Neither Steam Direct nor itch.io is the better choice for every indie game. Steam requires a $100 USD fee for each new app and formal Steamworks onboarding. itch.io lets creators publish project pages without an upfront platform fee, set their platform revenue share, and choose how payments are handled. The practical choice depends on your budget, tax and payment workload, release process, audience, and marketing plan—not on a guaranteed sales or discovery advantage.
Steam Direct vs. itch.io at a glance
| Decision point | Steam Direct | itch.io |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront platform cost | $100 USD per new app. The fee is nonrefundable but can be recouped after the product reaches at least $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam Store or in-app purchases. | The Creator FAQ says creators can make project pages and upload files without an upfront platform charge. |
| Platform revenue share | Valve calculates payment from net revenue after applicable adjustments and applies the share specified in the developer’s Steam Distribution Agreement. The cited public FAQ does not establish one percentage for every partner. | Creators choose the platform share, from 0% to 100%. Payment processor charges are separate. |
| Payment and tax administration | Steamworks onboarding includes bank and tax information and identity verification. Valve says it collects and remits applicable sales taxes in covered jurisdictions; developers retain their own tax obligations. | Creators choose between direct payments, where they handle VAT responsibilities, and collected payments, where itch.io is merchant of record and handles VAT collection and remittance. |
| Publishing workflow | Partner setup and product submission through Steamworks, including digital paperwork and verification. | Hosted project page and files, with creator-set pricing and payment options. |
| Discovery evidence | The cited official documentation explains distribution mechanics but does not establish a sales or discovery advantage. | Creators can view page views, downloads, and purchases, but the cited documentation does not establish a comparative sales or discovery advantage. |
These platform details are documented by Steamworks’ Steam Direct Fee page, Valve’s Taxes FAQ, itch.io’s Creator FAQ, and its payment guide.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Sea of Stars - Nintendo Switch | $34.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Stray - Nintendo Switch | $28.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Indie Game Works: Inside the revolution that's transforming how we play | $37.33 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
My Arcade Atari Pocket Player-Console preloaded with 100 Games, 2.8" Screen | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
One Last Breath - Nintendo Switch | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
How much does Steam Direct cost?
Valve charges $100 USD for each new app, excluding Steam Wallet payment. The fee is not refundable. It can be recouped in a payment after the product has at least $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam Store sales or in-app purchases. Valve notes that payment can be withheld in cases involving charged-back, refunded, or fraudulent deposits. Check the current Steam Direct Fee documentation before budgeting, since platform terms can change.
The $100 is an entry fee, not the full cost of selling a game. Steam’s tax FAQ says Valve calculates creator payments from net revenue after applicable adjustments, including taxes, returns, and chargebacks, then applies the revenue-share percentage in the Steam Distribution Agreement and any applicable withholding. Use your executed agreement and Steam account reporting for the actual terms; the public FAQ does not establish a single percentage for all developers. Valve describes collecting and remitting applicable VAT, GST, JCT, and sales taxes in covered jurisdictions, but developers may still have separate tax obligations and should consult a qualified tax adviser for their circumstances.
#1 Best Overall
- A Turn-Based RPG Inspired by the Classics!
- Engaging Turn-Based Combat - Timed hits, combo attacks, boosting, damage types and spellbreaking.
- Unshackled Traversal - Swim, climb, vault, jump off or hoist up as you traverse the world seamlessly.
- A Story Rich Adventure - Dozens of characters and story arcs will take you on a captivating journey. A World You Can Touch - Need a change of pace? Go sailing, cooking, fishing or find a tavern to relax.
- The retail version includes: a double-sided poster with artwork by Bryce Kho.
How much does itch.io take?
itch.io uses open revenue sharing: the creator selects what portion of sales to share with the platform, from 0% to 100%. Its payment guide uses a 10% share as an example, but that is not a required or universal rate. Payment processor charges are additional, and their rates can vary with provider, region, account, currency, and transaction. A percentage alone therefore does not tell you what you will net.
When pricing low-cost games, account for any fixed per-transaction processor charge as well as percentage-based charges. A fixed charge can consume a larger fraction of a small purchase. Check the payment settings and current processor terms for your account before setting prices. The Creator FAQ covers project setup and pricing; the payment guide explains revenue sharing and payment handling.
Rank #2
- Stray is a single-player third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed, neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity
- Untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten cybercity in Stray
- Physical edition comes with 6 Full-Color Art Cards
- Don't miss out on this one-of -a-kind third-person cat adventure game developed by BlueTwelve Studio for Nintendo Switch.
Who handles payments and VAT on itch.io?
itch.io offers two payment modes. They differ in who processes the transaction, who is merchant of record, and who handles VAT. Choose based on your location, business setup, preferred payment administration, and eligibility for the mode you want.
Direct to you
You connect PayPal or Stripe and receive transactions through those providers. You are the merchant of record and responsible for VAT collection and remittance. itch.io says an automatic VAT collection feature can be enabled, but the seller remains responsible in this mode.
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Collected by itch.io
itch.io collects the funds, acts as merchant of record, and says it automatically collects and remits VAT. You request a payout later. The payment guide describes eligibility and review conditions, including a minimum balance and a seven-day transaction waiting period. It says reviews take at least seven days and typically 10–14 days; these are operational conditions, not a promise of a particular payout date. Confirm current requirements in the payment guide.
Which publishing workflow fits your team?
Steamworks onboarding
Steam requires digital paperwork, payment of the app fee, bank and tax information, and identity verification. This formal setup may suit teams planning a Steam release and prepared to complete the partner and product submission steps. The cited documentation does not establish that the workflow is easier or harder for every team.
Rank #4
- 🕹️Officially Licensed: Officially licensed Atari titles, ensuring an authentic gaming experience, includes bonus games.
- Portable Gameplay: Powered by 4 AA batteries (not included) or by a USB-C cable (not included). IMPORTANT NOTE: Please use standard non-rechargeable batteries.
- Collector's Item: A must-own for collectors and fans of video games, celebrating Atari's pioneering legacy spanning over 50 years.
- Headphone Jack: 3.5mm headphone jack lets you enjoy Atari on the go on your own privately. Built-in speaker with volume control and brightness adjustment
- 🎯 Iconic Titles: Relive iconic Atari classics like Pong, Yars Revenge, Breakout, Asteroids Centipede, Missile Command, and many more with 100 games in one compact unit.
itch.io project pages
itch.io allows creators to set up a hosted project page, upload files and images, and make a project free or set a minimum price. Its creator tools report page views, downloads, and purchases. That can be useful for managing a downloadable release and checking how visitors interact with a page, but it does not by itself demonstrate sales performance relative to Steam.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does either platform offer better discovery or more sales?
The official documentation cited here does not provide comparable sales, audience, or discovery data, so it cannot support a claim that either platform will sell more copies or make a game easier to discover. Nor does the lack of comparative evidence show that the platforms perform equally. Results depend on the particular game and its audience, the store or project page, launch preparation, community, and the developer’s marketing capacity.
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- Silent narrative. Mind-solving puzzles.
- No text – No HUD. Only immersion.
- Nature as a game mechanic.
- Includes game manual.
- Languages: English, French, German, and Spanish.
Use evidence from your own audience where possible: playtest feedback, mailing-list or community engagement, wishlists or other platform-specific signals available to you, and the response to earlier releases. Treat a platform’s publishing features and analytics as tools, not a guarantee of traffic or purchases.
Quick Recap
How to choose between Steam Direct and itch.io
- Set a launch budget. Include Steam’s $100-per-app fee if you choose Steam, plus payment processing costs and the revenue share that applies to your sales. On itch.io, choose a platform share and account for processor charges rather than assuming a 0% platform share means no transaction costs.
- Decide how much payment and tax administration you can take on. Compare Steam’s onboarding and applicable tax handling with itch.io’s two payment modes. Consider where you operate and what accounting support you have; this is a platform comparison, not personalized tax advice.
- Match the workflow to your release. Consider whether Steamworks partner setup and product submission or an itch.io hosted project page and downloadable files better suit your team’s build, launch, and update process.
- Assess audience fit using your own evidence. Identify where likely players already engage with your game or community. Do not infer a sales advantage from platform features alone.
- Check terms before distributing on multiple services. The official pages cited here do not settle whether your particular release may be distributed simultaneously or whether any exclusivity terms apply. Review the applicable agreements and current platform terms before making that decision.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
