World of Warcraft, widely known as WoW, is an MMORPG created and released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment.
The game’s storyline is set a few years after the events of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, making WoW the fourth installment in the Warcraft universe.
This title takes us to the fantasy world of Azeroth, which has been ravaged and divided by the Legion and the Scourge. Players assume the role of a character they create, choosing their class, race, and faction. The gameplay focuses on completing quests assigned by NPCs, acquiring equipment, fighting with mobs, and representing the chosen faction with honor.
Unlike many MMOs that operate on a free-to-play model with microtransactions, WoW is based on a pay-to-play model, meaning you need to purchase a subscription or game time to play. Importantly, with this purchase, you gain access not only to the base game but also to several expansions (except for the latest one, Dragonflight, which must be bought separately).
How much is WoW subscription? Does it need to be renewed monthly or annually? And what exactly is game time? In today’s article, we will walk you through the World of Warcraft subscription cost and all the important details you must know about this process!
World of Warcraft Subscription Options
Subscriptions, either in 1-, 3-, or 6-month periods, are recurring. Once you set up a payment option and choose the period after which you want to be billed, you can relax. As long as you have enough funds on the chosen account, the subscription will automatically renew itself.
What are the prices for the different subscription plans?
How much do subscriptions and game time cost?
- 1 month subscription — $14.99 /a month
- 3 months subscription — $13.99 / a month, which equals $41.97 in total
- 6 months subscription — $12.99 / a month, which equals $77.94 in total
- 12 months subscription — $12.99 / a month, which equals $77.94 in total
As you can see, the most cost-effective option is to pick the 6- or 12-months plan, which offers the lowest prices. However, if you’re unsure about committing for half a year or a full year, you can start with the monthly option, and then decide after a month whether you want to opt for a longer subscription.
Purchasing a Subscription
The simplest and quickest way to purchase a subscription is by visiting the Battle.net Shop, which is Blizzard’s store, and then navigating to the official World of Warcraft store.
From there, you just need to select the subscription option you’re interested in, log into your Battle.net account or create a new one (for free), complete the payment, and… you’re ready to enjoy the game! The site accepts payments via both credit card and PayPal.
Game Time Options
There’s another way to gain access to World of Warcraft! If you’re not a fan of subscriptions or long-term commitments, or if you’re unable to make online payments for any reason, don’t worry! The creators of WoW have provided a convenient solution in such cases, which is Game Time – a one-off purchase. It comes as cards, but unlike the sub, once it runs out, you have to manually buy yourself some more time.
Game Times are available exclusively as cards that grant access to the game for 60 days. In the past, there were also Game Times for 30, 90, and 180 days, but these options were discontinued in 2021. What is the current price for Game Time?
- Game Time 60 days — $29.99
Purchasing Game Time
Purchasing a Game Time card is very straightforward—just visit a local retailer, such as a game store or electronics shop, or shop online on sites like Amazon or our marketplace!
These cards can be bought with cash (locally) or via credit card, PayPal, and even gift cards or prepaid cards. Moreover, a Game Time card can also be a great gift idea for a World of Warcraft fan. Unlike subscriptions, which are tied to Battle.net accounts and cannot be gifted directly, Game Time cards—whether purchased digitally or physically—provide an excellent alternative!
Managing Your Subscription and Game Time
What to choose? WoW Game Time vs Subscription? It all depends on your personal preferences. In both cases, the prices fairly the same, so a choice between a subscription and game time can be boiled down mostly to figuring out how regularly you’re going to play the game.
If you plan on being a dedicated player for a long time, then the subscription is probably going to be preferable, but if you’re going to dip in and out of the game, then Game Time is likely to be deemed more efficient.
As mentioned earlier, the choice between Game Time and a subscription may also depend on your preferred payment method.
For example, if you don’t have a bank account or PayPal, or if you’re not a fan of online payments, you can always visit a local store and purchase a physical card with cash.
On the other hand, if you’d like to check information about your subscription, find out when you need to purchase a new Game Time card, or when your subscription will renew, you can find all the important details on your Account Management page and Order Account page.
These pages also allow you to update your information, change your payment method, cancel your subscription, or modify its type. You can do this at any time.
Conclusion
Finally, here’s the information you’re probably looking for in this article: Can you play World of Warcraft for free?
World of Warcraft does offer a free-to-play option called a Starter Edition, but it comes with limitations. For instance, you can’t go higher than level 20, don’t have access to party chat channels, and more. In general, the Starter Edition is an introduction to the game – enough to get a taste of things to come in the complete product, but nowhere near the full meal.
It’s only through paid options that you get access to Expansions (seven of them, from The Burning Crusade to Battle for Azeroth), the level cap of 50, and a ton of social features, such as guilds. And, of course, a subscription gets you to access to World of Warcraft Classic.
Playing World of Warcraft to its fullest extent certainly isn’t a cheap endeavour, but it’s not entirely hopeless, and there are enough options to try out before giving up on the game due to the strain the subscription would put on the budget.