By the DealDie Team · Published September 14, 2026 · Last updated October 28, 2026
Three kinds of 'free' on Steam
If you search for free games on Steam you will run into three very different things that all use the same word. Mixing them up is the main reason players think they claimed a game and later find it is gone or locked.
- Free to keep: a paid game temporarily offered at no cost. Once added, it stays in your library permanently.
- Free weekend or free play event: you can install and play a paid game for a limited time, but it is not yours afterwards unless you buy it.
- Free to play: the game itself never costs money, but it usually sells cosmetics, passes, or other items inside.
How to claim a free-to-keep game
During a free-to-keep promotion the store page shows a banner offering the game for free, with a button such as Add to Account. Pressing it adds a permanent license. You do not need to download the game right away; the license is what counts.
To confirm it worked, open Steam's account details and look at your licenses and product activations, or simply search for the title in your library. If it shows up there, it is yours.
How to tell a free weekend apart
Free weekends usually show a Play Game button rather than an Add to Account button, and the store page explains when free play ends. Progress made during a free weekend often carries over if you decide to buy later, which is a good way to try something before spending money, but the game will not remain playable for free.
DealDie focuses on free-to-keep offers and on loot that you keep. When a listing is a limited trial or a beta, the type badge and the description make that clear.
Redeeming Steam keys from other sites
Some giveaways hand out a Steam key instead of a store button. A key is a code you redeem inside the Steam client using the option to activate a product on Steam, which then adds the game to your library just like a store purchase.
Only redeem keys you received from the official giveaway page or the publisher. Never paste your Steam username and password into a third-party site to 'redeem' a key on your behalf. Legitimate key giveaways never need your password.
Free-to-play is still worth tracking
Free-to-play games are not giveaways in the usual sense, but they are often the target of loot drops: free skins, starter packs, or currency bundles that publishers hand out to promote a season. Those drops are where DealDie's Loot section is most useful.
Summary
If the button says Add to Account and the page mentions keeping the game, it is permanent. If it says Play Game with an end date, it is a trial. If the game is always free, look for the loot instead.