from within Social ClubOrganize online...

GameDatum.com

GameDatum.com is a comprehensive video game information and review website. Founded in 2019 by a team of gaming enthusiasts, the site provides detailed coverage of new and classic video game titles across all major gaming platforms including PC, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One & Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.The core...

Vizzed.com

Vizzed.com is an online retro gaming community and emulator website that allows users to play, create, and share retro video games and ROMs. The site features a built-in browser-based emulator that enables playing thousands of classic games online without needing to download emulators or ROMs.Some key features of...

RetroAchievements.org

RetroAchievements.org is a non-profit website that provides a metagaming and achievement system for classic video games across multiple platforms. Users can create accounts to track in-game achievements, challenges, and leaderboards for thousands of retro games.The service offers incentive for replaying and mastering favorite classic games. Players can unlock...

RPGMaker.net

RPGMaker.net is a free online community and resource hub for people who use RPG Maker software to create their own roleplaying games. RPG Maker is a series of game creation tools that allows users with little to no coding knowledge to build 2D roleplaying games. RPGMaker.net brings together...

Cdkeybay.com

Cdkeybay.com is an online marketplace that sells game activation keys and software license keys at discounted prices. It provides keys for a wide range of products from major publishers and developers including Microsoft, Adobe, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and more.The website offers substantial savings compared to buying these products...

Enjify

Enjify is a user-friendly no-code website builder designed to empower anyone to create stunning websites, regardless of technical skill level. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor makes website building as easy as arranging building blocks.Some key features of Enjify include:Drag-and-drop interface to easily add and style content blocks100+ optimized templates...

ShinyLoot

ShinyLoot is a free, open-source application that helps gamers track loot and create wish lists for their favorite video games. It is designed to optimize loot hunting and farming activities in RPGs, MMOs, ARPGs, roguelikes, and other loot-driven games.With ShinyLoot, you can log each item that drops as loot...

Green Man Gaming

Green Man Gaming, often abbreviated as GMG, is an online digital retailer selling games for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. They were founded in 2010 and are based in the United Kingdom. GMG works directly with game publishers and developers to offer discounted prices to consumers on the latest PC games...

GamersGate

GamersGate is an online platform for purchasing and downloading PC video games. It was launched in 2006 and has since grown into one of the largest digital distributors for PC games.Some key things to know about GamersGate:Huge catalog of over 7,000 games from AAA titles to indie games across various...

Get Games

Get Games is a digital distribution platform developed by Get Inc., launched in 2003. It serves as an online video game store and launcher for PC gaming. Get Games provides a library of over 50,000 games across various genres including action, adventure, strategy, RPGs, simulations, indie games and more.Key features of...

Alawar

Alawar Entertainment, Inc. is a game development company founded in 1999 that specializes in casual gameplay titles for PC and mobile devices. Some key things to know about Alawar:They are known for their extensive catalog of over 1000 casual games across genres like arcade, puzzle, hidden object, time management, and more...

Aurora Game Hub

Aurora Game Hub is an open-source video game launcher and management application designed to give users access to all their games from different platforms in one convenient hub. It allows users to link accounts from services like Steam, Epic Games, Origin, Uplay, GOG Galaxy, emulator platforms, and more to access...

FireFlower Games

FireFlower Games is an independent video game developer founded in 2010 by a small team of passionate game developers and artists. Based in San Francisco, FireFlower specializes in developing 2D platformer games for PC and consoles.FireFlower's games are known for their vibrant, retro-inspired pixel art styles, creative game mechanics, and...

DJL

Deep Java Library (DJL) is an open-source framework created by AWS to facilitate deep learning development using the Java programming language. Some key aspects of DJL include:High-level APIs for building and deploying deep learning models with just a few lines of code. This makes model development faster compared to...

KEYLLER

KEYLLER is a software program used for recovering lost product keys and serial numbers for installed software programs on your computer. It scans your system's registry and memory to locate license keys for over 200 popular software titles from companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk, and more.The software has an easy-to-use...

GameRankr

GameRankr is an innovative video game recommendation platform designed to help users discover new games tailored specifically to their interests and preferences. It utilizes advanced algorithms and data analysis to provide highly accurate and personalized recommendations.Here's how it works: When a user signs up, they input information about games...

Direct2Drive

Direct2Drive (D2D) is an online video game store and distribution platform where users can browse, purchase and download games directly to their computer. It was launched in 2004 and aimed to provide a convenient way for gamers to buy PC games digitally without visiting retail stores.D2D has...

NEXARDA

NEXARDA is an open-source, self-hosted password manager and secure digital vault application. It gives users a private, encrypted space to store passwords, sensitive documents, identities, credit cards, and other private data behind one master password.As an open-source application, NEXARDA provides full transparency into its code and encryption methods. It...

GamerDNA

gamerDNA is a social networking website launched in 2008 that is aimed at video game enthusiasts. It allows users to create detailed gamer profiles to share their gaming experiences, connect with friends to see what they are playing, log the video games they own and want, track achievements and trophies unlocked...

Gameolith

Gameolith is an open source HTML5 gaming platform that allows users to easily play classic console and arcade games right in their web browser. It utilizes Emscripten to port emulator cores to the web, providing lightweight emulation of systems like NES, SNES, Genesis, Arcade, and more.Some key features of...

Sila Games

Sila Games is an independent video game developer founded in 2016 by a small team of developers and artists. Based in San Francisco, Sila Games specializes in creating unique, story-driven games featuring hand-drawn art and animation.Their first release, 'The Journey Home', follows a young girl trying to find her way...

PLAYXPERT

PlayXpert is a comprehensive video analysis software built to help coaches and athletes get the most out of their video. It makes it simple to upload, tag, clip, share and analyze video from games, practices, scrimmages, and more.With an intuitive interface, you can quickly find important plays, track tendencies...

YoYo Games

YoYo Games is a game development engine and IDE created by YoYo Games Ltd. It originated as Game Maker in 1999, aiming to provide an easy-to-use game creation tool for novices and experienced developers alike.The core of YoYo Games is the GameMaker Studio 2 engine and editor. It allows users to...

GameStreamer

GameStreamer is an application designed to stream games from a Windows PC to other devices on the same home network. It works by capturing the audio and video output of games running on the PC and encoding it in real-time into a video stream that can be played on other...

Tiggit

Tiggit is a lightweight yet powerful project management and issue tracking tool aimed at agile development teams who want to plan projects through user stories, tasks, kanban boards, and more collaborative features. The software helps teams organize their work, break down larger projects into smaller, manageable items, and get complete...

DotEmu

DotEmu is a French video game company founded in 2007 that focuses on reviving classic video games through remakes, remasters, and ports. They work to bring old games from past platforms like the SNES, Genesis, Arcade, and more to modern systems.Some key facts about DotEmu:Specializes in revivals of retro...

Splitplay

Splitplay is a software designed specifically for gamers and streamers who want to stream their gameplay while also showing a webcam video of themselves. It allows you to easily integrate your webcam footage into your stream layout, displaying your reactions and commentary alongside the actual gameplay footage.Some key features...

Steam Tiles

Steam Tiles is a free, open source software application developed by Rafael Rivera that enables Windows 10 and Windows 11 users to create custom shortcut tiles for their Steam games. It integrates with the Windows Start menu to provide quick access to Steam games without needing to first open the Steam client...

Indievania

Indievania is an online platform and community dedicated to indie games. It serves as a distribution channel and storefront for independent game developers to sell their games to players looking for more unique and innovative gaming experiences.The platform provides an easy way for developers to upload and sell their...

Gametionary

Gametionary is an online video game encyclopedia and dictionary that provides definitions, descriptions, and general information on a wide range of video game-related topics. The website covers terminology, slang, influential people, studios, platforms, game genres, gaming hardware, popular culture references, and more.With an extensive database on all things gaming...