You built a browser game. It runs in a tab, no download needed — which is its superpower. Now you want people to actually play it. Here's an honest, no-hype rundown of the free places you can publish an HTML5 or browser game in 2026, what each one is good for, and where SlowDen fits in.
Quick note before the list: terms, payouts and submission rules on every platform change, so treat this as a map, not a contract. Check each site's current docs before you commit. We've tried to describe every option fairly — including the ones that aren't us.
Before you publish anywhere, it helps to have:
Got that? Good. Here are your options.
The most independent route: put the files somewhere and get a URL you control. GitHub Pages, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages and itch.io all let you host a static HTML5 build for free.
Good for: total control, no gatekeeper, a link you can paste anywhere. The catch: hosting a game and getting it played are two different problems. A self-hosted link has no built-in audience — you still have to share it. So self-hosting pairs well with any of the discovery options below.
The default home for a lot of indie and jam games. You can upload an HTML5 build and have it playable in the browser, set it free or pay-what-you-want, and join the constant stream of game jams hosted there. Open to anyone, no approval queue.
Good for: jams, devlogs, building a small following, keeping full control. Worth knowing: discovery is competitive — a new page won't get traffic on its own, so jams and sharing matter.
One of the longest-running homes for web games and animation, with a built-in community that rates and comments. It accepts HTML5 games and is open to submit to.
Good for: a community that actually plays and gives feedback, an arcade audience that likes short web games.
An indie-focused platform with hosting and a social/community layer. Open to indie uploads, including browser builds.
Good for: indie discovery and a younger community audience.
Portals like CrazyGames and Poki have large audiences and run developer programs where accepted HTML5 games can earn a share of ad revenue. GameDistribution takes a different angle — it syndicates your HTML5 game out to a wide network of portals and shares ad revenue.
Good for: reach and potential ad income if your game is a good fit. The honest catch: these are selective — submission usually means a review, technical requirements (their SDK, specific aspect ratios, performance bars), and no guarantee of acceptance. They're a great target once a game is polished, less so for a first weekend prototype. Always read the current terms before integrating an SDK.
Transparency note: Most partner games you see on SlowDen are shown in partnership with Playgama and remain © their respective studios — they're not made by SlowDen. The games SlowDen builds itself are clearly marked as SlowDen Originals. We mention this so it's clear how the network of portals connects.
Sometimes the hard part isn't where to publish — it's finishing at all. Game jams solve that with a theme and a deadline, and most jams (the itch.io jam ecosystem, Ludum Dare, and many others) double as a place to publish and get your entry played by other participants.
Good for: motivation, a small built-in audience of fellow jammers, and a finished game at the end. This is where SlowDen's own option comes in.
SlowDen is a free browser-game platform — players come to discover and play web games with no download. For developers, the way in is Slow Cook, SlowDen's free, low-pressure creative challenge.
Here's the honest pitch, no inflation: Slow Cook gives you a menu of small creative prompts (one button, 60 seconds, no enemies, one colour, a tiny world), about a month to build at your own pace, and a place to submit your browser game so people can play it. It's beginner-friendly on purpose — first-timers especially welcome — and any engine works as long as it runs in a browser.
What selected winners get: a chance to be featured on the SlowDen homepage and a shoutout across SlowDen's social accounts. That's it — a genuine chance to be seen. SlowDen doesn't promise guaranteed traffic, downloads, players, revenue or followers, and we're not going to pretend otherwise.
So where does it sit among the options above? It's not the biggest portal and it won't claim to be. It's a friendly, free place to publish a small browser game and get a shot at being featured — a good fit alongside self-hosting and jams, especially if you want a low-stakes reason to ship something.
Submit your browser game See the Slow Cook challengeThe best move for most people is "more than one of these." Publishing a browser game isn't a single door — it's a link you can put through several. Pick the ones that match where your game is today.
A browser game is one of the easiest things in the world to share, because it's just a link. There are plenty of free places to publish one in 2026 — the trick is matching the platform to your goal, and then actually sharing the thing. If you want a small, friendly first step, Slow Cook is a calm place to publish and be seen.
Submit your game to SlowDen Pick a Slow Cook prompt Read the Slow Cook announcement