Top 5 Best Free Horror Games on Steam (February 2026)
There’s no absence of incredible horror games on Steam, but finding free-to-play titles worth your time is more trouble than it’s worth. However, there are some standouts that you need to experience, and the best part is you don’t even have to spend a dime on them. So, here are the top 5 best free horror games on Steam as of February 2026.5. SCP: Secret Laboratory Save the facility or aid in its destruction! | Image Credit: Northwood Studios SCP: Secret Laboratory is one of the best free horror games on Steam. It’s a first-person multiplayer anomaly-hunting experience set during a containment breach inside an underground facility. Each match drops players into five different roles: Scientists, Class-D Personnel, Facility Guards, Mobile Task Force, and Chaos Insurgency. Every role has a specific objective that keeps the matches tense, chaotic, and unpredictable. Site-02 is your playground, a maze of sorts, and you’ll assume new roles every match, either to help the Foundation restore order, take down other players trying to do so as the Insurgency, or transform into SCPs yourself to sabotage the facility and kill everyone in a brutal frenzy. It’s the perfect horror game on Steam for players looking for free-to-play multiplayer titles.DeveloperNorthwood StudiosRelease DateDecember 29, 20174. Fears to Fathom – Home Alone Survive the night, or die trying! | Image Credit: Rayll Fears to Fathom is the popular episodic horror title, and one of its best episodes is free to play on Steam. It’s the first episode in the series, which follows the short story of Miles, a 14-year-old who is home alone while his parents are out of town. During one fateful night, Miles’ life turns upside down as he’s caught in a terrifying home invasion situation alone. It’s up to you to make the right choices to survive the entire night. Home Alone is inspired by a real-life event that transpired, which adds to the bone-chilling atmosphere that the experience creates. Paired with the photo-realistic visuals and the VHS aesthetic, Home Alone is bound to make your hair stand on end as you try to survive the night. So, make the right choice and head to Steam to download this creepy free-to-play experience.DeveloperRayllRelease DateJuly 2, 20213. Terminal Lucidity Are you ready to crack the code and uncover the truth? | Image Credit: Happy Accident Studios Terminal Lucidity is a free-to-play text-based horror title on Steam that puts you in the shoes of a lone technician conducting routine maintenance on different terminals. While it’s not horror in the traditional sense, it’s a psychological thriller that creates horror through an unnerving atmosphere and a cryptic cipher-cracking gameplay loop. Each terminal has its own hidden rules and operates differently, offering a challenging single-player experience. Featuring a two-to-four-hour runtime and no save mechanic, Terminal Lucidity is a tough yet unique experience that tests your logic-based skills to run scripts, crack the code, and learn the grim truth. Head to Steam to start downloading this title right now.DeveloperHappy Accident StudiosRelease DateJanuary 24, 20262. Channel 4 Midnight Bite-sized horror with a sinister ritual! | Image Credit: foolkien Channel 4 Midnight is a first-person, story-driven free-to-play horror game on Steam that takes merely 15-20 minutes to complete. It’s a bite-sized horror experience that follows the protagonist’s attempt to perform a ritual from the blog, The Channels. This sinister ritual, when successful, transforms someone into something entirely different. The game’s unnamed protagonist is trying to escape reality and transform by performing this ritual and sticking to the guidelines provided in the inn’s blog. It’s more of an experience than a game, with decision-making and a short narrative that shows how far a person will go to escape the real world. If you’re up for the transformation, head to Steam and download this experience.DeveloperfoolkienRelease DateJanuary 29, 20261. Cry of Fear Cry of Fear is a stellar free-to-play horror title on Steam that offers both single-player and co-op in the campaign. The story follows a young man exploring a Scandinavian city in search of answers as he comes face-to-face with horrific, nightmarish creatures. Experience the man’s descent into madness as he journeys through the terrifying streets of Fäversholm and beyond. The game features a full-length campaign, playable solo and co-op, and multiple endings with plenty of unlockables to keep you hooked. Don’t brave the horrors alone, and team up with up to 4 players to complete the huge campaign and get to the bottom of the grim mystery. If you think Cry of Fear is right up your alley, head to Steam and download it.DeveloperTeam PsyskallarRelease DateApril 25, 2013 So, which free-to-play horror game from this list have you played on Steam? Share your picks and thoughts on them in the comment section below.
There’s no absence of incredible horror games on Steam, but finding free-to-play titles worth your time is more trouble than it’s worth. However, there are some standouts that you need to experience, and the best part is you don’t even have to spend a dime on them. So, here are the top 5 best free horror games on Steam as of February 2026.
Save the facility or aid in its destruction! | Image Credit: Northwood Studios SCP: Secret Laboratory is one of the best free horror games on Steam. It’s a first-person multiplayer anomaly-hunting experience set during a containment breach inside an underground facility. Each match drops players into five different roles: Scientists, Class-D Personnel, Facility Guards, Mobile Task Force, and Chaos Insurgency. Every role has a specific objective that keeps the matches tense, chaotic, and unpredictable.
Site-02 is your playground, a maze of sorts, and you’ll assume new roles every match, either to help the Foundation restore order, take down other players trying to do so as the Insurgency, or transform into SCPs yourself to sabotage the facility and kill everyone in a brutal frenzy. It’s the perfect horror game on Steam for players looking for free-to-play multiplayer titles.
Survive the night, or die trying! | Image Credit: Rayll Fears to Fathom is the popular episodic horror title, and one of its best episodes is free to play on Steam. It’s the first episode in the series, which follows the short story of Miles, a 14-year-old who is home alone while his parents are out of town. During one fateful night, Miles’ life turns upside down as he’s caught in a terrifying home invasion situation alone.
It’s up to you to make the right choices to survive the entire night. Home Alone is inspired by a real-life event that transpired, which adds to the bone-chilling atmosphere that the experience creates. Paired with the photo-realistic visuals and the VHS aesthetic, Home Alone is bound to make your hair stand on end as you try to survive the night. So, make the right choice and head to Steam to download this creepy free-to-play experience.
Are you ready to crack the code and uncover the truth? | Image Credit: Happy Accident Studios Terminal Lucidity is a free-to-play text-based horror title on Steam that puts you in the shoes of a lone technician conducting routine maintenance on different terminals. While it’s not horror in the traditional sense, it’s a psychological thriller that creates horror through an unnerving atmosphere and a cryptic cipher-cracking gameplay loop.
Each terminal has its own hidden rules and operates differently, offering a challenging single-player experience. Featuring a two-to-four-hour runtime and no save mechanic, Terminal Lucidity is a tough yet unique experience that tests your logic-based skills to run scripts, crack the code, and learn the grim truth. Head to Steam to start downloading this title right now.
Bite-sized horror with a sinister ritual! | Image Credit: foolkien Channel 4 Midnight is a first-person, story-driven free-to-play horror game on Steam that takes merely 15-20 minutes to complete. It’s a bite-sized horror experience that follows the protagonist’s attempt to perform a ritual from the blog, The Channels. This sinister ritual, when successful, transforms someone into something entirely different.
The game’s unnamed protagonist is trying to escape reality and transform by performing this ritual and sticking to the guidelines provided in the inn’s blog. It’s more of an experience than a game, with decision-making and a short narrative that shows how far a person will go to escape the real world. If you’re up for the transformation, head to Steam and download this experience.
Cry of Fear is a stellar free-to-play horror title on Steam that offers both single-player and co-op in the campaign. The story follows a young man exploring a Scandinavian city in search of answers as he comes face-to-face with horrific, nightmarish creatures. Experience the man’s descent into madness as he journeys through the terrifying streets of Fäversholm and beyond.
The game features a full-length campaign, playable solo and co-op, and multiple endings with plenty of unlockables to keep you hooked. Don’t brave the horrors alone, and team up with up to 4 players to complete the huge campaign and get to the bottom of the grim mystery. If you think Cry of Fear is right up your alley, head to Steam and download it.
So, which free-to-play horror game from this list have you played on Steam? Share your picks and thoughts on them in the comment section below.
5. SCP: Secret Laboratory
Save the facility or aid in its destruction! | Image Credit: Northwood Studios SCP: Secret Laboratory is one of the best free horror games on Steam. It’s a first-person multiplayer anomaly-hunting experience set during a containment breach inside an underground facility. Each match drops players into five different roles: Scientists, Class-D Personnel, Facility Guards, Mobile Task Force, and Chaos Insurgency. Every role has a specific objective that keeps the matches tense, chaotic, and unpredictable.Site-02 is your playground, a maze of sorts, and you’ll assume new roles every match, either to help the Foundation restore order, take down other players trying to do so as the Insurgency, or transform into SCPs yourself to sabotage the facility and kill everyone in a brutal frenzy. It’s the perfect horror game on Steam for players looking for free-to-play multiplayer titles.
Developer
Northwood Studios
Release Date
December 29, 2017
4. Fears to Fathom – Home Alone
Survive the night, or die trying! | Image Credit: Rayll Fears to Fathom is the popular episodic horror title, and one of its best episodes is free to play on Steam. It’s the first episode in the series, which follows the short story of Miles, a 14-year-old who is home alone while his parents are out of town. During one fateful night, Miles’ life turns upside down as he’s caught in a terrifying home invasion situation alone.It’s up to you to make the right choices to survive the entire night. Home Alone is inspired by a real-life event that transpired, which adds to the bone-chilling atmosphere that the experience creates. Paired with the photo-realistic visuals and the VHS aesthetic, Home Alone is bound to make your hair stand on end as you try to survive the night. So, make the right choice and head to Steam to download this creepy free-to-play experience.
Developer
Rayll
Release Date
July 2, 2021
3. Terminal Lucidity
Are you ready to crack the code and uncover the truth? | Image Credit: Happy Accident Studios Terminal Lucidity is a free-to-play text-based horror title on Steam that puts you in the shoes of a lone technician conducting routine maintenance on different terminals. While it’s not horror in the traditional sense, it’s a psychological thriller that creates horror through an unnerving atmosphere and a cryptic cipher-cracking gameplay loop.Each terminal has its own hidden rules and operates differently, offering a challenging single-player experience. Featuring a two-to-four-hour runtime and no save mechanic, Terminal Lucidity is a tough yet unique experience that tests your logic-based skills to run scripts, crack the code, and learn the grim truth. Head to Steam to start downloading this title right now.
Developer
Happy Accident Studios
Release Date
January 24, 2026
2. Channel 4 Midnight
Bite-sized horror with a sinister ritual! | Image Credit: foolkien Channel 4 Midnight is a first-person, story-driven free-to-play horror game on Steam that takes merely 15-20 minutes to complete. It’s a bite-sized horror experience that follows the protagonist’s attempt to perform a ritual from the blog, The Channels. This sinister ritual, when successful, transforms someone into something entirely different.The game’s unnamed protagonist is trying to escape reality and transform by performing this ritual and sticking to the guidelines provided in the inn’s blog. It’s more of an experience than a game, with decision-making and a short narrative that shows how far a person will go to escape the real world. If you’re up for the transformation, head to Steam and download this experience.
Developer
foolkien
Release Date
January 29, 2026
1. Cry of Fear
Cry of Fear is a stellar free-to-play horror title on Steam that offers both single-player and co-op in the campaign. The story follows a young man exploring a Scandinavian city in search of answers as he comes face-to-face with horrific, nightmarish creatures. Experience the man’s descent into madness as he journeys through the terrifying streets of Fäversholm and beyond.The game features a full-length campaign, playable solo and co-op, and multiple endings with plenty of unlockables to keep you hooked. Don’t brave the horrors alone, and team up with up to 4 players to complete the huge campaign and get to the bottom of the grim mystery. If you think Cry of Fear is right up your alley, head to Steam and download it.
Developer
Team Psyskallar
Release Date
April 25, 2013
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