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Ways to pay
Five ways to pay on Steam and GOG, and what each one gives you if the purchase goes wrong.
What the two stores take in the UK
| Method | Steam | GOG | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debit card (Visa, Mastercard) | Yes | Yes | Chargeback through your bank if the store fails you and will not refund. No Section 75 on a debit card. |
| Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) | Yes | Yes | Chargeback plus, for a single item over £100, Section 75 cover. No game on our list costs £100, so in practice it is chargeback you are relying on. |
| PayPal | Yes | Yes | PayPal's own dispute process, 180 days. Paying through a PayPal account normally takes you outside Section 75 even if a credit card sits behind it. |
| paysafecard | Yes | Yes | A prepaid voucher bought in a shop. No card details shared with the store; no chargeback either, so the store's own refund policy is all you have. |
| Wallet codes and gift cards | Steam Wallet codes | GOG gift cards | Loads a balance you spend later. Good for budgeting and for gifts; the balance cannot be withdrawn back to a bank. See gift cards. |
Both checkouts list exactly what they take for your country on the payment step, and that list is the one to trust if it ever differs from ours.
No surcharges, whatever you choose
Since 13 January 2018 a UK business cannot charge you extra for paying by consumer card or PayPal (Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012). The price on the store page is the price at the checkout, and it already includes VAT.
Picking a method
For most people: a debit or credit card, directly
Fast, the chargeback route exists if a store ever refuses a refund it owes, and no third party sits in the middle.
If you would rather not give a store your card
PayPal keeps the card number with PayPal, at the cost of Section 75 cover you were unlikely to need at these prices anyway.
If you are budgeting or buying for someone else
A wallet code or gift card from a shop puts a hard ceiling on spending. Load what you mean to spend and no more, because it will not come back out.
One caution on prepaid vouchers
Some card issuers treat buying a prepaid voucher with a credit card as a cash-like transaction, which can mean a fee and interest from day one. Buy vouchers with a debit card or cash.
General information for players in the UK, checked on 31 October 2026. It is not legal or financial advice, and nothing here suggests borrowing to buy a game. Where we quote a law we link to the official text so you can read it yourself.