Steam vs Epic Games Store vs itch.io: Where Should You Publish Your Game?

Choosing where to publish your indie game can affect more than how much money you keep from each sale. The storefront also shapes how players discover your game, which features you can integrate, how you build a community, and how much work goes into supporting your release.

The opportunity is substantial. According to the Entertainment Software Association, 212.3 million Americans play video games at least one hour per week, highlighting the size of the U.S. gaming audience. But reaching those players is a different challenge from simply listing a game for sale.

Steam, Epic Games Store, and itch.io each offer a different path to market. Steam has an established discovery and community ecosystem. Epic offers a developer-friendly revenue model with specific publishing requirements. itch.io gives creators considerable control over pricing, presentation, and revenue sharing.

So, which platform is best for your game? The answer depends on your audience, business model, technical requirements, and launch strategy. Here’s how to compare them before deciding where to publish.

Key Takeaways

• Steam is a strong choice for commercial indie releases, offering established discovery tools, wishlists, community features, and Steamworks integrations.
• Epic Games Store stands out for its developer-friendly revenue share, including 100% of qualifying net revenue on the first $1 million per product annually.
• itch.io is ideal for prototypes, game jams, experimental projects, and developers who want flexible pricing and greater publishing control.
• Publishing costs go beyond platform fees. Account for commissions, payment processing, refunds, taxes, marketing, and ongoing maintenance.
• Discoverability isn’t guaranteed on any storefront. Store-page quality, audience fit, community engagement, and marketing all influence visibility.
• Multi-store publishing can expand reach, but requires additional work for platform integrations, builds, crossplay, and ongoing support.
• Choose based on your game’s stage and goals, not revenue share alone. Compare expected sales, audience reach, technical requirements, and long-term costs before committing.

Steam vs Epic Games Store vs itch.io at a Glance

Each platform serves a different purpose, even though all three distribute PC games. Use this comparison to narrow down your options before looking at the fees, tools, and requirements in detail.

The key distinction is that the lowest platform fee does not automatically produce the highest profit. A storefront with a larger audience may still generate few sales for a game that doesn’t reach the right players. A flexible platform can also be valuable when it helps you validate a concept before investing in a full commercial release.

Steam vs Epic Games Store vs itch.io: A Closer Look at Each Platform

1. Steam: Best for Commercial PC Game Releases

Steam is worth considering when you’re preparing a polished commercial game and want access to established store discovery, player reviews, community features, and developer integrations.

What makes Steam useful for indie developers?

• Wishlists: Players can save your game before launch and receive notifications when it releases or meets certain discount conditions.
• Store discovery: Tags, recommendations, genre pages, new-release listings, and other store surfaces help players find games that match their interests.
• Community features: Discussions, user reviews, guides, and community hubs give players ways to engage with your game.
• Steamworks: Developers can integrate supported features such as achievements, cloud saves, matchmaking, and Steam Workshop.
• Commercial infrastructure: You can manage store assets, pricing, downloadable content, builds, updates, and release settings through Steamworks.

Steam’s publishing process requires a $100 Steam Direct fee for each new app. The fee is not refundable, but it can be recouped through a subsequent payment after the product reaches $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam store or in-app purchases. See the official Steam Direct fee documentation for the applicable conditions.

Steam’s discovery system is useful, but it isn’t a guarantee of sales. Your game still needs a clear store page, appealing screenshots, a strong trailer, accurate tags, and a product that matches player expectations.

It’s also important to understand that wishlists don’t work as a simple ranking score. Steam explains that they have limited direct influence on algorithmic visibility, although they can support launch notifications and other discovery opportunities. Its visibility documentation explains how store placement works.

Choose Steam if: you’re preparing a commercial PC launch, expect to invest in store-page optimization and marketing, and can benefit from Steam’s community and technical features.

2. Epic Games Store: Best for Its Developer Revenue Terms

Epic Games Store is a strong option for developers who want to evaluate a more favorable revenue split, Epic’s distribution ecosystem, and promotional opportunities.

Its revenue model is particularly important. Under the standard terms, developers receive 100% of the first $1 million in qualifying net revenue per product per calendar year, followed by an 88% developer share and a 12% Epic share. The threshold resets annually, and qualifying revenue is subject to the program’s terms.

Epic’s official revenue-share documentation explains how the threshold works, including how it applies to individual products and eligible revenue processed by Epic.

Other advantages include:

• Self-service publishing: Developers can configure product pages, pricing, builds, offers, and updates through the Epic Developer Portal.
• Promotional opportunities: Store-wide sales, collections, and editorial placements may help eligible games reach relevant players.
• Regional support: Epic supports multiple currencies and payment methods for its global storefront.
• Developer integrations: Depending on the game, Epic Online Services and other supported systems can help with multiplayer, identity, and cross-platform functionality.
• Epic First Run: Eligible new releases can receive a 100% net revenue share during a six-month exclusivity period.

Epic First Run requires careful planning. A game generally must launch first on Epic Games Store and remain exclusive to third-party PC storefronts for the program’s six-month term. Publishing on another PC storefront before or during the qualifying period can affect eligibility or program terms. Review the Epic First Run program rules before building your release schedule around it.

Epic’s revenue terms are attractive, but they shouldn’t be the only deciding factor. Consider whether the store fits your target audience, how you’ll market the game, and which platform features your players expect.

Choose Epic Games Store if: its revenue terms, audience, publishing tools, and potential promotional benefits fit your commercial strategy, and you’re comfortable meeting its technical and distribution requirements.

3. itch.io: Best for Prototypes, Experimental Games, and Indie Communities

itch.io takes a more flexible approach to game publishing. Developers can create project pages, distribute downloads, sell games, collect donations, and experiment with pricing without committing to the same commercial release workflow as a traditional PC storefront.

It’s especially useful for:

• Prototypes and game jams: Share small projects, test mechanics, and collect feedback before committing to a larger release.
• Experimental and niche games: Publish unconventional projects that appeal to a specific community.
• Flexible pricing: Offer free downloads, paid games, donations, or pay-what-you-want pricing.
• Custom project pages: Adjust a page’s presentation to match your game’s identity.
• Community engagement: Use devlogs, tags, game jams, and direct communication to build interest.
• Browser-based games: Distribute supported HTML5 games that players can try without downloading a conventional PC build.

itch.io uses an open revenue-sharing model. Creators can choose the percentage of sales they contribute to the platform, with 10% as the default. Payment-processing fees are separate. Depending on the payment setup, creators may also have different responsibilities for tax collection, payouts, and transaction handling.

The itch.io payment and payout documentation explains the differences between direct payments and payments collected by itch.io.

The main trade-off is discoverability. A project page gives you somewhere to publish and sell your game, but it doesn’t guarantee substantial traffic. You may need to bring players in through social media, gaming communities, newsletters, streamers, game-jam participation, and your own website.

Choose itch.io if: you’re testing an idea, distributing an experimental game, building a niche audience, or prioritizing control over your page and pricing.

How Much Does It Cost to Publish on Steam, Epic, and itch.io?

Publishing costs involve more than the fee required to list a game. You also need to account for platform commissions, payment processing, refunds, taxes, marketing, and the technical work required to prepare and maintain each release.

1. Compare Upfront Publishing Fees

For Steam, the standard revenue split is commonly described as 70% to the developer and 30% to Valve, with the developer’s share increasing at qualifying revenue thresholds. Epic’s standard revenue model differs because of its first-$1-million provision. itch.io lets creators choose the platform contribution.

These models are not perfectly interchangeable. Their definitions of revenue, payment handling, and applicable deductions matter, so check the current terms before forecasting income.

2. Compare Revenue Share and Net Revenue

Imagine your game generates $10 in revenue before considering any additional deductions or special agreements. The following simplified illustration shows why the headline split matters.

These figures illustrate the percentage split, not a guaranteed payout. Actual proceeds can differ because of refunds, taxes, payment processing, currency conversion, other adjustments, and the terms of your agreement.

For itch.io, payment-processing fees can make a noticeable difference, particularly on inexpensive games. For Steam and Epic, don’t assume that the headline percentage applies to every transaction in exactly the same way. Read the relevant revenue definitions and reporting terms.

3. Account for Costs Beyond Store Commissions

Before choosing a storefront, include these costs in your budget:

• Refunds and chargebacks: A sale may not remain revenue if the transaction is refunded or disputed.
• Regional pricing and discounts: Your listed U.S. price won’t necessarily match the price paid in every country.
• Payment processing: Processor fees may apply separately from the platform’s share.
• Taxes and payout administration: Your obligations depend on the platform’s payment model, your business structure, and the jurisdictions involved.
• Marketing: Trailers, promotional assets, influencer outreach, paid campaigns, and community management can all affect profitability.
• Development and maintenance: Updates, compatibility fixes, customer support, and new content continue after launch.
• Engine royalties: If your game engine charges royalties, check whether the relevant storefront or payment arrangement changes those obligations.

The best way to compare storefront economics is to estimate how much you’ll retain from realistic sales scenarios. A platform with a lower commission may not produce more profit if your game generates fewer sales there.

Which Platform Gives Indie Games the Best Discoverability?

A storefront can provide discovery tools, but the developer still needs to make the game appealing to the right audience. The difference lies in how each platform helps players encounter, evaluate, and return to your game.

1. Steam Wishlists, Recommendations, and Store Reviews

Steam offers several ways for players to discover games. New-release listings, recommendations, tags, community discussions, and reviews all contribute to the experience.

Wishlists are particularly useful before launch. They give interested players a way to track your game and receive eligible notifications when it releases or goes on discount. They can also help you measure early interest and plan launch communications.

However, wishlists are not guaranteed sales. Some players may never purchase the game, while others may discover it only after release. Your store page should explain the core gameplay loop, genre, progression, multiplayer options, and distinctive features quickly.

Steam’s community tools can also support longer-term engagement. Players may share guides, discuss updates, post reviews, and recommend the game to others. These features are most useful when the game has a clear identity and the team actively maintains it.

2. Epic Games Store Promotions and Visibility

Epic offers store-wide promotions, collections, wishlists, and editorial opportunities. These can help developers reach players, but promotional exposure isn’t guaranteed for every title.

The value of Epic’s ecosystem depends on how well your game fits its audience and promotional opportunities. A strong store page, clear positioning, and a launch campaign still matter.

Epic’s revenue share may leave developers with a larger percentage of qualifying revenue, but that advantage should be evaluated alongside expected sales and the cost of supporting another storefront.

3. itch.io Tags, Game Jams, and Direct Community Building

itch.io gives creators a different way to approach discovery. Its project pages can support direct communication with players, game-jam participation, devlogs, downloadable builds, and browser-based experiences.

This is useful for games that benefit from experimentation and community feedback. A developer can publish a prototype, watch how people respond, and iterate without treating every release as a major commercial launch.

The trade-off is that creators may need to do more of the work to attract visitors. Sharing progress, participating in relevant communities, collaborating with other developers, and maintaining an audience can be important parts of the publishing strategy.

4. Does Publishing Guarantee Visibility?

No. Listing a game on Steam, Epic Games Store, or itch.io doesn’t guarantee that players will see or buy it.

Visibility depends on factors such as audience fit, store-page quality, launch timing, player response, competition, and marketing. Platform tools can support your strategy, but they cannot replace it.

Developer Tools and Technical Requirements Compared

A storefront decision can also affect development and support work. If your game relies on achievements, cloud saves, online multiplayer, or user-generated content, check what each platform supports and what you need to implement yourself.

1. Build Distribution, Updates, and Sales Reporting

All three platforms have different publishing workflows. Developers need to prepare builds, configure product pages, upload assets, set pricing, and test the release before making it public.

Steamworks supports build management, release configuration, and post-launch updates. Its release process includes separate store-page and build checklists, with review and approval required before release. Read the official Steam release process before planning your launch schedule.

Epic’s self-service publishing tools let developers configure product pages, offers, builds, and updates through the Developer Portal. itch.io lets creators manage downloadable files and project pages through its dashboard.

Regardless of the storefront, maintain a reliable release process. Test clean installs, updates, save files, supported operating systems, and any dependencies before publishing. After launch, keep track of player reports and release fixes when needed.

2. Achievements, Cloud Saves, and Community Tools

Steamworks provides integrations for features such as achievements, cloud saves, matchmaking, and Steam Workshop. Some features require implementation in your game, while others can be configured through the partner tools.

The Steamworks feature documentation outlines the available integrations and their implementation requirements.

Epic and itch.io offer different feature sets and workflows. Don’t assume that an achievement system, cloud-save setup, friend list, or mod feature will transfer automatically between storefronts. Some functionality may rely on platform-specific APIs, while other features can be built into your own game services.

If you plan to publish on multiple stores, decide early which features should be platform-specific and which should be managed by your own backend. That choice can affect development effort, testing, and long-term maintenance.

3. Multiplayer and PC Crossplay Requirements

For online multiplayer games, storefront selection can affect matchmaking, invitations, friends lists, account linking, and player population.

Epic requires games with online multiplayer functionality distributed on the Epic Games Store to support crossplay across the PC storefronts where the game is available, subject to its stated exemptions. That means players should be able to connect across storefront boundaries by default, including through supported matchmaking and session systems.

The requirement applies to applicable release stages, including Early Access, demos, and open betas. Developers must also provide a crossplay-enabled build to Epic at least four weeks before a public launch for testing and verification.

Review Epic’s cross-platform multiplayer requirements early in development if your game includes online play.

You can use Epic Online Services, a third-party solution, or your own compatible system. The important part is to design and test cross-store connectivity rather than assuming each storefront’s default networking features will work together automatically.

4. Developer Onboarding and Tax Verification

Each storefront has its own account setup, publishing checks, payment arrangements, and tax-related requirements.

Before you commit to a release date, confirm that you can complete the required paperwork, provide valid payout information, submit the necessary store assets, and meet the platform’s content and technical rules.

Also consider who will manage store updates, customer support, pricing changes, and sales reporting after launch. These tasks can become more complex when you maintain several storefronts.

Can You Publish the Same Game on Steam, Epic Games Store, and itch.io?

Yes, you can generally publish the same game on all three platforms, provided you comply with each storefront’s terms and any exclusivity agreement you have accepted.

A multi-store release can expand your potential reach and give players more ways to buy your game. It also introduces extra work, especially when storefront-specific integrations or multiplayer systems are involved.

Simultaneous vs. Staggered Releases

A simultaneous release lets you make the game available across selected storefronts at the same time. This can simplify the overall marketing message and allow players to choose where they buy the game.

A staggered release lets you launch on one platform first, learn from player feedback, and expand later. This can help a small team manage risk, but it may require separate announcements and marketing efforts.

Your choice should reflect the team’s capacity, the game’s maturity, and the value of reaching each store’s audience.

What Changes When You Release on Multiple Stores?

Before publishing the same game on several PC storefronts, plan for:

• Store-specific builds: Configure each platform’s SDKs, achievements, cloud saves, and other integrations as needed.
• Crossplay: Ensure players can connect across storefronts if your game supports online multiplayer and applicable platform requirements demand it.
• Pricing and discounts: Coordinate prices and promotions without assuming every store uses identical pricing rules.
• Sales reporting: Track revenue and refunds separately, then combine the results for a broader business view.
• Player support: Decide how you’ll manage issues, reviews, updates, and questions across different store communities.
• Release coordination: Test patches and hotfixes so players on different storefronts aren’t left on incompatible versions.

Publishing on multiple PC storefronts does not automatically mean you need a port. Porting becomes relevant when you adapt a game to another operating system, hardware platform, or technical environment.

When Does a Multi-Store Game Release Make Sense?

A multi-store strategy is most useful when the additional audience and potential revenue justify the operational work.

It can make sense for a commercial game with an established community, a multiplayer title that benefits from a broader player pool, or a game whose audience already uses more than one storefront.

For a small team releasing its first game, starting with one storefront may be more manageable. You can learn from actual sales and player feedback before adding more distribution channels.

Which PC Game Distribution Platform Is Best for Your Game?

There isn’t one best platform for every indie developer. The right choice depends on your game’s maturity, audience, business model, and technical needs.

1. Best Platform for Your First Indie Game

If you’re still testing mechanics or looking for early feedback, itch.io is a practical place to publish a prototype, demo, or game-jam project.

If you’re preparing a polished commercial release, Steam may be worth the additional preparation because of its store discovery, wishlists, community tools, and Steamworks integrations. Epic is another option to evaluate if its distribution terms and audience suit your release.

The important distinction is between validating a game and launching a commercial product. You don’t need to treat those as the same milestone.

2. Best Platform for a Paid Commercial Indie Game

Steam is a strong candidate for commercial PC releases, particularly when you want to build a store page before launch, collect wishlists, and use community features.

Epic can be attractive when its revenue model improves your expected economics and its requirements fit your game. itch.io can also support paid commercial releases, especially when you have a direct community or a niche audience.

Compare the likely audience and expected sales, not just the percentage of each sale you keep.

3. Best Platform for Experimental and Niche Games

itch.io is often a natural fit for experimental projects, short games, prototypes, game jams, and unusual concepts that benefit from direct creator-player interaction.

Its customizable pages and flexible pricing let you test how players respond before committing to a more demanding commercial release plan.

That doesn’t mean a niche game cannot succeed on Steam or Epic. It means the publishing strategy should match the game’s audience and the resources available to reach it.

4. Best Platform for Developers Prioritizing Revenue Share

Epic has the most favorable headline split within its qualifying first-$1-million annual net revenue threshold. After that, its standard revenue share is 88/12.

Steam’s standard split is less favorable at lower revenue levels, though its developer share improves at qualifying higher revenue thresholds. itch.io lets creators choose the platform contribution, but payment-processing fees and payment-handling responsibilities affect what they ultimately retain.

For a useful decision, estimate revenue at several sales levels and account for all applicable deductions. A higher percentage of a small number of sales may be worth less than a lower percentage of a larger number.

5. Best Platform for Online Multiplayer Games

For multiplayer games, focus on technical requirements and player experience first.

Consider cross-store matchmaking, account systems, session invites, friends lists, server operations, and how you will keep players on different storefronts compatible after updates. If you intend to distribute on Epic, plan for its applicable PC crossplay requirements from the beginning.

The right platform is the one you can support reliably without fragmenting the player base or creating avoidable maintenance problems.

A Practical Publishing Strategy for Indie Developers

Instead of choosing a storefront based on a single feature, build a release plan around your game’s stage and the work your team can support.

1. Validate the game before committing to a commercial launch.

Use prototypes, demos, and playtesting to find out whether the core gameplay works and whether players understand the game’s appeal. itch.io can be useful for early distribution and community feedback.

2. Prepare your commercial release.

Finalize the gameplay, store assets, pricing, builds, and release checklist. Make sure your store description accurately represents the features available at launch. If you need help planning or building the game, explore custom game development to support the work required to bring the project to market.

3. Test the release on the platforms you intend to support.

Check installation, updates, save behavior, performance, supported hardware, and multiplayer connectivity. Complete platform-specific checks before announcing a firm release date. A dedicated QA process, including Game Testing Services, can help identify problems before players encounter them.

4. Expand distribution when the numbers justify it.

Once you have evidence of player demand, evaluate whether another storefront could add meaningful reach or revenue. Factor in build maintenance, SDK integration, crossplay, support, and marketing rather than treating a new store listing as free distribution.

If your longer-term plan includes adapting the game to additional operating systems or hardware, Game Porting Services can help with that separate technical challenge.

5. Measure results across the entire release.

Track store-page visits, wishlists where available, sales conversion, refunds, regional performance, player feedback, and net revenue. Review the results by storefront to understand where your game attracts buyers and where your marketing is working.

This evidence gives you a stronger basis for deciding whether to continue with one platform, expand to another, or change your launch approach for the next game.

Final Verdict: Where Should You Publish Your Game?

In the comparison of Steam vs Epic Games Store vs itch.io, the best choice depends on what your game needs at its current stage.

• Choose Steam if you’re preparing a commercial PC release and want established discovery, wishlists, community features, and Steamworks integrations.
• Choose Epic Games Store if its revenue terms and distribution opportunities fit your business model and you’re ready to meet its publishing and technical requirements.
• Choose itch.io if you’re publishing a prototype, experimenting with pricing, building a niche community, or prioritizing control over your project page.
• Consider multiple storefronts if the potential additional reach and revenue justify the work of supporting separate integrations, builds, and communities.

A storefront is only one part of a successful game launch. Your game’s quality, audience fit, store presentation, testing, and ongoing support all influence its commercial prospects.

If you’re planning a new release or need help preparing a game for market, explore Cubix Games to learn more about game development capabilities and support.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which Is Better for a First Indie Game: Steam, Epic, or itch.io?

itch.io is a useful starting point for prototypes, game jams, and experimental releases. Steam is worth evaluating for a polished commercial PC launch, while Epic may be attractive when its revenue terms and distribution requirements fit your project.

2. Can I Release My Game on All Three Stores?

Generally, yes. You can publish on Steam, Epic Games Store, and itch.io as long as you follow each platform’s rules and any exclusivity agreement. Plan for separate store configurations, pricing, support, and any required cross-store multiplayer functionality.

3. What Upfront Fees and Revenue Shares Should I Compare?

Compare Steam’s $100 Steam Direct fee, Epic’s applicable publishing fee and current revenue-share terms, and itch.io’s free project-page creation and adjustable platform contribution. Also consider payment processing, refunds, taxes, and ongoing development and marketing costs.

4. Does Epic Require Multiplayer Crossplay Between PC Storefronts?

Yes, for applicable games with online multiplayer functionality distributed on the Epic Games Store. Crossplay must work across the PC storefronts where the game is distributed, subject to Epic’s stated exemptions and technical requirements.

5. Is itch.io Suitable for a Paid Commercial Game?

Yes. itch.io supports paid downloads, flexible pricing, donations, and pay-what-you-want models. Its suitability depends on your audience, marketing strategy, and how you want to manage payments and taxes.