This guide is for new Steam users, and for anyone who sees "free game" posts on social media and is not sure which ones they actually get to keep. You will learn how the five common kinds of free access on Steam work, what to look for on a store page to tell them apart, and the mistakes people most often make.
Back in the DOS days, "free" usually meant shareware or a demo on a magazine cover disc that stopped after the first episode and asked you to order the full version. Steam splits the idea into several distinct models. Some are genuine giveaways, some are time-limited loans, and some are permanently free games funded by in-game purchases. They all say "free," but the outcome is very different.
The Five Types at a Glance
- Free to keep: A paid game is temporarily priced at zero. Claim it during the promotion and the license stays in your library permanently.
- Free weekend: A paid game is playable for free during an event. When the event ends you can no longer launch it unless you buy it.
- Free-to-play (F2P): The base game is always free and is funded by in-game purchases.
- Demo: A slice of a game offered so you can try it, usually without a claim deadline.
- Playtest: A pre-release test build. The developer controls who gets in and for how long.
Free to Keep
This is the type our site tracks. A publisher sets a paid game's price to zero for a limited period. If you click the claim button on the store page during that window, the license is added to your account and remains there after the price goes back up.
How to recognise it
- The price block shows the original price struck through, a 100% discount, and an end time for the offer.
- The button usually says something like "Add to Account" rather than "Play Game."
- Once claimed, the store page shows that the game is in your library.
What matters
You must claim it before the deadline. Seeing the announcement is not enough. You do not have to download it right away; the license is what counts. For current giveaways, see our free games page (Free Games), and for a walkthrough of the claim process, see our guide to claiming free-to-keep games (How to Claim Free-to-Keep Games on Steam).
Free Weekends
A free weekend is a time-limited trial. The publisher lets everyone play the full game during the event, often alongside a discount, hoping people will buy it.
How to recognise it
- A banner on the store page says the game is free to play until a certain time.
- The button says "Play Game" or "Install," not "Add to Account."
- The game appears in your library temporarily, but you do not own a permanent license.
After it ends
The game may stay listed in your library but will not launch until you buy it. Whether your progress carries over depends on the game. Titles that use Steam Cloud or server-side saves usually let you continue after purchase; local saves remain as long as you have not deleted them.
Free-to-Play
Free-to-play is a business model, not an event. Games such as Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 can be downloaded for free at any time, and they earn money through cosmetics, passes and other in-game purchases.
How it differs from free to keep
- There is no deadline; you can always download it later.
- Adding an F2P game to your library gives you a free license, which is different from a purchased or claimed license.
- Our free list deliberately excludes regular F2P games, because there is no urgency to claim them and mixing them in makes the list less useful.
Things to keep in mind
F2P games often include microtransactions and randomised reward mechanics. If you are setting up an account for a child, Steam's family features can help you control spending.
Demos
A demo is a portion of a game: a few opening levels, a standalone chapter or a restricted version. Most demos can be downloaded directly from the store page at any time.
- Demos appear as separate entries in your library.
- Some games let demo progress carry over to the full version, but many do not. Check the store page or developer notes.
- Some demos are only available during events such as Steam Next Fest and may be removed afterwards. Our Next Fest guide explains how those events work (Steam Next Fest Explained).
Playtests
Playtest is a Steam feature for developers. The store page shows a button to request access, and the developer decides how many people get in and when the test starts and ends.
- The goal is feedback, so builds can be unfinished, buggy or change without warning.
- Requesting access does not guarantee a spot.
- When the test ends, the build usually stops working, and progress normally does not transfer to the released game.
A Quick Checklist
When you see "free" on a store page, work through these questions:
- Is the original price struck through with a 100% discount and an end time? It is probably free to keep.
- Does the button say add to account or play game? The first suggests a permanent license; the second needs a closer look.
- Is there a free weekend or limited-time play banner? Then access ends with the event.
- Is the game marked free-to-play with no end time? That is F2P.
- Does the library entry have "Demo" or "Playtest" in its name?
Common Mistakes
- Treating a free weekend as a giveaway and discovering later that the game is locked.
- Not claiming immediately. The whole point of free to keep is the deadline.
- Hoarding F2P games as if they were valuable claims. They are always available.
- Assuming demo saves carry over. It depends on the game.
- Thinking a wishlist entry is a claim. Wishlisting only tracks a game; it does not grant a license.
FAQ
Q: Can a game I claimed for free be taken back later?
In normal circumstances a game claimed during a free-to-keep promotion becomes a permanent license on your account. Even if a game is later removed from sale, existing owners can usually still download it from their library, but check Steam's official support pages and the publisher's notes for specifics.
Q: If I buy a game after a free weekend, is my progress still there?
It depends on how the game saves. Steam Cloud and server-side saves generally carry over, and local saves remain unless you deleted them.
Q: Can I remove a free-to-play game from my library?
Yes. Steam lets you remove free licenses, and you can add the game again later. Avoid removing licenses for games you bought or claimed.
Q: How do I join a playtest?
Find the request access button on the game's store page and wait. The developer decides who gets in and when.
Q: Why does this site only list free-to-keep games?
Because those are the ones with a real deadline, so timely alerts matter most. Mixing in free weekends and F2P titles causes confusion, so our list excludes them and only shows offers that pass our confidence check.