Home / Cost
Is World of Warcraft free?
Updated October 4, 2026. Prices are U.S. list prices; check the official shop before you buy.
Short answer: partly. The free trial lets you play up to level 20 with no time limit. To go further you need a subscription ($14.99 a month). To play the newest content you also buy the latest expansion, Midnight ($49.99, one time).
The free trial
Make a free Battle.net account, install the Battle.net app, and start World of Warcraft. The trial has no end date, but it has limits:
- Your characters stop at level 20.
- You cannot trade with players or use the Auction House, and your gold is capped.
- Public chat is limited. You cannot invite people to a group or join a guild, but you can accept a group invite.
- WoW Classic is not in the trial.
The trial is enough to learn the controls and find out if you like your class.
The subscription
| Plan | Price per month | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $14.99 | $14.99 |
| 3 months | $13.99 | $41.97 |
| 6 months | $12.99 | $77.94 |
| 12 months | $12.99 | $155.88 |
One subscription covers the modern game (often called "Retail") and every version of WoW Classic. Start with one month. Lock in a longer plan only after you know you will keep playing.
Do you need to buy Midnight?
Midnight is the current expansion. It came out on March 2, 2026, raised the level cap to 90, and added the Haranir race and a new Demon Hunter spec called Devourer.
| Edition | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Base | $49.99 | The expansion |
| Heroic | $69.99 | Base plus cosmetic extras |
| Epic | $89.99 | Heroic plus more extras |
For a new player: the subscription alone lets you level through older content. Buy the base edition when you are close to the newest zones. The higher editions only add cosmetics and early access; skip them.
Can you pay with in-game gold?
Yes, later. The WoW Token is an item players buy with real money and sell for gold. Another player can buy it with gold and turn it into 30 days of game time. Prices change daily, and a new player rarely has enough gold for one.
So what does year one cost?
- Month to month: $179.88 + $49.99 for Midnight = $229.87.
- 12-month plan: $155.88 + $49.99 for Midnight = $205.87.
Plus sales tax where it applies.