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VERDICT

Should I use IGDB?

Discover, rate & track your games — the Internet Game Database - igdb.com

Depends. Use it if you need game metadata: it's free for gamers and for non-commercial API projects. Skip it as your tracking-first app, or if your commercial product can't accept a Twitch/Amazon dependency and negotiated API terms.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 20+ public sources: official docs and site pages, Reddit and GitHub community threads, news coverage, and one security writeup. Review-depth evidence is thin, so scores lean on official docs.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo reliable support evidence found
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Non-commercial API

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Commercial APINot public — via Twitch agreement

Best for

  • Gamers and collectors needing accurate game metadata
  • Hobby developers wanting a free games API
  • Integrators powering game libraries and tracking apps
  • Indie devs needing a Twitch game category

Not for

  • Commercial products unwilling to route auth through Twitch
  • Anyone wanting tracking-first UX — it's a database first
  • Buyers needing SLAs, enterprise support, or security attestations
  • Casual users who just want a simple backlog list — overkill

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Commercial API pricing isn't public; terms are negotiated with Twitch

medium

Rate limits (cited around 7,000 requests) mean you must cache aggressively

medium

Hard Twitch dependency: no Twitch account, no API access

medium

Owner Twitch suffered a major 2021 breach spanning its properties

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free API for non-commercial projects
  • Twitch acquired IGDB in 2019 to power its game data
  • Community-maintained database of games, companies, and platforms
  • IGDB page is a prerequisite for getting a Twitch game category
  • Widely integrated: Lurkit, GameVault, and ROM managers pull its data

Cons

  • Commercial API use requires a Twitch developer agreement
  • API access requires a Twitch account
  • Tracking features are secondary; it's a database first
  • Feature gaps reported, including missing reviews on some games
  • Twitch dependency creates lock-in for API consumers

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/21/2026 - 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities for IGDB itself; owner Twitch had a 2021 breach reportedly covering its properties.

official x5review x5security x1news x1
  • Twitch breach (2021), A cloud-security writeup on the Twitch breach noted 'every other property that Twitch owns' — IGDB included — was in scope of the incident.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free for consumers and non-commercial API use
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Simple site; API requires Twitch account auth
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Deep game, company, and platform data coverage
  • Support quality. No reliable support evidence found
  • Security posture: 3/5. No public CVEs; parent Twitch breached 2021
  • Free Non-commercial API Commercial use requires Twitch agreement
  • Twitch Owned by Acquired September 2019
  • 2015 Open beta Built in Gothenburg, Sweden

Pricing

Non-commercial API

Free

  • Requires Twitch account
  • Rate-limited requests

Commercial API

Not public — via Twitch agreement

  • Negotiated terms
  • Powers industry products

Security

No known vulnerabilities for IGDB itself; owner Twitch had a 2021 breach reportedly covering its properties.

  • Twitch breach (2021)A cloud-security writeup on the Twitch breach noted 'every other property that Twitch owns' — IGDB included — was in scope of the incident.⁹

Companies that use it

  • Lurkit11
  • GameVault
  • Romm10
  • Questarr
Full analysis

Based on 20+ public sources: official docs and site pages, Reddit and GitHub community threads, news coverage, and one security writeup. Review-depth evidence is thin, so scores lean on official docs.

Free, Twitch-owned game database. Superb metadata for hobby use; tracking is secondary and commercial API runs through Twitch.

Methodology

Based on 20+ public sources: official docs and site pages, Reddit and GitHub community threads, news coverage, and one security writeup. Review-depth evidence is thin, so scores lean on official docs.

Sources

  1. IGDB.com homepageigdb.com
    official
  2. IGDB API docs: Getting Startedapi-docs.igdb.com
    official
  3. IGDB: Video Game Database APIigdb.com
    official
  4. IGDB - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    official
  5. Twitch acquires gaming database site IGDBtechcrunch.com
    news
  6. Commercial use of IGDB API - Twitch forumsdiscuss.dev.twitch.com
    official
  7. Videogame APIs: RAWG vs IGDB - Redditreddit.com
    review
  8. Infinite Backlog vs Backloggd vs IGDB - Redditreddit.com
    review
  9. Thoughts on the Twitch Breachmedium.com
    security
  10. IGDB Alternative - rommapp/romm discussiongithub.com
    review
  11. What is IGDB and what is it for? - Lurkitsupport.lurkit.com
    review
  12. 12 Great IGDB.com Alternatives - AlternativeToalternativeto.net
    review

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