Final Fantasy XIV can be expensive with so many expansions and subscriptions to buy. But if you’re unsure of committing, you have plenty of time and content to test out through the free trial —with some restrictions.
This free trial can be started by any player without having to pay any expansion or subscription: All you have to do is to sign up and download the game.
The Free Trial is generous, especially because more content has been added to FFXIV over the years. After a decade, it’s worth thousands of playtime. You can complete the content of A Realm Reborn, which corresponds to the base content, as well as both first expansions, Heavensward and Stormblood. But you can’t complete the quests of Shadowbringers, Endwalker and soon, Dawntrail. In addition, you can’t experience the game in the same way as other players because some features are locked behind the subscription.
Here are the limitations of the Free Trial in FFXIV.
Content locks of FFXIV‘s Free Trial access
There are a few locks that prevent you from having the exact same experience from other players when you’re not actually subscribed in FFXIV. The main locks are related to social features, which can be frustrating because the game is all about playing in co-operation with other players in adventures and quests.
You can’t create a Party, but you can join one. So if you want to discover the game with friends, it can be worth sharing one subscription for the group: One can create a party and you can play together.
Here is the list of limitations of the Free Trial:
- You can’t go beyond level 70 (it’s the same for combat, crafting, and gathering).
- You can’t gather over 300,000 gil.
- You don’t have access to the shout, yell, or tell chat (you can’t send private or global messages).
- You can’t buy items from other players through the Market Board nor trade.
- It’s impossible to send letters through Moogles.
- You can’t have retainers.
- You can join a Party, a Linkshell or Cross-World Linkshell, but not create one.
- Free Companies are locked.
- PvP is disabled.
- You can’t join Ultimate Raids.
- You can’t use community features of the Lodestone nor the Companion application.
Technically, you can buy a house. But you can’t have over 300,000 gil and they’re more expensive, so this feature is also locked for trial users. Still, there’s much you can do, and you can party up for fights through the Duty Finder. The devs also added Duty Support for solo players, which adds NPCs who will help them play without real allies.
