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Gaming · head to head

itch.io vs Shadow PC

itch.io logo

itch.io

Gaming

Open marketplace for indie games and game assets

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shadow PC logo

Shadow PC

Gaming

A full Windows machine in a datacentre, rented by the month

From
$29.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only itch.io has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: itch.io open publishing means enormous variance in quality and very little curation; Shadow PC you rent hardware, not a catalogue, so the subscription buys you nothing to play; every game is purchased separately and the real monthly cost is Shadow plus whatever you spend on games.
  • They diverge on capability: itch.io covers Open publishing, Shadow PC covers Full Windows instance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which itch.io and Shadow PC actually diverge.

Attributes where itch.io and Shadow PC differ
Attributeitch.ioShadow PC
Starting priceFree$29.99/month
Pricing modelFree to publish; creator-set revenue share on salesPer user per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Smart TV

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Gaming).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in itch.io

  • Open publishing
  • Creator-set revenue share
  • Game jams
  • Pay what you want

Only in Shadow PC

  • Full Windows instance
  • Install anything
  • Dedicated GPU tier
  • Broad client support
  • Peripheral passthrough
  • Storage add-ons

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

itch.io

  • Publishing an independent or experimental game without an approval processnot Shadow PC
  • Running or entering a game jamnot Shadow PC
  • Buying game assets, tools and charity bundlesnot Shadow PC

Shadow PC

  • Running Windows-only games or applications from a Mac, a Linux desktop or a Chromebooknot itch.io
  • Playing heavily modded games that catalogue streaming services do not permitnot itch.io
  • A student or contractor who needs a capable Windows workstation for a few months rather than a purchasenot itch.io
  • Households that want gaming performance without buying and housing a desktop towernot itch.io

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

itch.io

  • Open publishing means enormous variance in quality and very little curation
  • Discovery is difficult: without curation, a new release can go entirely unseen
  • Consumer audience is far smaller than the mainstream storefronts
  • Client and library features are minimal compared with Steam or GOG

Shadow PC

  • You rent hardware, not a catalogue, so the subscription buys you nothing to play; every game is purchased separately and the real monthly cost is Shadow plus whatever you spend on games.
  • Included storage is a few hundred gigabytes while modern titles run to a hundred gigabytes each, so extra storage is effectively compulsory and the advertised price understates what most subscribers pay.
  • The company went through receivership in 2021 and changed hands, after which prices rose sharply and grandfathered plans ended, so there is a documented precedent for the terms shifting under existing subscribers.
  • Capacity is regional and has been sold out before, with waiting lists for new subscribers, and anyone far from a datacentre gets latency that undermines the whole point.
  • It is a real Windows machine, which means you own its problems: updates, driver issues, malware exposure and a disk that fills up, all of which a catalogue service handles for you.

Pricing, plan by plan

itch.io

Free
  • itch.ioFree
    • Free publishing
    • Creator-set revenue share
    • Game jam hosting

Shadow PC

$29.99/month
  • Shadow PC$29.99/month
    • Dedicated Windows instance with administrator rights
    • GPU allocated to your machine
    • Base storage allocation of a few hundred gigabytes
  • Shadow PC Power$undefined/month
    • Higher GPU class than the base plan
    • Sold as a monthly upgrade on top of the standard subscription
    • Aimed at high refresh rate and heavier creative workloads
  • Storage upgrade$undefined/month
    • Additional disk beyond the included allocation
    • Billed monthly per block of storage
    • Required in practice once you install several large games

Which should you pick?

Choose itch.io if

  • You need open publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want creator-set revenue share.
itch.io review

Choose Shadow PC if

  • You need full windows instance.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Smart TV.
  • You also want install anything.
Shadow PC review

Questions people ask

Is itch.io or Shadow PC better?
Neither clearly leads. itch.io starts at Free and Shadow PC at $29.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, itch.io or Shadow PC?
itch.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for itch.io and $29.99/month for Shadow PC.
Does itch.io or Shadow PC run on more platforms?
itch.io runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Shadow PC runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Smart TV.
Can I use itch.io for free?
Yes. itch.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shadow PC starts at $29.99/month.
What is itch.io best used for?
itch.io is most often used for publishing an independent or experimental game without an approval process, running or entering a game jam, buying game assets, tools and charity bundles. Of those, publishing an independent or experimental game without an approval process and running or entering a game jam are not what Shadow PC is typically brought in for.
What can itch.io do that Shadow PC cannot?
itch.io covers Open publishing, Creator-set revenue share, Game jams, Pay what you want. Shadow PC covers Full Windows instance, Install anything, Dedicated GPU tier, Broad client support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

itch.io: Is itch.io free?

Yes to publish, and creators set their own revenue share on sales — including zero.

Shadow PC: Does the subscription include games?

No. Shadow is a rented Windows PC. You install Steam or any other launcher and buy games yourself, which is why it costs more than services that include a catalogue.

itch.io: Who uses itch.io?

Independent and experimental developers, students, and most major game jams including Ludum Dare submissions.

Shadow PC: Can I use it for work as well as gaming?

Yes. It is a full Windows instance with administrator rights, so Adobe applications, CAD, development tools and Blender all run on it, subject to your own software licences.

itch.io: Why is discovery hard there?

Because publishing is open and uncurated. That is what makes it accessible to any creator, and it means new releases can go unseen.

Shadow PC: How much storage do I get?

A few hundred gigabytes on the base plan, which covers roughly two to four current large games. More is available as a paid monthly add-on.

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