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PC Gaming Platforms · Tool Face-Off

Steam vs Epic Games Store

Quick answer

Steam is the undisputed king of PC gaming with an unmatched library and community features, but Epic fights back with free weekly games and exclusive deals that can save serious cash.

Our pick
Steam
The PC gaming behemoth with 50,000+ games and a feature set that spoils you rotten.
4.5★
VS
Epic Games Store
The scrappy challenger handing out free games every week while poaching exclusives.
3.3★
Active game listings
50,000+
~1,500
Developer revenue cut
30% (drops to 25%/20% after thresholds)
12% flat
Free games program
Rare rotating freebies
1-2 free games every week, guaranteed
Sale discounts
Up to 90% off; seasonal sales 4x/year
Up to 75% off + $10 coupons periodically
User reviews
Yes — millions of reviews per title
No user reviews
Workshop / mod support
Steam Workshop with millions of mods
No native mod support
Cloud saves
Yes — developer opt-in
Yes — automatic for all titles
Family sharing
Yes (up to 5 accounts)
No
Controller support
Extensive — remapping for any controller
Basic support
Linux / Steam Deck support
Yes — Proton compatibility layer
No official Linux client
Achievements
Yes + global completion stats
Yes — basic achievements
Client RAM usage (approx.)
~350–500 MB
~150–250 MB

Steam

Game Library★★★★★
Developer Tools★★★★½
Pricing & Deals★★★★☆
Platform Features★★★★★
Community & Social★★★★★
Performance & Client★★★½☆

Epic Games Store

Game Library★★★☆☆
Developer Tools★★★★☆
Pricing & Deals★★★★½
Platform Features★★½☆☆
Community & Social★★☆☆☆
Performance & Client★★★★☆

Worth knowing

Epic has given away free games worth over $14,000 in total retail value — so technically you've been missing out on thousands of dollars of guilt-inducing unplayed games.

If you want

You want the biggest library and best community features

Steam's 50,000+ titles, mod workshop, reviews, and Steam Deck support make it the obvious default for any PC gamer.

→ Pick Steam
If you want

You want to save money with minimal effort

Epic's weekly free games alone can pad your library with AAA titles without spending a cent.

→ Pick Epic Games Store
If you want

You're an indie developer self-publishing a game

Epic's 12% cut vs Steam's 30% means dramatically more revenue per sale, especially at lower volume.

→ Pick Epic Games Store
If you want

You game on Linux or own a Steam Deck

Steam's Proton layer and native Deck support make it the only real choice — Epic doesn't even have a Linux client.

→ Pick Steam
Rockstar Games LauncherVSEpic Games Store
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Rockstar Games LauncherVSSteam
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