itch.io is where most indie developers publish first, and its economics are genuinely different from Steam’s. Understanding those differences decides whether you make anything.
The Revenue Split Is Yours to Choose
itch.io lets you set the platform’s cut, including zero. That is unusual and worth understanding rather than exploiting thoughtlessly — the platform survives on it, and most developers leave a reasonable share.
Steam takes a fixed cut and charges an upfront fee per title. itch.io has no upfront cost, which is why it is where things get published first.
Pay What You Want Actually Works
Setting a suggested price with a minimum of zero sounds like giving the game away. In practice a meaningful share of people pay, and often above the suggestion.
It removes the decision friction that kills small purchases. Someone who would never risk five dollars on an unknown developer will download for free, enjoy it, and then pay.
What itch.io Is Good For
- Game jam entries — it is the default host, and jam traffic is real traffic
- Prototypes and experiments — no gatekeeping, no fee, publish today
- Asset packs — a genuinely underrated income stream for artists
- Building an audience before a Steam launch
- Browser games — HTML5 support is first-class, and playing without downloading massively increases how many people try it
What It Is Not Good For
Discovery at scale. itch.io has far less algorithmic promotion than Steam, so traffic comes from your own audience, jams, bundles and external links.
Nobody launches on itch.io and gets found by accident. That is the honest trade for zero friction.
Selling Assets Rather Than Games
Worth considering if you are a 3D artist rather than a developer. Asset packs sell steadily, need no ongoing support, and the audience is already there hunting for exactly that.
Our guide to selling 3D models covers what actually sells — and the answer is consistently “useful” rather than “impressive.”
The Page Still Matters
Less algorithm does not mean less presentation. A clear cover image, a short GIF showing gameplay, and a one-line description of what the game is will out-convert a wall of text every time.
Most of what applies to a Steam page applies here too.
The Realistic Strategy
Publish on itch.io to finish things, build an audience and learn what people respond to. Move to Steam when you have something worth the fee and a wishlist base to launch with.
They are stages, not competitors.
