PlayedBy / Compare
A Keymailer alternative for indie devs
Keymailer and PlayedBy both help you get your game in front of YouTubers and streamers, but they solve different parts of the job. Keymailer is a key-distribution network: creators browse games and request keys from you. PlayedBy is a discovery tool: you enter games similar to yours and it shows the creators who recently covered them, so you can reach out first. Many teams will use both.
The short version
- Choose Keymailer if you want inbound key requests from a large creator network, anti-fraud checks, key distribution, and coverage tracking in one place.
- Choose PlayedBy if you want a ranked list of specific, small-but-active creators who just played games like yours, with a draft pitch for each, before you hand out a single key.
- Use both if you want to find the right creators with PlayedBy, then send keys and track coverage with a key-distribution tool.
Keymailer pricing (from its public pricing page)
Keymailer's pricing page for publishers now points to Partnier, its publisher-side brand (see keymailer.co/pricing). Prices below were read on 28 October 2026; check the source for the latest.
| Keymailer / Partnier plan | 1 game | 5+ games | Includes (per the pricing page) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Press & influencer campaign management, anti-fraud, code distribution and content tracking for your contacts; requests from the Keymailer network are limited (10 per month, per partnier.com/plans) |
| Base | $24.99/mo | $99/mo | Everything in Free plus organic press & influencer discovery, influencer recommendations, total content tracking and stream alerts |
| Insight | $49/mo | $199/mo | Everything in Base plus AI content analysis, stream snapshots and competitor analysis |
| Program | $99/mo | $299/mo | Everything in Insight plus creator programs, back-catalog promotion, creator connect, playtester app and contract signing |
The same page lists optional Boosts (promotion bundles) starting at $249, says the service is always free for content creators, and describes a network of 2,500+ press and 60,000+ influencers. The 5+ games price covers up to 20 active games under a fair-use policy.
PlayedBy pricing
| PlayedBy plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2 searches a week with no sign-up (4 with a free account), top 7 creators revealed, each with why it ranks and a pitch draft |
| Launch list | $12 one-time | 1 full search for one game, every creator with a pitch draft, CSV export, results saved 30 days |
| Indie | $19/mo | 1 game project, full ranked YouTube + Twitch list, a pitch draft for every creator, outreach tracking |
| Studio | $49/mo | Up to 5 game projects, everything in Indie, priority data refresh |
Prices in USD via Whop (Launch list one-time; Indie and Studio monthly). See pricing.
How they differ
| Keymailer | PlayedBy | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Distribute keys to creators and press, and track the coverage | Find which creators recently covered games like yours, and help you pitch them |
| Who starts the conversation | Mostly creators requesting your game from the network (plus your own contacts) | You, reaching out to creators through the contact routes they publish |
| Data source | Keymailer's own creator and press network | Public data from the official YouTube Data API and Twitch API |
| Key distribution & anti-fraud | Yes | No: send keys however you like (Steam keys, Keymailer, email) |
| Pitch drafts | Not a core feature | A draft pitch per creator, referencing what they recently played |
A workflow that uses both
- Enter 3–10 comparable games in PlayedBy and shortlist 20–40 creators in the 1k–100k range who covered them in the last few months.
- Pitch each one personally through their published business contact, referencing the video they made.
- Deliver keys and track coverage with whatever distribution tool you prefer; Keymailer's free plan covers campaigns for your own contacts.
Browse examples: creators who played Hades II, Balatro, or all games. Also see our Woovit alternative guide.
Keymailer and Partnier are trademarks of their respective owners. PlayedBy is not affiliated with them. Facts above come from their public pages as of 28 October 2026; if anything is out of date, tell us and we'll correct it.
Try it on your own game: paste your Steam link or enter 3–10 games like yours. 2 free searches a week, no sign-up.
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