What Final Fantasy 14 subscription costs and what it covers
Final Fantasy 14 uses a monthly subscription model. The base game itself is free to play up to level 60 with some restrictions, but a paid subscription unlocks the full game and all expansions. Square Enix, the company that makes Final Fantasy 14, offers three subscription tiers: Starter, Standard, and Complete. Each tier costs a different amount and includes different features.
The Starter plan is the cheapest option and covers the base game plus the first expansion, Heavensward. The Standard plan adds two more expansions: Stormblood and Shadowbringers. The Complete plan includes everything: the base game plus all four expansions released so far (Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, and Endwalker). You can also buy expansions individually if you want to upgrade later instead of paying for a higher tier upfront.
All subscription tiers include the same core features: access to all job classes, unlimited playtime, the ability to join Free Companies (guilds), and access to most endgame content. The difference is which story content and areas you can reach. A Starter subscriber cannot enter zones added in Stormblood or later, for example, even if they have the gear to handle them.
Key Takeaways
- Final Fantasy 14 offers three subscription tiers (Starter, Standard, Complete) that differ in which expansions you can access, not in how much you can play each month.
- The free trial lets you play through the base game and Heavensward expansion up to level 60 with some social restrictions, so you can test the game before paying.
- You can pay monthly, pay for three months at once, or pay for six months at once; longer commitments cost less per month but lock your money in upfront.
- Your subscription covers one character per server, but you can create multiple characters on different servers or the same server without extra charges.
- If you stop paying, your character and items stay in the database; you can return and resume where you left off whenever you resubscribe.
How billing periods and payment methods work
Square Enix bills you monthly, but you can choose to pay for one month at a time, three months at once, or six months at once. The per-month cost drops the longer you commit upfront. For example, if the monthly rate is $12.99, paying for three months at once might cost $35.97 total (about $11.99 per month), and paying for six months might cost $71.94 total (about $11.99 per month). The exact prices vary by region and currency.
You can pay using a credit card, debit card, or through the PlayStation Store or Xbox Store if you play on console. If you use a console store, your subscription renews through that store's payment method. You can also buy game time cards from retailers and redeem them instead of using a card on file. These cards come in 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day options and work the same way as paying directly.
Your subscription renews automatically on the date it expires. You can cancel anytime through the Mog Station (the account management website), and cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. If you cancel mid-cycle, you do not get a refund for the unused time, but your access continues until the paid period ends.
The free trial and what it lets you do
Before you pay anything, you can play the free trial. It includes the entire base game and the Heavensward expansion, which is roughly 100 to 200 hours of story content depending on how fast you play. You can reach level 60 on any job class and do most dungeons and raids that were released during the base game and Heavensward era.
The free trial has some limits. You cannot join a Free Company (guild), trade items with other players, or use the market board to buy and sell gear. You also cannot create a Free Company yourself. These restrictions exist to prevent gold farming and spam. You can still run dungeons with other players through the matchmaking system, and you can join parties for raids and other group content.
Your free trial character converts to a paid character the moment you buy a subscription. You do not lose anything or start over. The trial is a full way to test whether you like the game before committing money.
Multiple characters and server transfers
One subscription covers one character per server. If you want to play a second character on the same server, you need a second subscription or a separate account. However, you can create multiple characters on different servers under the same subscription at no extra cost. Many players do this to experience the story on different servers or to try different job classes without paying twice.
If you want to move a character from one server to another, you can pay a one-time server transfer fee through the Mog Station. This fee is separate from your subscription and varies by region. The transfer moves your character, items, and Free Company membership to the new server. You cannot transfer between data centers (the large regional groupings of servers), only between servers within the same data center.
What happens if you stop paying
If your subscription lapses because you did not renew, your character and all your items stay in the database. You can return and resume playing whenever you resubscribe. There is no time limit on how long you can be away. Some players take breaks for months or years and come back to find their character exactly as they left it.
While you are not subscribed, you cannot log in, but your character does not decay or lose items. Your Free Company membership remains active, though you will not appear online to other members. If you were in the middle of a raid or dungeon when your subscription ended, you are removed from that instance, but you can rejoin when you resubscribe.
Comparing subscription tiers side by side
| Feature | Starter | Standard | Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base game | Included | Included | Included |
| Heavensward expansion | Included | Included | Included |
| Stormblood expansion | Not included | Included | Included |
| Shadowbringers expansion | Not included | Included | Included |
| Endwalker expansion | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Job classes | All available | All available | All available |
| Playtime per month | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Free Company access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Final Fantasy 14 without paying anything?
Yes, the free trial includes the base game and Heavensward expansion with no time limit. You can play through the entire story up to level 60 without paying. The only restrictions are social features like trading and the market board, not playtime or story access.
Do I need to buy expansions separately or does the subscription include them?
It depends on which tier you choose. The Starter tier includes only Heavensward. The Standard tier includes Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers. The Complete tier includes all expansions. You can also buy individual expansions if you want to upgrade partway through instead of paying for a higher tier upfront.
What happens if I cancel my subscription?
Your character and items stay in the database. You can resubscribe anytime and resume playing from where you left off. There is no penalty for taking a break, and you do not lose anything.
Can I have multiple characters on the same server with one subscription?
No, one subscription covers one character per server. If you want a second character on the same server, you need a second subscription or account. You can create multiple characters on different servers under the same subscription at no extra cost.
Is there a way to pay without a credit card?
Yes, you can buy game time cards from retailers and redeem them through the Mog Station. You can also pay through the PlayStation Store or Xbox Store if you play on console. These methods work the same as paying with a card directly.