Free-to-play

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The Free to Play icon
The Free to Play icon

Free-to-play, also known as F2P, is the free version of RuneScape where no payment to Jagex is required to play. Players who play the free version of RuneScape are known as "free players", "F2Ps", or "non-members". This is in contrast to members, who pay a fee (either with real-world currency or with bonds purchased using in-game currency) for access to a much larger map and a multitude of skills, items, quests, and activities, which are not available to free-to-play users.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Areas accessible to free players
F2P are limited to only 5 or 20 levels on certain skills

The free part of RuneScape is described by Jagex as being the game with close to 5,000 hours of skills to train to reach the maximum level of 99, while members is considered the expansion version. There is no limit to the amount of time players are able to continue playing for free, although free players are only able to enjoy about 20% of everything RuneScape has to offer. Free players can upgrade and become a member at any time by paying a fee, granting access to more skills, locations, items, etc.

Formerly, the free-to-play version of RuneScape was its only form, prior to the introduction of members and the subsequent creation of RuneScape 2. The pay-to-play servers were intended by Jagex to benefit all of the RuneScape community.

With respect to gameplay, the majority of new updates within RuneScape are restricted to pay-to-play members with the exception of updates concerning graphics or the addition of new servers. When the members service was announced, Jagex acknowledged that the free version would not be updated as often as it used to be.

Updates since launch of members version[edit | edit source]

The following are free-version updates that have been made available since the launch of the members service:

In addition to the differences described above, the majority of features outside the games (such as the official RuneScape forums) are open to members only, but also to F2P players with at least 2.5 million total experience or a skill total of 350. This requirement was 12.5 million total experience or a skill total of 500 before an update by Jagex on 15 March 2010.

  1. ^ Temporarily available in free-to-play in 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Only obtainable from gameplay on members worlds; free players can only obtain them by trading or the Grand Exchange.
  3. ^ a b c No use in free-to-play but can be sold to members.
  4. ^ a b Activities are limited to members
  5. ^ Could only be obtained during gameplay by members at release; made obtainable in free-to-play in a later update.

Features available to former members[edit | edit source]

Players who were members at one point retain access to a few features, if they’ve been unlocked and, where applicable, activated during the membership subscription:

Removed from free version[edit | edit source]

Jagex has also occasionally removed features from the free version:

  • Various items that have been accidentally added to free-to-play
  • RuneScape Classic in August 2005
    • Completely shut down in August 2018
  • Run energy boosts from Agility for former members on 9 June 2009
  • Hiscores in November 2011
    • Returned in April 2014
  • Advertisements on 20 June 2016
  • Daily Challenges for members skills (so free players would stop receiving daily challenges they could not complete) on 22 August 2016
    • Free players began receiving Daily Challenges for members skills up to level 5 after the Burthorpe and Taverley update.
    • Daily Challenges for members skills were added back in December 2017 but could be toggled off after reaching the level 5 cap following a further update in January 2018
  • Tier-75 warpriest armour following the end of their respective world events
  • Ability to access the bank via William and Ian on 9 October 2017
  • Access to magic and elder evil trees on 4 December 2017
  • Ability for former members to use Bladed Dive on 29 October 2018
  • Ability to use Surge and Escape on 5 December 2022 (as both abilities are now locked behind level 30 Agility). However, Jagex said they intended to lower the requirement to level 5 so that they can be used by free players again.[1] The abilities could still be used by free players who have previously reached level 30 Agility.
  • Ability to complete the Plank You Very Much achievement, after it was adjusted to require the plank to be made in Fort Forinthry on 13 February 2023.
  • Following the update on 11 September 2023, all players who completed the first tier of daily missions in Hero Pass: Underworld received three Treasure Hunter keys. A hidden update the following day made the keys members-only.
  • DXP Token Store on 29 July 2024
  • Crashed stars of size 6 or above on 16 December 2024
  • Crumble Undead spell on 3 March 2025
    • The original Crumble Undead spell was available to all players until its removal in the Evolution of Combat update. The current version released in the 2025 Runecrafting update requires the members-only time rune.

Free versus members[edit | edit source]

Main article: /Compared to Members

Gallery[edit | edit source]

The following popups historically appeared once you reach certain milestones in F2P.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Agility.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Agility.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Construction.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Construction.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Divination.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Divination.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Farming.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Farming.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Herblore.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Herblore.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Hunter.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Hunter.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Thieving.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Thieving.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Slayer.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Slayer.

  • Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Summoning.

    Interface about the benefits of members after getting level 5 Summoning.

  • Interface about the Wicked hood after getting 10 Magic or Runecrafting.

    Interface about the Wicked hood after getting 10 Magic or Runecrafting.

  • Interface about the Dwarven army axe after getting 10 Attack.

    Interface about the Dwarven army axe after getting 10 Attack.

  • Interface about the Dwarven army axe after getting 10 Mining.

    Interface about the Dwarven army axe after getting 10 Mining.

  • Interface about the Dwarven army axe after getting 10 Woodcutting.

    Interface about the Dwarven army axe after getting 10 Woodcutting.

  • Interface about the benefits of Dual wielding after trying to wield an Off-hand bronze dagger.

    Interface about the benefits of Dual wielding after trying to wield an Off-hand bronze dagger.

  • Interface after going through a tour of the Clan Citadel.

    Interface after going through a tour of the Clan Citadel.

  • Interface after attempting to enter TzHaar City.

    Interface after attempting to enter TzHaar City.

  • Interface about Fish Flingers if talking to the Fisherman.

    Interface about Fish Flingers if talking to the Fisherman.

  • Interface about the Refer a Friend programme when entering Daemonheim for the first time.

    Interface about the Refer a Friend programme when entering Daemonheim for the first time.

  • Interface about members only content when attempting to interact with certain member's only content.

    Interface about members only content when attempting to interact with certain member's only content.

  • Interface about new F2P content.

    Interface about new F2P content.

Update history[edit | edit source]

This information has been compiled as part of the update history project. Some updates may not be included – see here for how to help out!
  • patch 16 September 2024 (Update):
    • From now on free-to-play players won't be able to travel to the Sanctum of Rebirth by taking the gondola. Players that logged out within the Sanctum of Rebirth on a free-to-play world can take the gondola back to the City of Um.
  • patch 25 March 2024 (Update):
    • F2P players should now receive a pop-up about membership being required when reaching level 20 in necromancy on a F2P world.
  • patch 9 August 2021 (Update):
    • The 'Breaking the Seal' Archaeology mystery achievement is now free-to-play.
    • The 'use all' function now works consistently across XP items in free-to-play.
  • patch 17 May 2021 (Update):
    • Several pets can now be summoned on free-to-play worlds.
  • patch 27 January 2020 (Update):
    • Free-to-play players retrieving Members items from Death will not be told to partially empty their bank.
    • An issue where logging into F2P would sometimes switch your currently selected action bar has been fixed.
    • Free-to-play players can no longer use the Large and Huge Celebration Lamps when they select the "Use All" option.
  • patch 9 December 2019 (Update):
    • Yak Track tasks will now no longer scale down when a member swaps into a free-to-play world.
  • ninja 21 August 2017 (Update):
    • Pay-to-play off-hand equipment from bronze to rune that isn't otherwise locked behind membership (such as darts, throwing axes, claws, defenders and some low-level shields) can now be equipped in Free-to-play.
    • Pay-to-play mainhand claws, darts and throwing axes from bronze to rune can now be equipped in Free-to-play.
  • patch 13 July 2015 (Update):
    • Various members-only equipment will now correctly rescale themselves and not activate when entering free to play worlds.
  • patch 20 April 2015 (Update):
    • Free-to-play players can no longer smith pickaxes that require a members-only quest.
  • patch 29 August 2013 (Update):
    • Free to play players will now be informed once they have reached their daily resource limit for divine tears.
    • The level-up milestone messages now show "Maximum free-to-play level achieved" at the correct level.
  • patch 30 April 2013 (Update):
    • Players will no longer have their lifepoints lowered whilst wearing non-member armour and logging into a free world.
  • patch 9 April 2013 (Update):
    • Gravite weaponry once again degrades correctly on free worlds.
  • patch 14 January 2013 (Update):
    • F2P players who lost membership while a pet cat was following them, should no longer have issues getting Ozan to follow them during Stolen Hearts.
  • patch 3 January 2013 (Update):
    • Logging into a free world correctly restores the previous spellbook.
  • patch 6 December 2011 (Update):
    • While on a free world, tooltips for members' only skills on the skills interface are now readable.
  • patch 8 July 2009 (Update):
    • Disabled certain switches on free worlds.
    • Removed a few more ops for members-only content on free worlds.
  • update 15 October 2008 (Update):
    • Members see less adverts when playing on free worlds.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ^ Mod Stu. Jagex, please change the reqs for Surge/Escape so that it's either 30 Agility or 30 Mage/Ranged so F2P players can continue to use the ability.. Reddit. 5 December 2022. (Archived from the original on 11 December 2022.) Mod Stu: "I've had a chat with the combat council, and we agreed to lower the Agility req for Dive, Escape and Surge to 5, so it's within the F2P skill cap."
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