Choose Racecar.io
Choose Racecar.io if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Racecar.io launched in 2016.
Racecar.io vs PetrolHeads
Racecar.io and PetrolHeads both land in Massively Multiplayer, Racing on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Massively Multiplayer, Racing on Steam. Racecar.io is free; PetrolHeads is paid (Price unknown). PetrolHeads has co-op; Racecar.io does not. No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose PetrolHeads
Choose PetrolHeads if you want a Strategy, Indie, and Simulation game with Steam Leaderboards, Steam Turn Notifications, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend.
Both Racecar.io and PetrolHeads sit in Massively Multiplayer and Racing on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Racecar.io |  PetrolHeads | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | — |
| Genres | Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play, Racing | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 47.8% positive (184 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Kastriot Sulejmani, Brayden Myers | Bubrrec Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Massively Multiplayer, Racing on Steam.
- Racecar.io is free; PetrolHeads is paid (Price unknown).
- PetrolHeads has co-op; Racecar.io does not.
Racecar.io vs PetrolHeads — FAQ
- Are Racecar.io and PetrolHeads similar?
- They overlap on Massively Multiplayer, Racing on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Is Racecar.io free?
- Yes — Racecar.io is a free-to-play Steam title. PetrolHeads is paid (Price unknown).