The 19 Best Free-To-Play MMORPGs in 2024
Can we all agree that paying bills is the worst? If you’re hankering for some good ‘ol MMORPG action but dread the thought of another monthly payment, take a look at these free-to-play MMORPGs that offer at least a good amount of F2P content.
Fantasy, Sci-Fi, PvP-centered, story-driven, rich lore – you will find at least one title to your liking.
19. Secret World Legends
- Developer: Funcom
- Released: 2012
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is Secret World Legends Pay-to-win? Yes but paying is mostly for conveniences. The full game and all the content is free.
- For fans of Horror MMOs
Secret World Legends is set in a one-of-a-kind universe. It’s Lovecraft meets superheroes meet supernatural meets conspiracies meet magic meets the real world. The game offers more than 100 hours of story-driven content for free.
The missions will take you on a fantastic trip around the world from Transylvania to Seoul visiting real-world locations re-imagined in a dark and mysterious universe. Secret World Legends can be played entirely alone but social interaction makes it more fun so don’t be shy about joining a group.
18. Age of Conan Unchained
- Developer: Funcom
- Released: 2008
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is Age of Conan Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for items in the in-game shop that give you advantages.
- For fans of Dark Fantasy
Age of Conan Unchained describes itself as “sexy, savage, and brutal” and who are we to argue with the good people at Funcom? Discover the world of Hyboria as a Barbarian or any other of the 12 available classes.
Action combat will keep you on your toes as you slay terrible monsters in PvE battles and give your fellow players a hard time in open-world PvP.
Now, are ready to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women?
17. Rift
- Developer: Trion Worlds
- Released: 2011
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop.
- Is Rift Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for power in Rift. However much of the game is available to you are a free player and there is no need to buy power.
- For fans of Old-School MMOs
Rift came out in 2011. It was marketed as a WoW killer and we all know how that turned out. It’s a real pity that this game didn’t get more attention because it has some really nice features such as class flexibility, player housing, and dynamic events.
It’s a theme-park MMORPG set in a fantasy world. You have dungeons, raids, PvP, and everything you could want from a title of this kind.
16. Dofus
- Developer: Ankama
- Released: 2004
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with optional subscription
- Is Dofus Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay cash for currencies in Dofus.
- For fans of Anime MMOs
Dofus is a cute anime-style MMORPG with tactical combat. The character system includes 18 unique classes. Players develop their characters via a classic RPG progression system based on XP from monster kills and quest rewards.
The turn-based combat is the main appeal of the game. The graphics are cartoony and the in-game atmosphere is relaxing. However, don’t let this casual look fool you. The gameplay is catchy and you will end up spending many hours in the World of Twelve with your fellow adventurers.
Sadly, the game hasn’t had any more expansions lately but there’s plenty of content, and an active player base to keep you entertained for quite a while.
15. Warframe
- Developer: Digital Extremes
- Released: 2013
- Platform: PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is Warframe Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for power and advantages in Warframe.
- For fans of Shooter MMOs
Warframe is a free-to-play online action game set in an evolving sci-fi world. Build your Warframe with powerful weapons and participate in some of the best action combat available in any game.
With its unique mix of third-person shooting and melee combat, Warframe is unlike anything else on the market. The game is set in a war-torn future where players take control of Tenno, a race of ancient warriors who have been awakened from centuries of sleep.
Warframe is an incredibly deep and complex game with a vast array of different weapons and abilities to choose from.
14. Neverwinter
- Developer: Cryptic Entertainment
- Released: 2013
- Platform: PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is Neverwinter Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for power in Neverwinter.
- For fans of Action-Combat
Neverwinter is the original Dungeons & Dragons experience made into an MMORPG.
Players can choose one of the eight classes, take their character to max level, and discover all the content without paying a cent. The action combat is also engaging and fun.
D&D fans will appreciate this instance of the Forgotten Realms populated by iconic NPCs, villains, and monsters. The graphics are amazing and the game is not very hardware demanding.
Neverwinter is also available on PlayStation and Xbox.
13. Phantasy Star Online 2
- Developer: Sega
- Released: 2020
- Platform: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox, PC, Android, iOS, PlayStation Vita
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with optional subscription
- Is PSO2 Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for power in PSO2.
- For fans of Anime MMOs
Phantasy Star Online 2 is a free MMORPG that caters to both hardcore and casual players. If you plan on clearing end-game content, you should know that there will be grinding involved.
If you want to keep things casual, you will be more than happy with customizing your avatar and interacting with others while questing. The combat is fun and there’s lots of free content.
Phantasy Star Online 2 has Very Positive Steam reviews from thousands of users with hundreds of played hours, so you can be sure it is worth a try.
12. Blade & Soul
- Developer: NCSoft
- Released: 2012
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play
- Is Blade & Soul Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for power and advantages in Blade & Soul, but everything is fully achievable as a f2p player as well.
- For fans of Martial Arts MMOs
Developed by NCSoft, Blade & Soul is a free-to-play martial arts MMO that features stunning visuals and an intense combat system.
Blade & Soul turned five in 2021 and that’s quite an achievement for a Korean free-to-play MMORPG in an oversaturated Western market.
The game has lots of PvE content that’s not locked behind paywalls. All the classes are available to free players. The action combat is fun.
If you wish to be a successful end-game player you will need to spend some real money, but if you’re looking for a casual MMORPG with nice graphics you cannot go wrong with this one.
11. Palia
- Developer: Singularity 6
- Released: 2024
- Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is Palia Pay-to-win? No, Palia is designed to be enjoyable without direct pay-to-win elements, focusing more on cosmetics and convenience items.
- For fans of Cosy Games
Imagine a world where community and cooperation are at the forefront of your adventure – that’s Palia. This MMO offers a departure from traditional combat-focused titles, inviting players into a beautifully-crafted, immersive world rich with social interactions and activities.
Palia sets itself apart with its unique premise: it’s a community sim MMO that blends the charm of life simulation games with the vast, exploratory nature of an MMORPG. Here, you can build your home, form relationships with NPC characters and other players, explore a vast, enchanting world, and uncover the mysteries of Palia’s history.
What makes Palia intriguing is its emphasis on non-combat activities. Farming, fishing, cooking, and building are just the tip of the iceberg, offering players a plethora of ways to engage with the game world and each other. Whether you’re decorating your dream home, collaborating with friends to cultivate a garden, or participating in server-wide events, there’s always something to do in Palia.
10. Star Wars: The Old Republic
- Developer: BioWare
- Released: 2011
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is SWTOR Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for advantages in SWTOR, but a lot of the game can be enjoyed as a free player.
- For fans of Star Wars
Star Wars: The Old Republic is the free MMORPG that allows you to become a Jedi, Bounty Hunter, or Sith Lord and visit beloved places such as Tatooine and Alderaan.
Eight unique classes are available. Story-mode quests, dungeons, raids, and PvP are available to free players.
Regular events infuse the game with new content all year long. Whether you are a Star Wars fan or not, this game is a solid choice if you’re looking for a free Sci-Fi MMORPG that’s not Star Trek Online.
9. Final Fantasy XIV
- Developer: Square Enix
- Released: 2010
- Platform: PC, Playstation
- Subscription Model: Free trial that lasts the entire base game and first expansion until level 60.
- Is Final Fantasy XIV Pay-to-win? No, the in-game shop in FFXIV only provides you with optional cosmetics. Buying power or in-game currencies is not possible.
- For fans of Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy XIV is one of the most popular MMORPGs on the market, and for good reason. The game features an incredibly deep and engaging story, a wide variety of different classes and jobs to choose from, and some of the best graphics in any MMO.
Final Fantasy XIV is not technically free-to-play all the way to the end, but the base game and the first expansion are completely free, which last all the way up to level 60 and will provide you with hours and hours of story-driven gameplay.
8. Star Trek Online
- Developer: Cryptic Studios
- Released: 2010
- Platform: PlayStation, Xbox, PC
- Subscription Model: Free with in-game shop
- Is Star Trek Online Pay-to-win? Yes, well partly. Most of the game can be enjoyed without spending anything, but you can pay to skip some of the grind.
- For fans of Star Trek
If you are a Star Trek fan then Star Trek Online is a must-play, or at least a must-try, game for you. Why? Because of the stories. Constant updates add more content that’s based on events from the TV series.
Star Trek Online is a free-to-play MMO developed by Cryptic Studios. The game is based on the Star Trek universe
Beloved characters make an appearance as NPCs who are sometimes voiced by the very Star Trek actors that played them.
The best part? This Sci-Fi MMORPG has a loyal and active player base who just loves to argue about which Enterprise captain is the best and other never-ending Star Trek topics.
7. RuneScape 3
- Developer: Jagex
- Released: 2001
- Platform: PC, Mobile
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with optional membership.
- Is Runescape Pay-to-win? Technically yes, you can buy in-game currencies and advantages but most of the game can be enjoyed as a free player or with a membership.
- For fans of Old-School MMOs
RuneScape is one of the first MMORPGs. It was released in 2001 and it’s still going strong.
In just a few months since it was made available via Steam, it garnered Very Positive reviews and that speaks volumes about its quality.
The gameplay is different from what you are used to if you’ve played more recent titles but it’s definitely worth a try. The game is known for its memorable quests, charismatic NPCs, and hardcore progression.
If you want to go further down the legacy MMORPG rabbit hole, don’t be afraid to try the vanilla version as well, Old School RuneScape.
6. EVE Online
- Developer: CCP Games
- Released: 2003
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free with optional subscription and in-game shop.
- Is Eve Online Pay-to-win? Technically yes, you can buy ships in Eve Online for cash but they won’t give you huge advantages.
- For fans of Sci-Fi MMOs
The infamous EVE Online is not a game for everyone. Unlike most MMORPGs that strive to give you a pleasant starting experience and guide your first steps, EVE Online throws you into a ruthless dog-eat-dog world. Prepare to meet some of the most terrible characters ever…your fellow players.
This one is a community-driven MMORPG where your game experience is shaped by your actions and social interactions.
EVE Online is a unique game, truly hard to master, and, with the right people, one of the most interesting MMO experiences you’ll come across.
5. The Elder Scrolls Online
- Developer: ZeniMax Online Studios
- Released: 2014
- Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with optional subscription and in-game shop after initial purchase of the game
- Is ESO Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for currencies in ESO that will increase your power.
- For fans of The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls Online is another hugely popular MMORPG that features an incredibly deep and engaging story. Set in the world of Tamriel, players can choose to side with one of three warring factions and fight for control of the continent.
The Elder Scrolls Online also features a wide variety of different races and classes to choose from, and the game’s graphics are some of the best in any MMO.
ESO is free-to-play after buying the base game / latest expansion.
4. Lost Ark
- Developer: Smilegate
- Released: 2022
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is Lost Ark Pay-to-win? Yes, Lost Ark is definitely pay-to-win!
- For fans of Isometric MMOs
Lost Ark was one of the most highly anticipated free-to-play MMORPGs to be released in 2022. It features beautiful graphics, an immersive world, and a large number of quests and dungeons to keep you busy for hours on end.
Lost Ark is a mix between looter ARPGs like Diablo and Path of Exile and a traditional MMORPG.
3. Guild Wars 2
- Developer: ArenaNet
- Released: 2012
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free base game. Pay for expansions and cosmetics.
- Is Guild Wars 2 Pay-to-win? No, most of the items you can buy as a player will not give you any direct advantage in combat.
- For fans of PvP and PvE
Guild Wars 2 is a free-to-play MMORPG developed by ArenaNet. The game features dynamic and fast-paced combat, as well as a unique leveling system that allows players to progress at their own pace. Guild Wars has been out for several years and it continues to be one of the most popular free MMOs available.
Guild Wars 2 launched in 2012 as a one-time purchase game with no monthly subscription. In 2015, it switched to a free-to-play business model, and, judging by the number of active players, it was the right decision.
As a free player, you get access to the core game. This means that you will have to spend money to unlock the expansions, however, the vanilla game includes all playable classes, a rich story that develops around your choices, and plenty of PvE and PvP content.
The game has also aged beautifully. The artwork and graphics are just amazing.
2. Lord of the Rings Online
- Developer: Turbine / Standing Stone Games
- Released: 2007
- Platform: PC
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with in-game shop
- Is LOTRO Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for power and to unluck new content along with quality of life improvements, but most of the content is also available to free players that want to grind it out.
- For fans of Classic Fantasy
The game world of LOTRO needs no introduction so we will just talk about the gameplay. Choose from four races, ten classes, and more than 1,000 skills to create your Middle Earth avatar.
Journey from the tranquil Shire to the dark Mines of Moria and stroll through the ancient woods of Lothlorien.
The game’s unique take on the PvP system, player versus monster player, allows players to become Sauron’s minions and to fight others. Player housing, crafting, and a dedicated community are good reasons to give it a go.
1. Albion Online
- Developer: Sandbox Interactive
- Released: 2017
- Platform: PC, Mobile
- Subscription Model: Free-to-play with an optional premium subscription.
- Is Albion Online Pay-to-win? Yes, you can pay for in-game currencies in Albion.
- For fans of PvP MMOs
Truth be told, Albion Online is a challenging game. It’s not your average theme-park MMORPG. Instead, it offers a sandbox experience based on a classless system.
A character’s armors and weapons define its play style. You gain abilities depending on the items you equip.
From landowner to battle-hardened warrior, you can become anything you want to be, provided you have the right equipment.
Social interaction is guaranteed as the economy is player-driven with most of the items, gear included, created by players.
There you have it! Our pick at The Best Free-to-Play MMORPGs in 2024. Which one got your attention?
It’s a joke that EVE Online keeps ending up on F2P lists. It is a time-unlimited limited trial.
In a real F2P game, you can buy premium, but it is not necessary to play the game. In EVE Online you must buy premium to be able to play the game on equal footing.
The free PvP experience is crippled with a very low cap on skills, while you can go quite high in PvE. EVE Online is famous for being a PvP game, so not being able to play PvP with a free ccount makes it a joke to call it F2P. Sure, you can join a group and gang up on other players, but that is just a lame excuse – ten cripples fighting one healthy player is not an even fight.
It may be F2PvE, but definitely not F2PvP in a PvP game!
@Tom, I played this game for years pure pve never once did I pvp but I was part of a guild so when I needed to go to the null sec a couple of high level guild mates would come with me
@Tom, 16 year eve vet most pvp is done in cruiser and below ships which can be fully fit to pvp as an alpha.And as for 10 on one that is the same if your an alpha or omega a fight is a fight there is no fair fight. the only fair fight in EVE is you agaist an astroid.
i cant help but think these are ‘sponsored’. anyone who knows anything about gaming knows these are all bs except ESO, and even that one blocks a ton of content without going subscription to accumulate crowns, …..to buy the content. waste of time. shame on me for falling for clickbait
@ghost, ESO is the only one on the list that ISN’T free to play. It literally says you have to buy the game first.
@asdasdas, And even After buying the game it is incredibly difficult (not impossible) to play the game without a subscription.
@StygianWolf, ESO is the shizz bruh iv played ESO since before most these new gamers was born deffo the top one on the list
About Rift, it actually died out following a catastrophic update 4.0
I nicknamed that update the ‘we hate crafters’ update.
Since a large part of the player base were doing crafting and/or trading before that update, the game lost about 90-95% of its player base over a few months.
Trion tried several things to regain that population (or the appearance of it) but since most changes introduced with update 4.0 could not be reverted, they went bankrupt and were taken over.
Not sure what happened after that, since I lost all trust in this game, which I had played for several years.
Warframe is not Pay To Win. Everything is fully achievable as a F2P player. It’s one of the most F2P friendly games on the market too, by doing void key runs you get blueprints that you can sell for 1-5plat to other players. Most of the better stuff is sold for around 20-25plat per piece so you can easily grind the game and play the player trade market to get what you want.
Even grinding out gear is not bad since everything is achieve once in the game, once you have a piece of gear it doesn’t expire or need to pay to advance it or anything. The gear is just flat stats.
@Andrew, I agree, shame on them for slandering warframe, you can farm everything, even if you want premium currency its easy to get via trade, had 0 problem getting anything i want in this game.
dont tell somehting is free when is not -.-
Why does no MMORPG exists that is like second life with combat like street fighters for pvp only and following features:
It needs a better character creation than both genres and alien characters too – or catgirls.
It should also not have stupid helms mandatory but huge cosplay focus on character creation for clothes.
It could also have gta’s features for vehicle driving and police npcs, but that shouldn’t be the main focus.
you should also be able to select mixed gender aliens with male on tail and female between legs to reduce male picking pure female characters.
You should have pets that follow you around like pokemon Pikachu.
It should demand money only for premium features that are not about character creation but guilds and stuff like that.
@Philip Preißer, Assasins Creed is a perfect game it just needs cosplay and MMORPG elements
First of all the definition of free to play does not include Time trialed subscription-based games. It’s disingenuous to list them here!
It’s sad that only three games on this list are less than a decade old.
You should have put path of exiles on here to compare it to Lost ark and rip lost ark to shreds.
Because there’s fair free to play and then there’s predatory “free to play”
stores pretending to be games should never be in the best game list unless they’re paying you to put them here which I’m almost certain is the case.
Either they paid you or they didn’t but it’s not ethical to leave that out is this sponsored content or not?
SW:TOR is garbage and after 8 years of playing i can honestly say i cannot recommend it to anyone because :
-extremely toxic community
-HUGE inflation
-bugs
-unfair and biased community managers
>Is Guild Wars 2 Pay-to-win? No
yeah go try WvWvW with a core class and w/o kxtrainer
:°D
I agree with others, EVE is ‘free’ but super limited unless you pay. Also FF14 is listed as free? Its also only a trial. Who writes these lists?
“ESO is free-to-play after buying the base game / latest expansion.”
There is no way no one finds any problem with this.
wtf man, eve online is not “technically” pay to win, it’s just pay to use and for power and boost. they only allow alpha accounts to train skills till 5mil skill points, gotta pay for omega to train after 5mil points and it’s gonna boost the speed of training x2. other are alot more advantages for an omega account, like allowing you to manufacture more things and being able to use more ships after the battleship category and more ships in industry especially the orca ship since it is one of the most popular mining ships that gives you and your fleet advantages. you got 2 options for omega, either pay for it with real money, or you can keep on grinding somehow in the game to pay for at least one month.
Fix up
This is unfair to me
You think you can just say anything and I’ll believe it
Bet Cuh you think this is a game
You have your boys
I’m not a need I’m a want
I’m proud of you for pushing through today
I know you were tired
I know you’re being abused and neglected your entire life but you still manage to be an untouchable prodigy above all others
Cognizance beyond what any of these pathetic monkeys can dream
Musical talent that puts entire bloodlines to fucking shame
Mind and physique that outdoes everything and everyone
Small child in oshawa beaten to death after unrelated tiger shark attack in egypt XD fuck around and find out play stupid games win stupid prizes send beheading videos to soul mate
God bless i don’t have to pay strangers on the internet to make shitty vocal covers for even shittier ‘songs’ holy fuck lmao
all of you are rot
cancer is your karma
Buy One
Bartimaeus
Dark And Darker
Namu Amida Butsu
ESO pay to win? Have you even touched the game? Thats idiotic.
ESO is not free to play title of article is a Lie
First of all, Elder Scrolls Online is a pay to win. If you don’t subscribe, you spend 90% of your time battling inventory. Also, the community is very toxic as far as “play how you want” goes. They report you for ” harassment” and other things for 1. how you play (if you use emotes as a role player, they report you) 2. what you say/think (don’t say anything slightly sexual or controversial or get reported/suspended. Also, the developers will silence you during Twitch streams for asking questions. The crates are now a work-around system to illegal gambling by Zos. The “currency” that is free to get to “buy” the crate items will take you over 8 months of grinding with a weekly cap to get the Radiant Mount you want, which will leave the store a month or two after its released and possibly reappear again 2 years later. Also, either you have to spend real money (about 20 dollars) for each DLC zone AND about 100 dollars for a house that is included with the game/expansion you paid for, but they call it “DLC”. The game still has its bugs from Beta (I was a beta tester) and they don’t fix bugs unless it affects the Crown Store (the money machine for Zos/Bethesda). The game has disconnect issues, hackers, cheats, and at times bugs which prevent you from progressing (which they say: working as intended or a fix is coming….3 months later). However, if you subscribe, then you get all the DLC content “free”…I say free because you have to pay 15/month to access the DLC or actually buy it. There’s also a lot of scamming selling the crowns (money currency for the store) and you can’t buy crowns from others to “gift” you the crates for the illegal lottery system. PVP in the game is trash, everyone has the same gear set up, some even have the “immortal” build so they can just stand there and do nothing and not die. The “fix” for the “meta” builds is to nerf a class and/or gear, so be prepared to spend several million gold on gear, and have it become junk in an update.
“ESO is F2P after buying a game” yeah my house was also free after i bought it
Warframe is definitely not Pay to win. It’s pay to look prettier.
I played for 6 years, and only ever used real world currency when I decided I wanted get into the fashion side of the game.
Rift is now owned by Gamigo, and is a dead game. Gamigo are known for killing games. Their business model is to remove the developers, cut back on performance, hire cheap foreign labour, and then try to convince players to buy cosmetics from the store.
ESO free to play? Dont disrespect us please
FFXIV free trial includes the first 2 expansions, up to level 70. This happened 10-03-2023. Please actually use up to date info.
ESO is not pay for power everything you buy with crowns is cosmetic or to make life quicker or easier it will not enhance your damage. Even if your a player that “pays in game gold” for carries that only gets u a title (that does nothing) or better equipement which doesnt help if you have no idea how to play properly, and your paying other players for these not the company. Also Rift is almost dead in the water after the devs made so many changes to the game also it was very unstable for the large scale fights for events, a great pity as I really liked this game and thought it had a lot of potential.
ESO is NOT free. Shouldnt be on this list.