Steam vs Epic Games Store: Which Platform Has Better Game Deals?

Two platforms dominate PC gaming in 2026: Steam and the Epic Games Store. Both offer thousands of titles, seasonal sales, and exclusive content — but they take very different approaches to attracting players. If you are trying to decide where to spend your gaming budget, this comparison will help you understand the strengths of each platform.

Steam: The Established Giant

Steam has been the dominant PC gaming platform since 2003. With over 50,000 games in its catalogue and hundreds of millions of registered accounts, it is the undisputed home of PC gaming.

• Massive library — Steam hosts virtually every major PC release, plus thousands of indie games. If a game exists on PC, it is almost certainly on Steam.
• Frequent sales — Steam runs four major sales per year: Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring sales, plus weekly and daily deals. Discounts regularly hit 50–90% off.
• Steam Deck support — Valve’s handheld gaming PC uses Steam as its native platform. If you own a Steam Deck, Steam is essential.
• Community features — Steam Workshop (mods), community hubs, reviews, achievements, trading cards, and Steam Cloud saves are all deeply integrated.
• Family sharing — Share your library with up to five family members.

The downside: Steam takes a 30% cut from developers (decreasing for high earners), which critics argue keeps base prices higher than necessary. However, Steam’s sales often make up for this.

Epic Games Store: The Challenger

Epic launched its storefront in 2018 with a developer-friendly 12% revenue cut and a strategy of giving away free games every week to build its user base. It has largely succeeded — Epic has given away games worth hundreds of euros over the years.

• Free weekly games — Epic’s most famous feature. Every week, one or more games are available for free. Titles like GTA V, Civilisation VI, and Control have all been given away. Once claimed, the game is yours forever.
• Exclusives — Epic has secured timed exclusives for major titles. Games like the original Fortnite, Alan Wake 2, and various indie hits launched on Epic first.
• Simpler interface — Epic’s store is cleaner and less cluttered than Steam, which some users prefer.
• Megasales coupons — Epic regularly offers £10/€10 off any game over £14.99/€14.99, effectively making many titles free or very cheap during sales.

The downside: Epic’s library is much smaller than Steam’s, its community features are minimal, and many games are not available there at all.

Price Comparison: Popular Titles

For games available on both platforms, prices are usually identical (publishers set the same price everywhere). The difference comes in sales and promotions:

• Cyberpunk 2077 — Full price €59.99 on both. Epic occasionally offers coupons bringing it to €49.99.
• Elden Ring — Steam only (not on Epic). Often 30–40% off during Steam sales.
• Fortnite — Free-to-play, Epic exclusive.
• Hades — Available on both at identical prices, but the Epic version has had coupon promotions.

For the best ongoing discounts, Steam sales are generally more consistent and deeper. But Epic’s free games programme has an unbeatable value proposition — if you claim free games regularly, your library grows for nothing.

Verdict: Which Platform Should You Use?

The honest answer: use both. Create a free account on each platform, claim Epic’s free weekly games, and buy discounted titles wherever they are cheapest. The two platforms are not mutually exclusive.

For the widest game selection, community features, and Steam Deck compatibility, Steam is the primary home for most PC gamers. For free games and the occasional deep coupon deal, keep Epic installed alongside it.

Regardless of which platform you prefer, you can save even more by buying game keys for either platform from AllDigitalKeys.com. We stock Steam keys, Epic keys, and platform-specific codes at prices below the official store — delivered instantly to your inbox.