The itch.io Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about itch.io in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
itch.io
The Insider’s Guide
Open marketplace for indie games, assets and tools, pay what you want
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among tools for selling digital products, read from itch.io’s own pages.
Made by itch corp · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from itch.io’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on itch.io’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 27 of the 28 other tools for selling digital products we grade
itch.io is a marketplace where creators upload games, game assets, tools, comics, books and soundtracks, and sell them or give them away. Using it costs nothing: sellers choose what share of each sale goes to itch.io through an open revenue share, with 10% as the default. Pages, downloads, sales, bundles and game jams are all hosted on the site.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about itch.io, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Setting up pages, files and payouts is on you, and collected payouts need a tax interview and staff review of each payout.
- 1
Best for indie games, assets and tools you sell yourself
itch.io is an open marketplace for indie games and assets, with no monthly fee and a revenue share you set from 0% to 100%, defaulting to 10%.
- 2
It is free
itch.io has no paid plan at all. No monthly fee. Sellers set the itch.io share of each sale from 0% to 100% (10% by default); PayPal or Stripe fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% apply too.
- 3
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
Project pages
Each project gets a page with files, images and a description, plus custom CSS and a widget you can embed on another site.
- 5
Flexible pricing
Charge a minimum, ask for a donation with free download allowed, or disable payments. Individual files can carry their own minimum price.
- 6
Two payout modes
Take payments directly into your own PayPal or Stripe account, or let itch.io collect them as merchant of record, handle VAT and pay you out later.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 27 of 28
That is against the other tools for selling digital products we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
itch.io is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
itch.io at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- itch corp
- Category
- Selling Digital Products
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for indie games, assets and tools you sell yourself
itch.io is an open marketplace for indie games and assets, with no monthly fee and a revenue share you set from 0% to 100%, defaulting to 10%. Processor fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% still apply, and tax and chargebacks fall on you unless you use the collected payout mode.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | No monthly fee, and the share itch.io keeps is whatever you set, down to 0%. That is under 60% of the category's cheapest quarter, though payment processing of about $0.30 + 2.9% still applies. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free to use with no paid plan. New accounts have a soft limit of 20 project pages and 10 files per page, which a normal seller will not reach and which can be raised on request. |
| Features | B | Project pages, pay-what-you-want pricing, two payout modes, sales, bundles and jams, download keys and access control, a desktop app and an API. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Setting up pages, files and payouts is on you, and collected payouts need a tax interview and staff review of each payout. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, plus an itch app for Windows, Mac and Linux, and an API. There is no phone app, and payments connect to PayPal, Stripe and Payoneer. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who itch.io is for
- Fits if you make indie games or assets and want to set your own cut for the platform
- Works for developers who run jams or bundles and give out download keys
Who it is not for
- Watch out: in Direct to you mode you are the merchant of record and liable for chargebacks and VAT
- Pricey if you sell very cheap items, because about $0.30 + 2.9% of processing comes out of each sale
- Watch out: collected payouts need a tax interview and $5 balance, and are reviewed by staff in 10 to 14 days
- Tight if you have a large catalogue, as new accounts start with 20 project pages and 10 files per page
Good to know
Good for
- Indie game developers and asset makers who want a free storefront
- Creators who want pay-what-you-want and download-key access
- Jam organizers and bundle hosts who share revenue with other sellers
Worth knowing
- Payment processing fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% apply per transaction in either payout mode, so very low prices lose a large share.
- In Direct to you mode you are merchant of record and liable for chargebacks and VAT; itch.io only handles these in its collected mode.
- Collected payouts need a completed tax interview and at least $5 available, and each payout is reviewed by staff, typically in 10 to 14 days.
- New accounts have a soft limit of 20 project pages and 10 files per page, which can be raised on request.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
itch.io is free to use.
Open revenue share
$0
Free to use. You pick what percentage of each sale goes to itch.io (default 10%); the payment processor takes about $0.30 + 2.9% as well.
The free plan
No monthly fee. Sellers set the itch.io share of each sale from 0% to 100% (10% by default); PayPal or Stripe fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% apply too.
Read from itch.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and Linux
Open marketplace for indie games, assets and tools, pay what you want. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, community, online store, digital downloads.
Web, plus an itch app for Windows, Mac and Linux, and an API.
- Project pages
- Each project gets a page with files, images and a description, plus custom CSS and a widget you can embed on another site.
- Flexible pricing
- Charge a minimum, ask for a donation with free download allowed, or disable payments. Individual files can carry their own minimum price.
- Two payout modes
- Take payments directly into your own PayPal or Stripe account, or let itch.io collect them as merchant of record, handle VAT and pay you out later.
- Sales, bundles and jams
- Run timed sales, set a goal on a sale, join co-op bundles that split revenue, and host game jams.
- Download keys and access control
- Buyers receive a unique download key. Limited releases, access control and early access with updates for owners are supported.
- Desktop app and API
- The itch app for Windows, macOS and Linux installs and updates games, and creators can push builds. A server-side and JavaScript API are documented.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Payoneer
- Patreon
- Kickstarter
itch.io is made by itch corp.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
27/28
Other tools for selling digital products it is graded above
itch.io's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 28 other tools for selling digital products we grade.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 28 of 28) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
itch.io has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 29 tools for selling digital products we grade, cut by the letter each got. itch.io’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 28 of 28
- AFree plan and trialAbove 20 of 28
- BFeaturesAbove 15 of 28
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 28
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 4 of 28
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 20 tools for selling digital products. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. itch.io is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
itch.io is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 28 other tools for selling digital products we grade.
What you could make
- Digital downloads: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
- A members' space with posts, chat and events that people keep coming back to.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, PayPal, Stripe and Payoneer among them, and has an API.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. itch.io’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Gumroad, Payhip, Ko-fi, Sellfy and Lemon Squeezy
The 5 tools itch.io is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Gumroad
Free
Sell downloads, memberships and courses for a cut of each sale.
- Only itch.io lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Only Gumroad lists iOS and Android apps.
- itch.io also covers community and online store.
- 2.6GPA
Payhip
Free plan · from $29/mo
Store for downloads, courses and memberships, with a free plan.
- Only itch.io lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- itch.io also covers community.
- Payhip also covers online courses and affiliate tracking.
- 2.6GPA
Ko-fi
Free plan
Creator page for tips, memberships, a shop and paid commissions.
- Only itch.io lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- itch.io also covers community.
- 2.4GPA
Sellfy
Free trial · from $22/mo
Store builder for selling downloads, subscriptions and print-on-demand.
- itch.io has a free plan. Sellfy does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only itch.io lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- itch.io also covers community.
- 2.8GPA
Lemon Squeezy
Free plan · from $10/mo
Merchant of record checkout for software, subscriptions and downloads.
- Only itch.io lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- itch.io also covers community.
- Lemon Squeezy also covers email campaigns, affiliate tracking and merchant of record.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is itch.io free?
Yes. itch.io is free to use. No monthly fee.
How much does itch.io cost?
itch.io lists one plan. Open revenue share: $0.
What platforms does itch.io work on?
itch.io is available on Web, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does itch.io have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. itch.io is listed for Web, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does itch.io have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. itch.io is listed for Web, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is itch.io open source?
itch.io is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does itch.io have an API?
Yes. itch.io offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does itch.io integrate with?
itch.io's listing names PayPal, Stripe, Payoneer, Patreon and Kickstarter.
Who makes itch.io?
itch.io is made by itch corp.
What are the alternatives to itch.io?
The closest alternatives to itch.io in our directory are Gumroad, Payhip, Ko-fi, Sellfy and Lemon Squeezy.
How does itch.io compare with other tools for selling digital products?
itch.io's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 28 other tools for selling digital products we grade.
Is itch.io good value for money?
ToolGPA grades itch.io A for value for money. itch.io has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of itch.io?
itch.io is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from itch.io’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from itch.io's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by itch corp. Prices change, so check itch.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- itch.io, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/itch-io
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "itch.io: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/itch-io
Know someone choosing between tools for selling digital products?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/itch-io/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded tools for selling digital products after itch.io, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Selling Digital Products Insider's GuideEvery one of the 29 tools for selling digital products we grade, compared
- Whop Insider's GuideStorefront, checkout and payouts for paid communities and products3.4 GPA
- Patreon Insider's GuidePaid memberships, a shop and community for creators and their fans3.0 GPA
- Digistore24 Insider's GuideCheckout and affiliate marketplace for digital products2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what itch.io’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. itch.io is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by itch corp. Prices and plans change: check itch.io before you buy.