What HowLongToBeat does
HowLongToBeat (HLTB) is a free, browser-based database of how long video games take to finish. For each title it typically surfaces community-submitted averages across play styles such as Main Story, Main + Extra, and Completionist, then lets you track what you are playing, finished, or still sitting in a backlog. Optional accounts unlock personal lists and comparison features; many people still use game pages as a one-off lookup without signing in.
Who should use it
- Estimating whether a new purchase fits your free time before you buy
- Sizing a Steam (or multi-store) backlog in hours instead of title count
- Comparing Main Story versus 100% routes when you care about side content
- Tracking currently playing / finished / retired games in one place
What we confirmed
- What it measures
- Community-reported completion times, usually split by play style (for example Main Story, Main + Extra, Completionist).
- Primary use
- Look up a game’s length, plan a backlog, log progress, and optionally compare your pace with other players.
- Access model
- Core lookups work in a modern browser; accounts unlock personal backlogs, tracking, and social-style comparison features.
- Data source
- Times are user-submitted estimates, not publisher marketing copy or telemetry from a single platform.
- Also on the site
- Browse popular and recently updated games, discover titles, and use Steam-oriented backlog helpers where available.
- Cost
- The consumer website is free to use; always confirm current account or API terms on the official site.
Our assessment
HowLongToBeat earns a verified Tooldex recommendation because it answers a concrete decision question better than store pages or review scores alone: “Do I have enough hours for this?” Use Main Story when you want the campaign; use Main + Extra or Completionist only when you know you chase side content. For backlog planning, convert total hours into weeks at your real weekly play rate—otherwise the sum will look terrifying and useless. Pair HLTB with a review aggregator or personal taste filter; a short game you hate is still a worse use of time than a longer game you love. We do not treat HLTB rankings as quality scores—only as time maps.
Treat averages as ranges, not guarantees. Submission volume, edition (base game vs DLC), difficulty, speedrunning habits, and “I skipped cutscenes” behavior all move the number. A game with few polled players is less reliable than a heavily reported AAA title. HLTB does not replace reviews, accessibility notes, hardware requirements, or whether a game is currently on sale. Platform-specific campaigns (for example exclusive content) can change length versus the “default” card.
Frequently asked questions
What do Main Story, Main + Extra, and Completionist mean?
They separate community time submissions by play style: central campaign, campaign plus substantial optional content, and a completion-focused route. Check the official source ↗
Are HowLongToBeat times measured automatically?
The displayed estimates are based on community-submitted completion times rather than universal telemetry from every platform. Check the official source ↗
Why can the estimate differ from one player’s experience?
Difficulty, skill, exploration, accessibility needs, edition, downloadable content, retries, and cutscene behavior can change total time. Check the official source ↗