RAWG review
A broad game-data API with strong free access and a $149 monthly Business tier.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
RAWG is a web-based video game database and discovery service for developers, publishers and product teams building game catalogs, discovery tools or recommendation experiences. Its searchable records cover descriptions, genres, release dates, developers, publishers, platforms, system requirements, store links, ratings, screenshots and gameplay videos. Users can also organize libraries and lists, rate games, share opinions and explore similar titles. The API supports a wide range of platforms, from PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 5 to mobile, Nintendo, Linux and older systems.
The published plans separate personal discovery projects from commercial products. The Free plan is intended for personal, hobby and non-commercial projects and requires backlinks to RAWG. The Business plan costs $149 per month, billed monthly, and adds commercial use, where-to-buy links, similar games, gameplay videos, relevant Twitch and YouTube videos, and email support. Enterprise adds a downloadable file API, custom data requests and priority email support. This structure makes the free tier suitable for experimentation and non-commercial projects, while teams shipping a paid product need to budget for at least the Business plan.
RAWG’s main strength is breadth: metadata sits alongside ESRB and Metacritic ratings, media, DLC and franchise relationships, recommendations, user libraries, lists, ratings and opinions, plus player activity and Steam average playtime. That combination suits applications where discovery and context matter as much as basic title records. Teams that need a wide catalog, recommendation inputs and platform-specific information should consider RAWG. A narrower game-data service may be a better fit for projects that need only a small set of basic records or do not need its broader discovery features.
RAWG pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Detailed metadata, ratings, media, DLC and franchise relationships
- Recommendations plus player activity and Steam average playtime
- Free API access for personal, hobby and non-commercial projects
- Where it doesn't
- Commercial use requires the $149-per-month Business plan
- Free projects require backlinks to RAWG
- Enterprise features are needed for downloadable file API access
RAWG fact sheet, pricing and score →
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