If you’re just downloading Riot’s hit MOBA for the first time, you’ve probably asked how much does league of legends cost before you even log in. Unlike a lot of AAA games that force you to pay upfront to play, LoL is marketed as free-to-play, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never spend a cent if you get hooked. I’ve played on and off for 8 years, and I’ve spent anywhere from $0 one year to over $150 the next, depending on what events were running and which new champions I wanted to main. This guide breaks down exactly what you can expect to pay, whether you want to stay fully free or splurge on your favorite cosmetic items.
How Much Does League of Legends Cost for Fully Free Players?
When people ask how much does League of Legends cost for players who don’t want to spend, the short answer is absolutely nothing, as long as you’re willing to put in a little grind. Every core feature of the game is available for free, including every game mode, ranked play, and access to all 160+ champions if you earn blue essence from playing matches. You never have to pay to access ranked play or any game mode, and there are no pay-to-win upgrades that give paying players an advantage over free ones. But that doesn’t mean free players have to miss out on fun cosmetic items, either. I have a friend who’s played LoL for 3 years without spending a single cent, and he’s hit Diamond rank, owns over 60 skins, and has hundreds of emotes and ward skins all earned from free event rewards, hextech chest drops, and seasonal mission rewards. The only downside to playing fully free is that you’ll have to grind a bit longer to unlock new champions, but it’s completely doable if you play a few matches a week.
Common Paid Purchases for Casual and Regular Players
If you’re comfortable spending a little here and there, how much does League of Legends cost will depend entirely on which types of items you’re interested in buying. Champion skins are the most popular paid purchase, with prices ranging from $4.99 for basic recolors up to $34.99 for ultimate skins with full custom animations, voice lines, and in-game effects. Other common purchases include $9.99 battle passes that unlock dozens of rewards if you complete seasonal missions, $2-$5 emotes and ward skins, and premium event bundles with limited-edition cosmetics. Annual spend varies wildly based on how often you play and how much you care about cosmetic items, but most players fall into one of three broad spend tiers:
- Casual players (1-5 hours a week): $10-$50 per year, usually for 1-2 favorite skins or a single battle pass during a season they enjoy
- Regular players (5-15 hours a week): $50-$200 per year, for multiple battle passes, event skins, and occasional premium cosmetic bundles for their main champions
- Hardcore mains/collectors (15+ hours a week): $200-$1000+ per year, for limited edition skins, collector bundles, every battle pass release, and rare cosmetics that only drop once
Most players never spend more than $100 a year, and you can pick and choose only items you actually want, with zero pressure to spend to keep up with other players. Riot also runs weekly skin sales that discount 3-5 skins by 50%, so you can grab your favorite skins for half price if you’re willing to wait a few months for them to go on sale.
Hidden Costs You Might Not Expect When Playing LoL
Most casual players only ever spend on skins and battle passes, but there are a few less common costs that can add up if you’re not paying attention. These small extra costs are why how much does League of Legends cost can creep up if you don’t track small purchases throughout the year. The most common hidden cost is name changes, which cost $9.99 each if you want to rebrand or get rid of a silly username you made when you were 13. Region transfers cost $24.99 if you move countries or want to switch servers to play with friends who live overseas. You can also buy hextech chest keys for $1 each if you don’t want to grind for them through match drops, to unlock skins you earn from chests faster. Limited edition event skins that are only available for 2-4 weeks are another common unexpected cost, because FOMO can push you to spend more than you planned on a skin you’ll barely use. I once spent $40 on a limited edition Star Guardian skin bundle in 2022 because I loved the animations, and I don’t regret it, but I skipped the next three event bundles to stay on budget. The good news is that none of these hidden costs affect gameplay, so you can ignore all of them if you don’t care about the convenience or cosmetic perks they offer.
Tips to Cut Your League of Legends Spend Without Missing Out
You don’t have to blow your budget to get the most out of LoL, and there are tons of easy ways to save money while still getting the items you actually want. First, always wait for weekly skin sales instead of buying skins at full price, unless it’s a limited edition skin you know you’ll regret missing. Riot puts almost every non-limited skin on sale at least once a year, so you can save 50% if you’re patient. Next, grind free event rewards before you even consider buying the premium battle pass. Almost every event gives free skins, emotes, and blue essence for completing simple missions, and you don’t need to pay for the premium pass to get great rewards. Only buy battle passes if you know you can complete 70% of the missions – if you only play a few hours a week, you’ll waste your money because you won’t unlock the highest value rewards before the pass expires. You should also wait 24 hours before buying any limited edition skin, to make sure you actually want it instead of buying it on impulse. If you still want it after a full day, go for it, but most of the time you’ll realize you don’t actually need it. You can also earn free Riot Points through official Riot partner survey programs, if you don’t want to spend cash on in-game items at all.
At the end of the day, how much does league of legends cost is completely up to you, with options for every budget from fully free to high-end collector purchases. The best part of LoL’s monetization is that it never locks core gameplay behind a paywall, so you can climb to the top ranks, play every game mode, and have fun with friends without ever entering your credit card info. If you do decide to spend, stick to items that bring you actual joy, take advantage of sales, and set a small monthly budget to avoid overspending on items you’ll barely use. Whether you’re a casual player who logs in once a week or a hardcore main who grinds ranked every night, you can tailor your spend to fit your lifestyle perfectly.