IGDB
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Use it if you need game metadata: it's free for gamers and for non-commercial API projects.
New check
Comparison
IGDB vs Infinite Backlog
IGDB lands on Depends, and Infinite Backlog lands on Worth it.
Infinite Backlog
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you're a gamer who wants detailed, social tracking of your collection and play history, and you're comfortable backing a small Patreon-funded project.
| Compare | IGDB | Infinite Backlog |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Worth it |
| Best for | Gamers and collectors needing accurate game metadata | Avid gamers logging collections and play history |
| Who it's not for | Commercial products unwilling to route auth through Twitch | Product teams hunting a dev-backlog tool |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities for IGDB itself; owner Twitch had a 2021 breach reportedly covering its properties.⁹ | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. |
| Support quality | No reliable support evidence found | No support evidence in sources |
| Public sentiment | Users value IGDB as a metadata database first, with some friction around its Twitch dependency and gaps versus tracking-first competitors.⁸ | Forum users largely praise it as a best-in-class social game tracker, with occasional frustration and frequent head-to-head comparisons against Backloggd and IGDB.13 |
| Biggest gotcha | Commercial API pricing isn't public; terms are negotiated with Twitch⁶ | Patreon-funded means no SLA or guaranteed support; roadmap tied to donations16 |
Pick IGDB when
- 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
When IGDB is not a fit
- 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
Pick Infinite Backlog when
- Avid gamers logging collections and play history
- Social players who follow friends' game activity
- Completionists and backlog-clearers
- People choosing between Backloggd, IGDB, Grouvee
When Infinite Backlog is not a fit
- Product teams hunting a dev-backlog tool
- Buyers needing SLAs or enterprise support
- Users needing offline or no-JS access
- Anyone wanting big-company stability and roadmap guarantees
Sources
- IGDB.com homepageigdb.comofficial
- IGDB API docs: Getting Startedapi-docs.igdb.comofficial
- IGDB: Video Game Database APIigdb.comofficial
- IGDB - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.orgofficial
- Twitch acquires gaming database site IGDBtechcrunch.comnews
- Commercial use of IGDB API - Twitch forumsdiscuss.dev.twitch.comofficial
- Videogame APIs: RAWG vs IGDB - Redditreddit.comreview
review
- Thoughts on the Twitch Breachmedium.comsecurity
review
- What is IGDB and what is it for? - Lurkitsupport.lurkit.comreview
- 12 Great IGDB.com Alternatives - AlternativeToalternativeto.netreview
review
- Infinite Backlog on Patreonpatreon.comofficial