Steam vs itch.io
We compared 88 genres present on both stores. Below: how the stores differ overall and which genres are relatively stronger on each. Data as of October 12, 2026.
Key differences
- Steam is a store where people buy games: players are used to paying, and success is measured in sales and online players.
- itch.io is a showcase for indie and experimental games: lots of free games, jams and pay-what-you-want. It is a place for a prototype, first players and feedback rather than big sales.
- A common strategy is to put a demo or jam version on itch.io, test interest and then release the full game on Steam. The tables below show which genres suit that path best.
The stores in numbers
Medians across all genres on each store.
| Metric | Steam | itch.io |
|---|---|---|
| Games per genre | 2,131 | 4,225 |
| Share of paid games | 90% | 17% |
| Price of a paid game | $6.99 | $6.69 |
Genres that are stronger on Steam
| Genre | Niche on Steam | Niche on itch.io | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platformers | 32 | 12 | +20 |
| Shooters | 38 | 25 | +13 |
| Survival | 43 | 30 | +12 |
| Puzzle | 29 | 17 | +12 |
| Action | 9 | 0 | +9 |
| Horror | 39 | 31 | +8 |
| Fighting | 49 | 42 | +7 |
| Multiplayer | 46 | 42 | +4 |
| Online co-op | 54 | 52 | +2 |
| Simulation | 33 | 31 | +2 |
| Arcade | 30 | 28 | +2 |
| Adventure | 16 | 15 | +2 |
Genres that are stronger on itch.io
| Genre | Niche on Steam | Niche on itch.io | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden object | 30 | 66 | -36 |
| Solitaire | 28 | 62 | -34 |
| Trivia | 23 | 57 | -33 |
| Typing games | 29 | 62 | -32 |
| Pinball | 26 | 57 | -31 |
| Match-3 | 32 | 62 | -30 |
| Gambling / casino | 38 | 65 | -27 |
| Immersive sims | 43 | 69 | -26 |
| Monster collecting | 42 | 67 | -25 |
| Word games | 34 | 59 | -24 |
| Precision platformers | 33 | 56 | -24 |
| Runners | 22 | 45 | -23 |
How it is calculated and what the numbers do not show
Niche is a 0–100 score calculated within each store: on Steam from online players and game counts, on itch.io from player ratings and game counts. So we compare not absolute popularity but the genre’s position among others on its own store: “+20” means the genre ranks noticeably better on Steam than on itch.io. Prices are in US dollars without discounts; many itch.io games are pay-what-you-want and count as free here.
Data updated October 12, 2026 Methodology
More research: Best genres for an indie game · Genre popularity by platform