This is a guide covering all of the restrictions and limitations that come with the FFXIV Free Trial. I’ll go over the Free Trial Restrictions in more detail, to clear up any confusions you might have, and discuss ways to deal with those limitations. This also covers a few topics not mentioned from the official FFXIV page that covers the Free Trial restrictions.
• Free Trial Players are not required to purchase licensed software to use the Free Trial.
• One (1) Free Trial account may be registered to a Square Enix account so long as that Square Enix account has not been previously registered with any version of the game.
If you have, at any point, purchased the game, whether that be the base game or the complete edition, you are no longer eligible for the FFXIV Free Trial. Players often mistake the free 30-Day Subscription time as a trial, but no.. you still own the full game, therefore it’s not a demo anymore. Free Trial is not the same as Free to Play.
Additionally, the Free Trial is locked to the platform that you started on. If you started the FFXIV Free Trial on Steam, you won’t be able to use that account or character on PlayStation, and vice versa. To play on multiple platforms, you’ll need to purchase the game license for each one.
• Free Trial Players can purchase select in-game items from the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Store during the Free Trial. Not all in-game items are available for purchase by Free Trial Players (e.g., in-game item gift codes).
It wasn’t always possible to buy items from the Online Store as a Free Trial player, but now we can!
Free Trial players can NOT purchase:
- Character Level Skips
- Character Renaming Services
- Eternal Bonds / Weddings
- Home World Transfers
- Housing Furniture
- Main Scenario Progression
- Orchestrion Rolls
- Retainer Services
(FT cannot attend weddings, either.)
Free Trial players CAN purchase:
- Armor and Accessories
- Chocobo Barding
- Costumes / Hairstyles
- Dyes
- Emotes
- Face Paint
- Fantasias
- Fashion Accessories
- Minions and Mounts
- Weapons and Tools
* The Magitek Attire, Magic Trick Emote, and Clockwork Solus Minion are also restricted, for unknown reasons.
It is not possible to gift a Free Trial player, and Free Trial players cannot enter items codes at all. This includes promotional codes from buying merchandise or from the likes of collaborations. If you want to buy something for a friend, consider gifting the money directly!
• Free Trial Players can create up to eight (8) playable characters in each Physical Data Center.
Play up to eight different characters on the Free Trial, per Region, for a total of 32 characters! You can have all of your characters on different Data Centers and Worlds, or have eight characters in a single world, the choice is yours!
• Free Trial account characters have all their levels capped at level seventy (70).
The Free Trial has been expanded a few times now, and as of Patch 6.5, players can now experience the level 70 content of Stormblood. A Free Trial player can level all of the available classes to 70. Upon reaching Level 70, you simply do not gain any more experience for that class, but is still playable.
The following classes are not available while on the trial: Gunbreaker, Dancer, Reaper and Sage.
• Free Trial account characters can possess a maximum of 300,000 gil (in-game currency).
The Gil Cap is 300k, but doesn’t mean you can’t earn any more Gil after that. To earn more, you simply have to go spend what you have. There’s plenty of things to buy, especially if you’re a crafter in this game.
For a full guide on what to spend your Gil on, check out this page:
https://trialsoffantasy.com/free-trial-gil/
• Free Trial Players cannot use the “shout,” “yell,” or “tell” in-game chat options during the Free Trial.
Shout refers to zone-wide chat, yell covers a wide distance. Tells are like private messages between players. Free Trial cannot use these, but there’s other options to socialize!
/Say – talk to people near you.
/Party – talk to party members.
/Alliance – talk to all parties in large group content.
/Linkshell – talk with members of a Linkshell group. (World Specific)
/CWlinkshell – talk with members of a CWLS group. (Data Center wide)
/Novice – The Novice Network is a huge chat dedicated to helping newer players, or Sprouts. Each world has different people.
LinkShells, and Cross-world LinkShells are the best alternatives to private chats. Free Trial players cannot create or invite other players to these, however they can be invited and join. Either join a big group, or have someone make a special one for you and some friends!
To join the Novice Network, a Mentor (player with a crown next to their name) needs to invite you. Chances are, you’ll be invited without even asking.
There’s also “Fellowships” you can join. These are like a bulletin board style of chat, it’s not a very popular way to communicate though. Free Trial players are able to post messages after two weeks from joining.
• Free Trial Players cannot send Friend Requests. (Not covered by SE)
I don’t know why this wasn’t on the official list of Free Trial Restrictions, but yeah, you won’t be able to send Friend Requests. You can however receive Friend Requests from subbed player! This will allow you to see when people are online and can even teleport to their houses if they have any.
• Free Trial Players cannot access the in-game market board during the Free Trial.
The Market Board is a giant trading network for players, from which you can buy and sell various items. While this isn’t available, there’s plenty of NPC vendors from which you can buy items and gear from. If it’s not available from an NPC, you can always gather or craft it yourself! It can be a fun little challenge being entirely self-sufficient.
• Free Trial Players cannot send in-game letters using the moogle delivery service during the Free Trial.
• Free Trial Players cannot trade with other players during the Free Trial.
Free Trial players cannot send or receive mail from other players, normally. You can however receive mail from Square Enix themselves, which will happen if you buy something from the Online Store, or from community event rewards. Purchases from the store may take a while to arrive.
It’s generally not possible to trade other players in the Free Trial, however, there is a few loopholes regarding this.
Free Trial Trading Methods
• If you become a tenant at a friends house, you’ll be able to store and withdraw any furniture. It’s even possible to trade “untradeable” and bound items through this method. You can use the furniture to help decorate, or you can desynth the furniture for unobtainable materials and desynthesis levels.
• As a house tenant, you can also help manage the gardens and flower pots, as long as you have the required permissions. While you can grow things for yourself, you could also grow items for the home owner! Likewise, the homeowner can provide seeds and grow items for the Free Trial player!
[ To become a house tenant, you need to be on the same home world as the subbed player, and you need to be on their friends list. Only personal housing can be used for this, FC rooms and apartments cannot be shared. Additionally, homeowners can choose which permissions you have. ]
• The final trading method allows subbed players to send mail, with items attached, to Free Trial friends. As soon as the game goes down for maintenance, it stops checking for the Free Trial status until the FT player logs back in. If a subbed player sends mail during this very specific time (after maintenance, but before the FT logs in), the mail will actually be sent. Any tradeable items can be sent this way.
[ Mail Trading only works one way, to the Free Trial player. To send mail, you need to be friends and you must be from the same home world. Up to 20 items can be sent per maintenance. Gil can be sent, but the 300k gil limit still applies, any extra that you claim will be deleted. You can trade a wristlet for an eternal bond, but it cannot be equipped, so marriage is not possible. Weddings can be attended as a guest if you receive an invitation. Some things will still be restricted during this time, such as Lodestone permissions, Online Store gifting, Fellowship ownership, among other things. ]
• Free Trial Players cannot hire retainers during the Free Trial.
Retainers in Final Fantasy 14 are NPCs that act as extra storage, can gather materials and items, or can list things on the market for you. Sadly this isn’t available, so storage can get a bit cramped. The only other option for storage is Chocobo Saddlebags.
• Free Trial Players can join a Linkshell or Cross-World Linkshell if invited but cannot create a new Linkshell or Cross-World Linkshell during the FT.
I mentioned this before, above in the chatting section. Free Trial players can join, but cannot create or invite to Linkshells. Even with permissions like Leader or even Master (owner), the restrictions still apply.
• Free Trial Players cannot create or join a Free Company during the Free Trial.
Free Companies are the guilds of Final Fantasy. (Guilds, clans, teams, alliance… whatever you want to call them.) While Free Companies are nice and all, they’re not essential for playing the game.
A few crafting materials are locked behind FC Voyages, but there’s only a couple of things you’re missing out on. FCs also give other advantages like buffs, but again, it’s just another luxury that you don’t need. Join a CWLS if you want to socialize, it’s just as good.
• Free Trial Players can join a party if invited or by using the Duty Finder but cannot assemble a party during the Free Trial.
Free Trial players can be invited to parties manually, join Party-Finder listings, or be grouped up with randoms in the Duty Finder.
Not being able to create your own Party-Finder listings can be annoying if you’re looking to do something specific unsynced or in a raid like environment. For newer players, you don’t need to even worry about that though. If you’re deep into the trial though, just keep refreshing the listings now and then and you’ll eventually find something.
Other options include finding people for group content outside of the game, like in Discords.
If you’re starting the Free Trial with another Free Trial friend, and you’d like to play together, have no fear! While you can’t make your own party, you can always ask other people to make a party for you, such as in the Novice Network, or in crowded cities. People are usually pretty helpful and understanding. The person doesn’t need to stick around, and you and your friend(s) can go adventuring together.
• Free Trial Players cannot create or join a PvP team or participate in Crystalline Conflict, Rival Wings or Frontline.
All instanced PvP modes are currently disabled for Free Trial players. However, we can still visit the Wolves’ Den Pier and participate in 1v1 duels against other players. Despite not being able to take part in any other PvP modes, we can do the side quests and unlock them in the Duty Finder menu. Square Enix has said that this restriction will eventually be lifted, but it’s been years since, so it’s very unlikely. [The Lodestone news post.]
Free Trial players were able to play most PvP modes from March 28th, 2017 until February 25th, 2021. The only things restricted during this time were The Feast Ranked matches and PvP Teams. Some older Free Trial veterans may own some of the PvP rewards because of this, and any Wolf Marks that they have remaining can still be spent at the Wolves Den shops.
• Free Trial Players cannot play Ultimate Raids.
As of Patch 6.5, Free Trial players now have access to the Stormblood Expansion. Typically, this is where you would first experience Ultimate Raids, however, Square Enix has restricted this content. This includes the “The Unending Coil of Bahamut (Ultimate)” and “The Weapon’s Refrain (Ultimate)”.
• Free Trial Players can log into the Lodestone but cannot use community contents.
The biggest part of logging into the Lodestone is the ability to view most of your character information at any time, without logging into the game. You can view recently completed quests and achievements, view collectibles like cards and music, see your currencies and tribe progress, view your friends and linkshell members, and much more! You can also write a description / biography for your character profile, and even follow other Free Trial players!
FT players cannot post blogs, host or join events, recruit or join linkshells, or use anything in the Community Finder. Even comments are restricted.
• Free Trial Players cannot log into the official forum, or Companion application during the Free Trial.
We’re still able to view the FFXIV Forums, we’re just unable to make new posts. Regardless, most people prefer to use other ways to socialize, such as Discord or Reddit. The Companion App is a mobile app that lets you manage your inventory, view the market board, and chat with friends, all from your phone. While it has a few nice perks, ultimately, Free Trial players aren’t missing out on much.
• Free Trial Players cannot play Triple Triad against other players. (Not covered by SE)
Triple Triad is a card game. Normally, while in allowed areas, players can challenge you to Triple Triad matches. Free Trial players cannot initiate or accept matches. This also applies to Triple Triad Tournaments, which also feature player matches. Free Trial players CAN participate in Tournaments against NPCs though.
A newer addition to the Triple Triad game is Open Tournaments. These happen every other hour and last for 30 minutes at time. These feature player matches as well, but trial players are allowed to join, finally giving access to human matches. Invitational Tournaments are also an option, which are started by players. If not enough human players are present, NPCs will be substituted.
• Free Trial Players cannot participate in call-back campaigns or use referral codes. (Not covered by SE)
Occasionally a call-back campaign appears that lets you invite back your friends who have quit, in return for rewards should they come back. Free Trial players have the option when selecting a friend, but no rewards will be gained from it.
You also might have heard about player referral codes, which when entered by a newer player, gives rewards for both the code giver and the user. These are entered after you buy the game only, so it’s not available for Trial users. Free Trial players can also not give out any codes, since they’re generated after buying the full game.
• Free Trial Players cannot buy Housing or Apartments. (Not covered by SE)
By default, Free Trial players cannot buy any type of housing – but not because of direct Free Trial Restrictions. This is entirely blocked by the Gil currency cap of 300k. The cheapest housing option IS 300k, but those are for Free Company rooms, and FT cannot join Free Companies. The next cheapest option is Apartments at 500k, which is a bit above our limits. Owning a full house costs much, much more and is well beyond our reach.
Via Estate Sharing, Free Trial players CAN become a Tenant of another players house. Think of this like being a roommate, another player is letting you stay at their place. You can be a Tenant of up to two different houses. A house owner, themselves, can have up to three Tenants staying at their place. Estate Sharing is not possible with Apartments or Free Company Houses.
House Owners can give Tenants special permissions including Customization, Gardening, Stables, and Orchestrion. Or simply none at all. Customization allows the player to change ANYTHING in or outside the house. With proper authorization, it’s almost like owning a house yourself.
Gardening and Stables in particular open up brand new options for Free Trial players that they would normally never have access to! Gardening can grant rare and unique crafting materials and minions. Stables (alongside gardens) allow you to change your chocobo’s colour and assign them a favourite food, for extra buffs. You can even take care of other players chocobos and plants.
• Subbed players have priority when logging into the game.
When a login queue is in place, players on the full version of the game will be prioritized for logging in. Free Trial characters will be able to log in after the login queue has been cleared.
When the world is full, Free Trial players will get the following message:
“This World is currently full. Please wait until an opening is available and try again. If you are on the free trial, you cannot log in while there is a queue.”
After clicking OK, your game will immediately close. Annoying, I know. There’s not much you can do about this aside from trying again later. Square Enix are, however, looking to upgrade their servers in the future to help with queues. Best of luck out there, sprouts!
If the restrictions are a bit too much for you still, you can always consider upgrading to the full game!
> Check out my guide for buying the game! <
+ Square Enix reserves the right to make amendments to the Free Trial and these Free Trial terms, or to add or remove limitations on Free Trial Players, with or without notice in its sole discretion at any time. +
Link to Square Enix’s terms: https://support.na.square-enix.com/rule.php?id=5382&la=1&tag=freetrial
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