How to play FiveM for free in 2026

FiveM, the modded multiplayer for GTA V, is free. The only condition: owning GTA V on PC. Here we answer the questions every beginner asks — what it is, what you need, whether it’s legal, and what’s actually paid.

What is FiveM, and is it free?

FiveM is a client that lets you join community servers for GTA V: roleplay, racing, drift, car chases, survival… The FiveM client is 100% free, developed by Cfx.re (now under Rockstar’s wing). You pay nothing to download it or to join most servers.

What you need

GTA V on PC — Legacy or Enhanced edition (see Legacy or Enhanced?). That’s the only required purchase, and if you already own GTA V, GTA 5 Enhanced is a free upgrade.
The FiveM client, downloaded from the official site fivem.net (never a third-party link).
A Rockstar / Cfx.re account to sign in.

How to start

Install and launch GTA V once in single-player.
Download and install FiveM from fivem.net.
Sign in, open the server list, and join the one you like.

Nothing to install by hand: each server sends its resources automatically. The detailed guide (Enhanced version) is here: how to install FiveM for GTA 5 Enhanced.

Is it legal and safe?

Legal: FiveM uses your legitimate copy of GTA V and runs on private servers separate from official GTA Online. It’s a project backed by Rockstar since it brought Cfx.re on board.
Safe: as long as you download only from fivem.net. Avoid “free FiveM without GTA V” and other cracks: they’re scams or malware.

So what’s paid?

Nothing mandatory. Playing is free.
Some servers offer donations or non-competitive perks (priority queue, cosmetics). It’s optional and server-specific.
Beware pay-to-win servers that sell performance. Good competitive servers never do — on Chased, for example, cash earned in-game is cosmetic only, never performance.

What’s next?

Once FiveM is installed, explore: for driving and competition, see our best car-chase and drift servers. And if you want tense 1v1, come take on Chased.