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In the US, a key store usually wins. We compared Steam's price with the cheapest reseller or key marketplace we track across 1,097 popular games. Steam was the cheapest option for only 15% of them. Even when the game was on sale on Steam, Steam won just 32% of the time.
And when a keyshop is cheaper, it's not by a little: the typical saving is 64%.
- of popular games are cheapest on Steam itself
- 15%
- when the game is on sale on Steam
- 32%
- typical saving when a keyshop is cheaper
- 64%
Three kinds of store
Not every "keyshop" is the same. GameValio puts stores in three groups, and the risk changes a lot between them:
| Type | Examples | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Official store | Steam, Epic, GOG | You buy straight from the platform, with its own refund policy. |
| Authorized reseller | Green Man Gaming, GamersGate | Licensed by publishers. Sells official keys you activate on Steam. |
| Key marketplace | Kinguin, Gamivo, Eneba | Independent sellers list keys. Buyer protection comes from the marketplace. |
Authorized resellers are nearly as safe as Steam: the key comes from the publisher and the store is an official partner. Marketplaces are usually cheapest, but a third party is selling the key, and that's where the occasional problem comes from.
What the numbers say
- 1,097 games with more than 10,000 Steam reviews and a US dollar price in at least one reseller or marketplace, on October 17, 2026.
- We compared Steam's price with the lowest price across Kinguin, Gamivo, Eneba, Green Man Gaming and GamersGate.
- Steam was cheapest for 15% of games. For another 6%, the keyshop was less than 10% cheaper.
- For 52% of games, the cheapest keyshop charged half of Steam's price or less.
Marketplaces beat Steam most often. Kinguin had the lowest price for 594 games and Gamivo for 255. Among authorized resellers, Green Man Gaming won 48 times and GamersGate 10.
Regional pricing is why the picture flips elsewhere. Run the same comparison in Brazilian reais and Steam is cheapest for 31% of games, 64% when on sale, because Steam's Brazilian prices are already low. We dug into that in Steam regional pricing: Brazil vs US.
Live examples
Each row shows today's price on Steam and on the cheapest option we track. In October 2026, the biggest gaps we found were on big releases with a high Steam list price, like these:
And three big games that Steam puts on sale often. The row shows which store is cheaper today:
Before you buy from a keyshop
- Check the key's region. It should say "North America", "United States" or "Global". A key sold for another region may not activate on your account.
- Look at the final price at checkout. Some marketplaces add a service or payment fee on the last step, and a 5% saving can disappear there.
- Forget Steam refunds. Steam's refund policy only covers purchases made on Steam. A key bought elsewhere follows that store's policy.
- Pick sellers with lots of reviews on marketplaces. It's the best sign the key came from a legitimate source.
- When in doubt, use an authorized reseller. The saving is usually smaller than on a marketplace, but the key comes straight from the publisher.
FAQ
Are keyshops safe?
Authorized resellers like Green Man Gaming and GamersGate are: the key comes from the publisher. Marketplaces like Kinguin and Gamivo usually work, but a third party sells the key and support comes from the marketplace. Pick well-rated sellers and check the region.
Why are keys so much cheaper than on Steam?
Resellers buy keys in bulk from publishers and pass some of the discount on. On marketplaces, sellers resell keys bought in sales, bundles or cheaper regions. That's why the gap is biggest on full-price releases.
When is it better to buy on Steam?
When the game is on Steam sale and the gap to the cheapest keyshop is small. You keep Steam's refund policy, which is worth a few dollars.
Are the prices in the rows current?
Yes. The Steam and keyshop rows update daily. The percentages in the text are from October 17, 2026.
