Best free price tracker for PC game sales? How to avoid missing top Steam/Epic deals?
Hunting for PC Game Bargains: Your Ultimate Guide
The world of PC gaming offers an incredible array of titles, but the cost can quickly add up. Thankfully, digital storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store regularly host massive sales, slashing prices on popular games. The challenge, however, is knowing when and where to find the best deals, and how to ensure you don’t miss out on that dream game at a rock-bottom price. This guide will introduce you to the best free price trackers and strategies to become a savvy PC game shopper.
Why Use a Price Tracker?
Imagine buying a game only to see it go on sale for half price a week later. Frustrating, right? Price trackers eliminate this buyer’s remorse by giving you an informed perspective. They monitor prices across numerous digital stores, track historical lows, and often allow you to set up alerts for when a game hits your desired price point. This not only saves you money but also ensures you’re always getting the best possible value.
Top Free PC Game Price Trackers
IsThereAnyDeal (ITAD)
Considered by many to be the gold standard, IsThereAnyDeal (ITAD) aggregates prices from over 100 reputable digital storefronts, including Steam, Epic Games, GOG, Humble Store, Fanatical, and many more. Its robust features include historical price charts, a comprehensive wishlist system with email notifications for price drops, and even options to hide games you already own or don’t want to see. ITAD is incredibly powerful for tracking specific titles and discovering new deals.
GG.deals
GG.deals offers a fantastic, user-friendly interface that makes tracking game prices a breeze. Similar to ITAD, it monitors a wide range of official key stores and provides historical price data. Its standout features include a ‘Deal Score’ to quickly identify the best offers, a detailed wishlist, and a neat comparison tool that shows current prices across all tracked stores. GG.deals also features a ‘Free Games’ section, ensuring you never miss out on giveaways.
Enhanced Steam (Browser Extension)
While not a standalone price tracker, the Enhanced Steam browser extension is an absolute must-have for frequent Steam users. It integrates directly into the Steam store page, displaying historical lowest prices, current prices from other stores, and even Metacritic scores and howlongtobeat.com data. This allows you to make informed purchasing decisions without ever leaving Steam. It’s an invaluable tool for on-the-spot price comparison.
Maximizing Your Savings with Price Trackers
Simply knowing about these trackers isn’t enough; you need to use them effectively. Here’s how:
- Build a Wishlist: Add every game you’re interested in to your tracker’s wishlist. This is the foundation of smart shopping.
- Set Price Alerts: For your most desired games, set up email or browser notifications to trigger when the price drops below a certain threshold or hits an all-time low.
- Check Historical Lows: Always glance at the historical price chart. A 50% discount might seem great, but if the game regularly goes on sale for 75% off, you might want to wait. Patience is key!
- Filter and Sort: Use the filtering options to sort by highest discount, new deals, or specific genres to discover unexpected bargains.
Beyond Price Trackers: Other Strategies to Avoid Missing Deals
While trackers are powerful, a multi-pronged approach ensures you catch every possible deal:
- Subscribe to Store Newsletters: Steam, Epic Games, GOG, Humble Bundle, and others send out weekly or daily newsletters detailing their latest sales and free game offers.
- Follow Deal Communities: Subreddits like r/GameDeals are excellent resources where users actively post and discuss new sales across various platforms.
- Utilize Store Wishlists: Both Steam and Epic Games have their own wishlist systems that send notifications when games on your list go on sale. Use them in conjunction with third-party trackers.
- Keep an Eye on Major Sales Events: Plan your purchases around predictable seasonal sales like Steam Summer Sale, Winter Sale, Halloween Sale, Black Friday, and the Epic Mega Sale. These are often when the deepest discounts occur.
- Claim Free Games: Epic Games Store famously gives away free games weekly. Always check their store to add these to your library, even if you don’t plan to play them immediately.
Conclusion: Shop Smarter, Play More
Missing out on a great PC game deal can be a thing of the past. By integrating free price trackers like IsThereAnyDeal and GG.deals into your gaming routine, enhancing your Steam experience with dedicated extensions, and adopting smart shopping habits, you’ll be able to grab those top Steam and Epic deals without breaking the bank. Happy gaming, and happy saving!
