Free-to-Play

Free-to-Play, or F2P, is a play option that was introduced with Patch 1.5.0. Players who choose this option do not have to pay a monthly subscription fee. Characters can be played up to level 50, but there are gameplay and grouping restrictions. Any combination of these restrictions can be lifted through purchases from the in-game Cartel Market, which would automatically upgrade the account to Preferred Status. Free-to-Play includes:

• 8 distinct class stories, each with three chapters across 12 planets
• Each planet has optional unique side Planetary Quests and Exploratory Quests, which are different on the Imperial and Republic faction
• Repeatable Heroics (2+ player content that can be completed solo), which are different on the Imperial and Republic faction
• Level 1-50 Flashpoints (aka "dungeons", 4-man group content with a solo version available)
• Warzones (player-vs-player content)
• Galactic Starfighter (space player-vs-player)
• Galactic Strongholds (player housing)
• Space Missions (solo space content)

Unlocking Expansions and Level 51-70

For new players, access to levels 51-70 is obtained by subscribing for one month. All expansions and levels 51-70 will be unlocked for all characters and all new characters for the life of the account. This includes access to the 3 Flashpoints that are a part of the expansions.

You only need to subscribe for one month to unlock the current expansions forever. If you unsubscribe after one month, you will lose your subscriber perks and status, but will keep your expansions and ability to reach level 70. Once you unsubscribe, you will be a "preferred" player - you will have access to more perks than a free to play player, but less than a subscriber.

Expansions

Previous players may find that they already have access to some or all of levels 51-65:

Rise of the Hutt Cartel (aka "Makeb"): Access to Level 51-55 was obtained by purchasing the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion, the Shadow of Revan expansion, or by subscribing for 1 month after September 2013. This expansion is unlocked for the duration of the account even if you unsubscribed.

Shadow of Revan: Access to Level 56-60 was obtained by purchasing the Shadow of Revan expansion. If you subscribed 1 month after October 2015, you have this expansion for free. This expansion is unlocked for the duration of the account even if you unsubscribed. This expansion includes 2 Flashpoints: "Blood Hunt" and "Battle of Rishi."

Knights of the Fallen Empire: Access to levels 61-65 can only be obtained by subscribing for at least one month after October 2015. You will receive all chapters for Knights of the Fallen Empire released until you unsubscribe; these chapters will be unlocked for the duration of the account. (Example: You unsubscribe after chapter 10 is released. You will keep access to chapter 10 and levels 61-65 for the life of the account, but will not have access to chapter 11 onwards.) This expansion includes the "Star Fortress" Flashpoint.

Knights of the Eternal Throne: Access to levels 66-70 can only be obtained by subscribing for at least one month after December 2016. You will receive all chapters for Knights of the Eternal Throne. Note that the Galactic Command system, Dark vs. Light Rewards, and Uprisings are only available to subs.

Free-to-Play, Preferred and Subscriber Differences

Each of the limited options below can be opened up through the Cartel Market.

Item	Free-to-Play	Preferred	Premium/Subscription
Arifact Gear (Certain items are unrestricted for all.)	Conflicting Reports4	Conflicting Reports4	Unrestricted
Augment Slots Cost - Improving endgame gear	Higher	Higher	Lower
Bank (Cargo Hold)	Access must be unlocked (See "Legacy Bank")	Access granted, must use Unlocks to unlock	Access granted, can use Unlocks to unlock or purchase directly from Cargo Hold
Cartel Coin Grant	None	None	500 or more / Month
Cartel Coin Grant - Security Key	100 / Month	100 / Month	100 / Month
Character Slots (Unlocks available)	4	12 (13-146 for some previous subs)	24-266
Chat	Restricted tells and General Chat on a 1 minute timer after level 25 for some characters; No access for others5	Full General Chat and /who, but on a few seconds timer after level 25; Unlimited other chat	Unrestricted
Credit Cap (Without Escrow Transfers)	200k	350k	Unlimited
Credit Gain	Normal	Normal	20% Faster after level 20
Crew Skills (Unlocks available)	1	2	3
Dark vs. Light: Participation	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Unrestricted
Dark vs. Light: Rewards	No	No	Unrestricted
Digital Expansion: Galactic Starfighter	Free	Free	Free
Digital Expansion: Galactic Strongholds	Free	Free	Free
Digital Expansion: Knights of the Eternal Throne: Other features	None	None	Free
Digital Expansion: Knights of the Eternal Throne: Solo chapters and level increase	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Free
Digital Expansion: Knights of the Fallen Empire	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Free
Digital Expansion: Rise of the Hutt Cartel	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Free
Digital Expansion: Shadow of Revan	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Must Subscribe for 1 Month	Free
Endgame Gear	Cannot acquire	Cannot acquire	Unrestricted
Flashpoints below maximum level (If done with a group)	3 of certain rewards1 from the last boss per week	3 of certain rewards1 from the last boss per week	Unlimited
Fleet Quick Travel	Normal 3 hours	1.5 hour reduction	1.5 hour reduction
Galactic Command	No	No	Unrestricted
GTN Slots	2	5	50
Guild Bank (Unlocks available)	Access must be unlocked, no ability with withdraw or deposit credits	Access must be unlocked, no ability with withdraw or deposit credits	Unrestricted depending on guild's settings
Guilds	Join Any, Lead F2P Guilds only	Join Any, Lead F2P Guilds only	Unrestricted
Inventory	Unlock with Unlocks only	Unlock with Unlocks only	Unlock with Unlocks or directly from Inventory
Legacy Bank (Legacy Stronghold Storage)	Yes, 1 bay only without Unlocks or Credit Escrow	Yes, 2 bays only without Unlocks or Credit Escrow	Yes, up to 5 bays
Mail	Receive Only	Can Send with 1 attachment but cannot send credits	Unrestricted
Mod Removal Cost	Higher	Higher	Lower
Mounts (free without low cost Unlock)	Normal	Normal	5-10 levels earlier
Operations	No access	No access	Unlimited
Quick Travel	Normal 26 minutes	20 min reduction	20 min reduction
Quickbars (Unlocks available and only really need 2-3 to play)	2	4	6
Respecialization	Very Low Cost	Very Low Cost	No Cost
Rest XP	No	No	Yes
Revive	5 medical probes per character	5 medical probes per character	Unlimited
Security Key Setup - Mobile or Physical	Available	Available	Available
Space Missions	3 per week	3 per week	Unlimited
Species for Character Creation3 (Unlocks available)	Human, Cyborg or Zabrak unless already unlocked	Human, Cyborg or Zabrak unless already unlocked	All species that are available for a class besides Cathar and Togruta unless already unlocked
Sprint	Level 10	Level 1	Level 1
Story Content	Full Class Story Levels 1-50; 51-60 with Expansions	Full Class Story Levels 1-50; 51-60 with Expansions	Full Class Story Levels 1-55; 56-60 with Expansion
Support	Email, Phone, and Forum only	Email, Phone, and Forum only	Email, Phone, Forum, and In-game Ticket
Trade	No	After Level 10	Unrestricted
Uprisings	No	No	Unlimited
Valor Rate	Normal	Normal	Faster after level 20
Vendors	Regular price	Regular price	Discounted price
Warzones - Ranked	None	None	Unlimited
Warzones - Regular, Group	Unlimited2	Unlimited2	Unlimited
Warzones - Regular, Solo	5 per week	5 per week	Unlimited
XP Rate	Normal	Normal	20% faster after level 20

¹ "Rewards" does not include credits, some reputation tokens, and XP gained from defeating the last boss. All players, even F2P, have unlimited access to these. "Rewards" only include gear, decorations, mounts, pets, some reputation tokens, non-reputation tokens, and crafting materials. Note that you only get these rewards if you win the loot roll against other players. You can also get an unlimited number of these if you do it solo.

² Unlimited when grouped with, and queued by a subscriber. Otherwise subject to Solo Warzone limits.

³ If you already have a character with that species, you can still play with them as a Preferred player. You can unlock any species for any class with Cartel Coins, credits, or getting a character of that species to level 50. Some customization options are locked for certain classes until you unlock the class using the previous methods. Subs can only make the following species for the following classes unless unlocked:

• Humans and Cyborgs: Any class
• Zabrak: Any Republic class can be a brown Zabrak; Any Empire class can be a red Zabrak.
• Chiss: Bounty Hunters and Imperial Agents
• Miraluka: Jedi Knights and Consulars
• Mirialan: All Republic classes
• Rattataki: Bounty Hunters, Imperial Agents, and Sith Inquisitors
• Sith Pureblood: Sith Warriors and Inquisitors
• Twi'lek: Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, and Sith Inquisitor
• Cathar: Must be unlocked
• Togruta: Must be unlocked

⁴ There have been conflicting reports about Artifact Authorization after 4.0: some F2P players mentioned that are able to use them, others mentioned they could not.

⁵ The 5.1.2 Patch Notes mention "Free-to-Play chat restrictions have been adjusted in order to help address third-party service advertisement spam." We currently do not know that that means yet: we've seen multiple players around level 20 mention that they cannot access chat still.

⁶ Those that subscribed between November 2015 and December 2016 get 1 extra character slot. Those that subscribed between December 2016 and now get another character slot. Those that were subscribed at anytime during both time periods get 2 extra character slots: 1 for each time period. Note that many promotions give out free character slots too.

External links

• SW:TOR Free-to-Play option FAQ