Top authorised game key stores compared

Our top picks

1. 2. ShopTo.net

   ShopTo.net is in this ranking because it pairs console reach with published buyer protection. It covers PC, PlayStation, Xbox and more, shows the region of a key before you pay, adds no checkout fee, accepts card, PayPal, Apple Pay and more and has traded as TradeTo Ltd since 2006. GamersGate, ranked next, stays on PC with a shorter payment list, so ShopTo.net is the one to read first for a buyer shopping across more than a single console.

   • Buyer protection: Yes
   • Instant delivery: Yes
   • Region lock shown: Yes

   Pros

   • Digital purchases appear in your account as soon as the order is confirmed, so there is nothing to wait for in the post.
   • Members take a discount off the site price at checkout and collect points on what they spend.
   • Nothing is added at checkout, and delivery within the mainland UK carries no charge.
   • Parcels leave the UK and can travel to 11 countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and France, so buyers outside the country have a route.
   • The shop trades as TradeTo Ltd and has been running since 2006, so an order sits behind a named company.

   Cons

   • Codes are region locked under the suppliers' requirements, so the eligible countries printed on the product page decide whether the game will run for you.
   • A faulty digital code has to be reported inside a fixed window after purchase, and that clock runs regardless of how long the product expiry lasts.
   • Pre-orders are charged at dispatch, which keeps your card committed until a release date the publisher sets.

2. 3. Green Man Gaming

   Green Man Gaming holds its place in this ranking as a bundle-minded reseller for PC and Xbox. Its range of game keys, gift cards, DLC and more and its authorised reseller and bundle store setup mean keys are often sold alongside extras, and it publishes buyer protection while showing the region of each key. It covers 17 countries including Argentina, Australia and Brazil and adds a loyalty scheme on top. SEAGM, ranked next, reaches more platforms but adds a fee at checkout, so Green Man Gaming is the tidier pick for console and PC buyers who dislike a charge on a small order.

   • Buyer protection: Yes
   • Instant delivery: Yes
   • Region lock shown: Yes

   Pros

   • Instant delivery: the game becomes available once the confirmation email goes out, so nothing waits in the post.
   • Every product page names the regions that can activate or receive that key, so a mismatch is visible before payment.
   • Purchase terms hold digital content, gift cards and codes to being as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality.
   • Green Man Gaming XP turns each order into points that unlock offers on the store's own pages.

   Cons

   • Instant delivery starts once the confirmation email goes out, and only while the title is still available at that moment.

3. 4. SEAGM

   SEAGM earns its place in this ranking as a top-up specialist rather than a cheap-key shop. It covers PC, PlayStation, Xbox and more, sells game keys, gift cards, wallet codes and more and takes card, PayPal, crypto and more, which matters in markets where cards are not accepted, and it shows the region of each code. Buyer protection is published and delivery is instant, but a fee is added at checkout, so a small key costs more there than at a store that adds none. YUPLAY, ranked next, charges no checkout fee across the same PC, PlayStation, Xbox and more, which is the trade-off to weigh.

   • Buyer protection: Yes
   • Instant delivery: Yes
   • Region lock shown: Yes

   Pros

   • Codes reach your account as soon as the order is approved, so a new release does not sit waiting on email.
   • Buyer protection covers the case where you have paid and the digital card is never delivered to your account.
   • Spending SEAGM Credits earns STAR rewards on the account, so repeat top-ups give something back.
   • PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch stock sits in the same catalog as PC titles, and mobile is covered too.

   Cons

   • Checkout fees are charged during checkout and cannot be refunded, so that part of the price stays with you if the order does not go ahead.
   • A PlayStation Network card for the United States is valid for United States registered account users, so a card bought for the wrong region is wasted money.
   • Support runs on chat and help centre.

4. 5. YUPLAY

   YUPLAY sits in this ranking as the fee-free reseller with console reach. It covers PC, PlayStation, Xbox and more, publishes buyer protection, shows the region of a key and adds nothing at checkout, while a loyalty scheme runs over game keys, gift cards, in game currency and more. Support runs on email, chat, help centre and more, so help is available by email, chat and community as well as the help centre. Big Fish Games, ranked next, is far smaller in scope, offering PC and mobile from a single publisher, so YUPLAY is the pick for anyone shopping across several consoles.

   • Buyer protection: Yes
   • Instant delivery: Yes
   • Region lock shown: Yes

   Pros

   • Delivery is immediate: codes land as soon as payment clears, with no waiting period between paying and playing.
   • Nothing is added at the till, so there is no checkout fee on top of the price shown.
   • Every product page spells out language, region and platform restrictions, which matters most for console codes bound to an account's country.
   • A code that arrives incorrect, used or revoked through no fault of yours can be refunded or replaced under the store's procedure.
   • The YXP Program rewards repeat purchases, so later orders earn something back.

   Cons

   • A refund or replacement for a code that is incorrect, used or revoked runs through the store's own procedure, so a claim waits on that process.

Top authorised game key stores compared by country

• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• India
• Italy
• Mexico
• Philippines
• Poland
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV