Best free tank games on PC
Free tank and armored combat games for PC, ranked by our review score, with what money buys in each.
Updated · Ranked by our review scores. Partner links never change the order. How we rate
Scores on this list come from our research reviews: official sources and player reviews, not our own play time. Each score follows a fixed formula. When we play a game, its score can change and the order with it.
At a glance
| # | Game | Our score | Pay to win | Steam reviews | Min. RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | World of Tanks | 7.6 | Mild | 73% of 25,628 | 8 GB | 70 GB |
| 2 | World of Tanks: HEAT | 7.6 | Mild | 50% of 2,406 | 8 GB | 60 GB |
| 3 | Crossout | 7.4 | Strong | 68% of 22,682 | 4 GB | 24 GB |
| 4 | War Thunder | 7.4 | Mild | 72% of 329,901 | 4 GB | 23.1 GB |
| 5 | Enlisted | 6.7 | Strong | 78% of 20,947 | 8 GB | 49 GB |
Our ranking
Ranked by our review scores1. World of Tanks
7.6/10Best classic tank MMO
Wargaming's team tank game has run since 2010 and has more than 800 vehicles. It installs on Windows 10 or 11 through Wargaming Game Center or Steam and needs 8 GB of RAM. Gold, Premium vehicles, a Premium Account and the WoT Plus subscription speed up progress, and Wargaming lists odds on its random-box offers.
Pay to win: MildLoot boxes: Yes2. World of Tanks: HEAT
7.6/10Best for fast tank fights with hero abilities
A separate Wargaming game from May 2026: each player picks an Agent with special abilities and a customizable tank. It sells no random items, according to the ESRB, and boosters bought with HEAT-Coins speed up progress. Steam reviews are split, 50% positive of 2,406.
Pay to win: MildLoot boxes: No3. Crossout
7.4/10Best for building your own armored vehicle
Players assemble buggies, tracked rovers and hovering platforms from parts and fight other players; shots remove individual parts. It needs only 4 GB of RAM and 24 GB of storage. It rates as strongly pay to win because paid packs give early access to new parts and a higher part limit.
Pay to win: StrongLoot boxes: No4. War Thunder
7.4/10Best for historical tanks next to aircraft
Gaijin's military game has tanks from before World War II to modern units, and its combined battles put tanks, aircraft and helicopters on one map. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux with a 4 GB RAM minimum, and 72% of its 329,901 English Steam reviews are positive. Premium time and Golden Eagles shorten the grind.
Pay to win: MildLoot boxes: Yes5. Enlisted
6.7/10Best for tanks inside an infantry war
A World War II squad shooter from Darkflow Software and Gaijin in which each player commands AI soldiers alongside tanks and aircraft. Its Steam reviews are 78% positive of 20,947. It rates as strongly pay to win: a Premium account adds an extra infantry squad and vehicle squad to every battle.
Pay to win: StrongLoot boxes: Yes
Also worth a look
Free games we have not reviewed yet, so they have no score or rank here. No one pays us for these.
- World of Tanks Blitz — Wargaming's 7v7 tank game, free on Steam.
- Armored Warfare — PvP and PvE battles with more than 300 armored vehicles, free on Steam.
How we ranked these tank games
The order follows each game's review score and nothing else. All five scores come from research reviews: a fixed formula over player reviews, what money buys, updates and access, built from official sources and store ratings. World of Tanks and World of Tanks: HEAT share 7.6, and Crossout and War Thunder share 7.4; ties are listed alphabetically. Partner links never change the order.
War Thunder or World of Tanks?
World of Tanks is a tank-only team game with more than 800 vehicles, on Windows. War Thunder adds aircraft, helicopters and ships, has Arcade, Realistic and Simulator difficulty levels, and also runs on Mac and Linux.
Both sell premium time and premium vehicles that speed up progress, and both rate as mildly pay to win. World of Tanks publishes odds for its random boxes; War Thunder sells keys for random trophies without published odds. On our scores, World of Tanks is slightly ahead, 7.6 to 7.4.
Tank games for a low-end PC
Crossout and War Thunder have the lightest official minimums: 4 GB of RAM, with 24 GB of storage for Crossout and a 23.1 GB minimal client for War Thunder (Steam lists 70 GB). World of Tanks, World of Tanks: HEAT and Enlisted ask for 8 GB of RAM.
FAQ
What is the best free tank game on PC?
On our ranking, World of Tanks, with 7.6 out of 10, tied with World of Tanks: HEAT. Both scores come from research reviews and can change once we play the games.
Is World of Tanks free?
Yes. It is free to download and play on Windows. Money buys gold, Premium vehicles, a Premium Account and the WoT Plus subscription.
Are free tank games pay to win?
Three of the five rate as mildly pay to win, because money buys time-savers such as premium accounts and boosters. Crossout and Enlisted rate as strongly pay to win, because paid packs and premium accounts bring advantages into PvP battles.