IGDB vs BoardGameGeek

IIGDB9.1Visit BoardGameGeek8.4Visit

Higher score I IGDB #3 in Game Databases 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 5 features Visit IGDB

vs

BoardGameGeek #5 in Game Databases 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit BoardGameGeek

• IGDB fits best

  Free structured game data via API

• BoardGameGeek fits best

  Board and tabletop game databases

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Side by side

Feature	IIGDB 9.1/10 Visit ↗	BoardGameGeek 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.4
Ranking	#3 in Game Databases	#5 in Game Databases
Best for	Free structured game data via API	Board and tabletop game databases
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Support	Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features IGDB 2/5 · BoardGameGeek 1/5
API access	✓	✓
Quest data	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Character data	✓ (best)	—
Item data	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Ability data	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Web browser, Arcade	board games, card games, tabletop games, wargames, traditional games
Export formats	CSV, Protocol Buffers	XML, CSV
Our review
Pros	Free API access for non-commercial use Game, platform, character, image, and media metadata CSV dumps and Protocol Buffers response support	Broad records for board, card, tabletop, wargame, and traditional titles Collections, play logging, ratings, rankings, expansions, and community forums Selected XML API access plus CSV downloads for core game data
Cons	Commercial usage requires a partnership process Community contributions follow content policies API access requires Twitch application credentials	Focused on tabletop titles rather than general game databases Available through the web platform API access covers selected database data
Our verdict	IGDB is a web-based video game database operated by Twitch, built for people who need to discover, browse, track, or query game information. Its public catalog covers games, genres, companies, characters, platforms, systems, and related… Read the review →	BoardGameGeek is a free, web-based database and community site for board games, card games, tabletop games, wargames, traditional games, and related titles. It suits players, collectors, tabletop communities, and researchers who need a… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• IGDB — where it wins

  • Free API access for non-commercial use
  • Game, platform, character, image, and media metadata
  • CSV dumps and Protocol Buffers response support

  Where it doesn't

  • Commercial usage requires a partnership process
  • Community contributions follow content policies
  • API access requires Twitch application credentials

• BoardGameGeek — where it wins

  • Broad records for board, card, tabletop, wargame, and traditional titles
  • Collections, play logging, ratings, rankings, expansions, and community forums
  • Selected XML API access plus CSV downloads for core game data

  Where it doesn't

  • Focused on tabletop titles rather than general game databases
  • Available through the web platform
  • API access covers selected database data

• IIGDB9.1/10 · Free plan

  Free structured game data for browsing, research, and API-powered applications.

  Visit IGDBFull verdict →
• BoardGameGeek8.4/10 · Free plan

  A free web database for discovering, tracking, rating, and discussing tabletop games.

  Visit BoardGameGeekFull verdict →