There’s no doubt Steam is one of the largest platforms to download computer games legally.

Whether you’re on a budget or maybe you’re curious as to how you can get free games on Steam, I wanted to showcase a few ethical ways you can take advantage of right now.

As always, I’m 100% honest and never push unethical products nor do I condone stealing.  This guide is meant to be used as a way to find free games on Steam LEGALLY.

How to Get Steam Games for Free

Start with Steam

The first starts with the official Steam platform, and I’m not sure you’re aware of it or not, but you can head to the “browse” tab and then simply click on the “free to play” button.

In doing so, this will take you to an ever-changing list of games that are 100% free to download to your account.  Just like buying, these games are added to your account and you will never be charged in the future.  However, in some cases, such as that of Fortnite, the game may ask you to purchase items in the game, which could offer a variety of advantages, etc.  It’s a great way to find newer games that may want exposure to even find games heavily discounted.  On the downside, some of these games are considered to be basic demos, which will then harass you to purchase the game once you beat the short-timed game.

If you don’t know which games to download, I like to pay close attention to the “new and trending” tab as well as the “top sellers.”  These usually show case a variety of new free games.  Of course, you can read the reviews as well.  In fact, I highly encourage you to check these reviews so that you’re not downloading something not worth your time.

Be sure to keep checking as this list is always changing!

Check Out a Steam Freebie subreddit

Reddit has a variety of “communities,” similar to that of a message board.  One, in particular, the “FreeGamesonSteam” does a decent job at posting some of the most recent free game options.

These subreddits are managed and operated by their members, so consider it like a community effort.  You can see what people have to say as well as which games people are recommending.

Also, check out /FreeGameFindings and r/gameDeals.  The only problem with these two subreddits is that they may have more games than just Steam.

It’s free to browse, so at least follow the link to see what’s hot today.

How to Get ANY Steam Game for Free Legally

If you don’t like the freebie list, I understand.  Usually, there’s not a lot to choose from, and some, as I mentioned, are glorified demo games.

So, if you want a particular game, but you don’t have the cash, then consider completing surveys or offers to earn Steam gift cards via reputable research companies.  If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s as easy as answering some questions and getting rewarded for your time.  It’s 100% free and you can start right now.

I have written on this very topic in the past, but I will quickly mention some of my favorites here:

• Swagbucks
• InstaGC
• PrizeRebel
• Mistplay
• GrabPoints

Whether you want $5, $10 or a $25+ Steam gift card, all of these companies offer the option, and it won’t cost you anything but your time to fill out the surveys offered to you.

SteamGifts.com

SteamGifts.com is a popular site people use to give away Steam keys people don’t want and/or just want to giveaway.

Every day, there are a ton of keys being given away, with a giveaway expiring every 10-20 minutes or so.  To start, you can connect your Steam account and enter the contests that make sense to you.

Gamehag

The Gamehag website will reward you to play games.  You get to choose the games you want to play, and in exchange for doing so, you can earn what’s known as “Soul Gems.”

With those gems, you can then turn around and cash them in for rewards such as Steam Wallet game keys, top-ups, and much more.  It’s 100% free to join.

Bananatic

Bananatic is one I have mentioned in the past a few times, and it works just like Gamehag.

Here, you can play and test games, collect bananas, which is the in-game currency, and then cash out for a variety of prizes, including Steam wallet game codes.  This is a great way to test out new games and get paid in doing so.

Then, in exchange for your time, you can get rewarded.  It’s truly a win-win.

Giveaways

If you want to test your luck, consider entering a giveaway.

To find this giveaway, it’s easy.  Just go to Google, type in something like “Steam Giveaway” and then make sure you filter your results so that you’re looking at the most recent options.  That way, you don’t find a stale option.

Browse through these websites and see what kind of giveaways you can enter.  As a word of caution, just make sure that you use an email designed just for this as you may see an abundant amount of spam after you enter.

Also, aside from these giveaways, check out another subreddit, steam_giveway, to see what’s up for grabs.  In many cases, only a few people are entering giveaways from what’s already posted.  These games do vary in regards to what’s being offered, and you should see a few posted every day.

Steam Game Swap

The last one I want to mention is yet another subreddit.  This time it’s the Steam Game Swap subreddit.

As the name proclaims, you can ask the community if anyone is open to a swap.  Whether you have a game key you don’t want or see an offer of interest, it’s a way to get a free game, however, it will require a trade.

I only recommend this option as you may have a key you don’t want and may find it beneficial to trade with someone else.

Final Thoughts

There are ways to get free Steam games, however, you won’t be able to choose what you want unless you complete surveys/offers, etc, and then choose a Steam gift card as your option.  Even if you find a way to “hack” the system, Steam seems to be pretty good at sniffing out those who find flaws.  In this case, you then risk your account.  Simply put, it’s something you don’t want to gamble with.

As long as you’re okay with testing out new games and don’t mind the idea of either entering contests or downloading a game via the “free to play” section, then you shouldn’t have a problem.  Just keep in mind that these won’t be your top sellers.  Instead, they will be older games or newer games that need more exposure.  99% of the time, these games won’t be the best you ever played.  I think it’s safe to say that.

That’s it for now.

If you have a method that I missed or maybe you want to comment on what I mentioned, feel free to do so via the comments below!