CheapShark

CheapShark is a free comparison service for digital PC game downloads. It is best for shoppers who want to check several legitimate stores, judge a sale against past pricing, and receive price-drop emails before purchasing. The main limitation is scope: it tracks PC downloads, not physical products or console storefronts, and its figures should guide a purchase rather than replace a final store check.

Overview

CheapShark brings together offers from stores such as Steam, GreenManGaming, GOG, and GamersGate. You can search for a particular game, filter deals, or browse listings by retailer. Its store policy gives the directory a useful boundary: listed retailers must have a direct relationship with the publishers and developers behind the games they sell.

Price history records the lowest price at which a game has appeared on CheapShark, giving you a reference point for deciding whether today's discount is ordinary or unusually strong. Deal ratings combine the game's age, discount size, Metacritic rating, and freshness of the offer. Those signals are useful for prioritising deals, but they remain a screening tool rather than a personal recommendation or a guarantee of quality.

CheapShark says each store's prices are generally refreshed once an hour. That cadence is helpful during active sales, although prices and stock can change between an update and checkout. The service also says some stores pay it a percentage when purchases are made through its links, an arrangement worth keeping in mind when following a retailer button.

Key features

• Cross-store deal search: Search games and filter offers by store, reducing the need to check each supported retailer separately.
• Historical low prices: Compare a current listing with the lowest recorded CheapShark price to decide whether waiting may be sensible.
• Deal scoring: Ratings blend discount, game age, Metacritic score, and freshness, helping you sort a crowded sale list quickly.
• Email price alerts: Set an alert for a game and receive notification when its price drops, which suits patient buyers who do not need to monitor sales manually.
• Giveaways: CheapShark says it hosts frequent game giveaways, adding a chance to find no-cost titles alongside paid deals.
• API and third-party apps: The service lists Android and iOS apps that use its API, useful if you prefer checking deals away from the website.
• Support channels: Contact is available by email, through the official Discord server, or via the site's contact button.

Pricing

CheapShark is free. Its Free plan costs nothing and includes digital game price comparison, deal browsing, and email price alerts. There are no paid tiers, seat restrictions, trial period, or renewal terms to weigh. The trade-off is that the service does not offer physical-store tracking and its platform coverage is PC only, so console shoppers or buyers of boxed games need another tool.

Platforms

CheapShark is available on the web, with Android and iOS third-party apps listed around its API. An API is also provided for integrations. Coverage is specifically for PC digital downloads; Android and iOS describe access to the service or API ecosystem, not mobile-game price coverage.

Who it's for

Choose CheapShark if you buy PC games digitally and want one place to compare supported stores, inspect a historical low, and wait for an email alert. It is particularly practical for bargain hunters who can defer a purchase until a target price appears. It is a weaker fit if you need console stores, physical-game prices, or certainty that a displayed offer remains valid at checkout.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free access includes comparison, filters, price history, and alerts; hourly store refreshes help during fast-moving sales; store eligibility based on publisher or developer relationships adds useful retailer screening; API access and third-party mobile apps extend how you can use the data.
• Cons: PC downloads are the sole tracked platform; physical stores are excluded; hourly updates can still leave prices stale; CheapShark does not guarantee price accuracy or availability; deal ratings cannot account for your own preferences or regional circumstances.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see the Game Price Trackers category.

• PSPrices is the better choice for price tracking with instant drop notifications and an optional $5.00 per month Pro plan.
• PlatPrices suits users who need an API, browser extension, multiple regions, and a free quota of 1,000 requests per month.
• Deku Deals is a free alternative combining game tracking, wish-list sale alerts, and collection tracking across Android, iOS, and web.
• PriceCharting is preferable when collection management, marketplace access, and price searches matter alongside tracking.
• PS Deals focuses on PlayStation price tracking, with basic notifications free and a $4.99 monthly premium tier.
• XB Deals targets Xbox users with watchlists, wishlists, purchased-game tracking, and price-drop notifications.
• Argus.Deals is a free aggregator available on the web and through an API.
• Cardslot offers a free full deal list and search with one tracked game, while its full version costs $3.99 once.

Verdict

CheapShark is a strong first stop for PC players who want free, cross-store deal comparison with historical context and email alerts. Pick it for breadth across supported PC retailers and a simple no-cost workflow; look elsewhere when you need console or physical pricing, richer collection tools, or guaranteed checkout accuracy.