Is The Sims 4 on Steam? Price, EA App and Setup

Is The Sims 4 on Steam?

Yes. The Sims 4 is on Steam. The release date on the page is 2 September 2014. The base game is free to download.

You still need an EA Account and the EA app. You must link your EA Account to your Steam Account. Steam only sells and starts the game. EA runs the account side.

This guide shows what you get, what you pay, what your computer needs, and what changes if you bought the game from EA first.

Is the base game free on Steam?

Yes. The Steam page says: “The base game of The Sims 4 is free to download.”

The free base game has limits. It does not include the packs. The packs are the paid content. Read is The Sims 4 free for what the base game includes.

The EA site also has a “Play for Free” button. Its footnote says that the offer requires The Sims 4 and all game updates. So the free game needs updates, and updates need an internet connection.

What do the packs cost on Steam?

The prices below are the list prices that we saw on the Steam page on 16 October 2026. Sales change them. Open the page for the price today.

Type of pack	List price
Expansion pack	$39.99
Game pack	$19.99
Stuff pack	$9.99
Kit	$4.99

The page lists 114 add-on items. It also lists bundles. One example is the Love & Family Bundle, at $59.97. The page lists the Cats & Dogs expansion pack at $39.99.

Most players do not need 114 items. For the first pack, read which Sims 4 expansion pack to buy first. For the full list, read how many expansion packs there are.

Do you need the EA app to play on Steam?

Yes. The Steam page says that the game needs an internet connection, an EA Account, and a Steam Account. It also says that you must download and install the EA client software or the EA app.

The page adds a rule on linking: “You must link your EA and Steam Accounts to play.” EA shares account and play records with Steam to check purchases and refunds.

So before you start, make an EA Account if you have none. Then link it to your Steam Account when the game asks for the link.

The EA FAQ says that you need the internet for activation and for extra content. You do not need it to play after the install. For more, read can you play The Sims 4 offline.

What does your computer need?

Steam lists these needs for Windows:

Minimum: Windows 10 (64-bit), an Intel Core i3-3220 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 4 GB of RAM, DirectX 11, and 26 GB of free storage.
Recommended: 64-bit Windows 10, an Intel Core i5 with four cores or an AMD Ryzen 5, 8 GB of RAM, 1 GB of video memory, DirectX 11, and 51 GB of storage.

The storage number grows with each pack. Plan for more than the minimum if you buy many packs. Read Sims 4 system requirements for the details, including Mac.

The Steam page lists the game for Windows. EA says that a purchase of any edition includes the PC and the Mac version. For the Mac route, read The Sims 4 on Mac.

Is The Sims 4 on Steam worth getting?

Steam shows English reviews as Very Positive, with 86 percent positive from 107,487 reviews. Recent reviews are also Very Positive, with 84 percent positive from 1,543 reviews in the last 30 days. These numbers move every day.

The free base game costs nothing, so there is little to lose. Try it first. Then decide on packs.

The page also lists an EA Play subscription at $5.99 a month or $39.99 for 12 months. Read is The Sims 4 on Game Pass to see what EA Play adds.

One caution: if you already own the game on the EA app, do not buy it again on Steam. Packs do not move between stores in the sources that we opened. Check the EA FAQ for your case.

What if you want a different kind of life sim?

The Sims 4 gives you a house, a family, and a town. You tell your Sims what to do. LifeSim works another way. You live one life, and the people around you decide how they treat you.

LifeSim is free to play in a browser, with no in-app purchases. It is slower than The Sims 4, and it does not have build mode or packs. If you want to build a house, stay with The Sims 4. For the comparison, read LifeSim vs The Sims.

Which languages does the Steam version support?

The Steam page says that the game supports English and 17 more languages. It lists 18 languages in total, with full audio and subtitles in the languages that it names.

Check the list on the page before you buy. Language support can differ by pack, and the page is the best place to see the current list.

What is the difference between Steam and the EA app?

The game is the same game. The store is different. On Steam you pay Steam, and you get a Steam library entry. On the EA app you pay EA. In both cases the EA Account runs the game.

EA says that you can buy a retail bundle in a store. The bundle comes with a code that you redeem in the EA app. EA also says that packaged PC copies are redeemed through the EA app. So a boxed copy does not go to Steam by itself.

The two stores sell the same packs. The price on Steam can differ from the price on the EA app, because each store runs its own sales. Compare both pages on the day that you buy.

Pick one store for your packs. This keeps your library in one place. You also know where to look when you want a refund or a download.

The game also exists on Xbox and PlayStation. EA says that those versions have no Gallery, no mods, and no custom content. Read is The Sims 4 cross-platform before you buy on more than one platform.

Questions

Is The Sims 4 free on Steam?

The base game is free. The packs cost money.

Do I need Origin to play The Sims 4 on Steam?

The Steam page names the EA client software and the EA app. It says that one of them is required to play. Install the EA app.

Can I use my EA saves on the Steam version?

We found no source that answers this. The saves folder is in the Documents folder of your computer, so copy it before you change anything. Read the Sims 4 save file location.

Is The Sims 4 on Steam for Mac?

The Steam page we read lists Windows needs. EA says that a purchase includes the Mac version, and that it is digital only.

Is The Sims 4 on Steam Deck?

See The Sims 4 on Steam Deck.

Is The Sims 4 on Steam?