Best for: Owning a big PC library
Steam remains the default place to build a PC collection.
- Enormous catalogue covering every genre
- Workshop integration for player-made mods
- Refund requests accepted within 14 days if played under 2 hours
Editorial ranking · October 2026
Top 10 places to find video games online
Download stores, indie marketplaces and free browser portals, compared on four plain criteria. No paid placements and no affiliate links, just our own view of where your play time is best spent.
10 platforms4 criteriaScored 1–10
Side-by-side comparison
What each platform offers at a glance. Scroll the table sideways on small screens.
| Feature | Steam | Epic Games Store | GOG | itch.io | Poki | Newgrounds | CrazyGames | Armor Games | Kongregate | Miniclip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plays in a browser | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free games available | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No account needed to play | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Paid downloads | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| DRM-free downloads | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Our score | 9.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.8 |
The full Top 10
Order reflects our editorial opinion, scored against four criteria. Features change, so confirm details on the official site.
Best for: Collecting weekly freebies
Epic's storefront is best known for handing out free titles on a weekly rotation, which makes it worth a regular visit even if you buy elsewhere.
- Free games to claim on a weekly schedule
- Launcher for Fortnite, Rocket League and Fall Guys
- Large seasonal sales
Best for: Keeping games DRM-free
GOG sells games without copy protection, so you can download standalone offline installers and back them up yourself.
- Every title is sold DRM-free
- Offline installers you can archive
- Preservation work on older PC classics
Best for: Discovering indie experiments
itch.io is an open marketplace where independent creators upload games, tools and assets and set their own prices, including pay-what-you-want.
- Vast range of independent projects
- Game jams running throughout the year
- Creators can set pay-what-you-want prices
Best for: Instant play on a phone
Poki is a tidy portal of free web games that open within seconds and adapt well to touch screens.
- No install and no account needed
- Good touch support on phones and tablets
- Carefully selected catalogue
Best for: Community-made classics
Newgrounds has hosted creator-made games, animation and music since 1995, and players vote on what gets featured.
- Decades of games made by its community
- Player votes shape the front page
- Ruffle keeps old Flash work playable
Best for: Browsing a wide free library
CrazyGames gathers a large selection of free web games, from .io multiplayer arenas to 3D driving titles, and keeps adding new ones.
- Wide catalogue of free web games
- Busy .io multiplayer category
- Optional account keeps progress
Best for: Strategy and puzzle fans
Armor Games publishes a selected list of free browser games with a reputation for strategy, puzzle and tower defense titles.
- Strong strategy and puzzle selection
- Games are chosen, not mass-uploaded
- Player comments and ratings on each title
Best for: Idle games and badges
Kongregate is a veteran web game portal known for its badge system, a deep idle and incremental section, and a long history of browser RPGs.
- Site-wide badges and achievements
- Deep idle and incremental category
- Long archive of browser RPGs
Best for: Quick casual sports games
Miniclip is a family-friendly name best known for 8 Ball Pool and short sports and arcade games.
- Publisher of 8 Ball Pool
- Simple sports and arcade titles
- Family-friendly tone
Questions readers ask
Is OneStay Explorer paid to rank these sites?
No. Nobody pays for placement, there are no commissions and none of the outbound links carry affiliate tracking.
Which option suits someone who does not want to install anything?
Browser portals such as Poki and CrazyGames run games straight in a tab. itch.io and Newgrounds also have many titles that play in the browser.
Where can I keep games without copy protection?
GOG sells its whole catalogue DRM-free, and many creators on itch.io offer downloadable builds without protection as well.
Do these platforms involve real-money play?
This guide covers video game stores and portals only. We do not list or review any gambling or betting services.
How often is the ranking updated?
We revisit every entry each quarter. The current order was checked in October 2026.
Are the scores objective measurements?
They are editorial judgements against four published criteria. Read the criteria page to see how each mark is given.