Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

Head-to-head · Game Playtime Trackers

PlayCounter vs Steins;Tracker

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score PlayCounter #1 in Game Playtime Trackers 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit PlayCounter
Steins;Tracker #5 in Game Playtime Trackers 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Steins;Tracker

PlayCounter leads on 0 checks, Steins;Tracker on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePlayCounter · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth

PlayCounter scores higher on our rubric for game playtime trackers: 9.4 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #5.

On data export, PlayCounter gives you Multiple where Steins;Tracker offers Basic.

PlayCounter is the better fit for windows users tracking games across launchers. Steins;Tracker is the better fit for windows users wanting rich local statistics.

  • PlayCounter fits best

    Windows users tracking games across launchers

  • Steins;Tracker fits best

    Windows users wanting rich local statistics

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature PlayCounter 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Steins;Tracker 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.3
Ranking #1 in Game Playtime Trackers #5 in Game Playtime Trackers
Best for Windows users tracking games across launchers Windows users wanting rich local statistics
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows Windows
Support Community Email, Community
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features PlayCounter 1/2 · Steins;Tracker 1/2
Mobile app — —
Desktop app ✓ ✓
Specs
Tracking mode Automatic Automatic
Supported platforms Windows; Steam; Xbox; PC Game Pass; Epic; GOG; EA; Ubisoft; Battle.net; itch.io; standalone installations; DOSBox; Dolphin Windows PC
History retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Data export Multiple Basic
Our review
Pros
  • Tracks sessions automatically across major PC launchers and standalone games
  • Imports Steam and Xbox playtime and supports manual corrections
  • Includes searchable history, statistics, backups, overlays and launch actions
  • Automatic detection with sessions, goals, averages, heatmaps, and charts
  • CSV export plus per-game statistics and custom icons
  • Hardware monitoring and local-network dashboard access from a phone
Cons
  • Windows desktop only, with no mobile app
  • Game matching uses online lookups while history is stored locally
  • Launcher history coverage centers on Steam and Xbox imports
  • Windows PC only, with no mobile app
  • No verified integrations with other platforms or services
  • Pro features and downloadable content are separate from the free mode
Our verdict

PlayCounter is a free, open-source Windows desktop application for people who want one playtime record across multiple PC game sources. It automatically records sessions by observing running processes, without requiring special launch…

Read the review →

Steins;Tracker is a Windows desktop application for automatically recording game time locally. It suits PC players who want more than a simple total, with daily and overall playtime statistics, session logs, goals, averages, yearly…

Read the review →
  1. PlayCounterGame Playtime Trackers 9.4Free plan
  2. Steins;TrackerGame Playtime Trackers 8.3Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • PlayCounter — where it wins

    • Tracks sessions automatically across major PC launchers and standalone games
    • Imports Steam and Xbox playtime and supports manual corrections
    • Includes searchable history, statistics, backups, overlays and launch actions

    Where it doesn't

    • Windows desktop only, with no mobile app
    • Game matching uses online lookups while history is stored locally
    • Launcher history coverage centers on Steam and Xbox imports
  • Steins;Tracker — where it wins

    • Automatic detection with sessions, goals, averages, heatmaps, and charts
    • CSV export plus per-game statistics and custom icons
    • Hardware monitoring and local-network dashboard access from a phone

    Where it doesn't

    • Windows PC only, with no mobile app
    • No verified integrations with other platforms or services
    • Pro features and downloadable content are separate from the free mode

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update