iRacing is raising the price of all its subscriptions starting August 18, 2026. This is only the second price increase in the service’s nearly twenty-year history, and it affects all four subscription plans. The prices of cars and tracks, however, will remain unchanged. Subscribers have one week left to renew their accounts at the old rate.

The New Rates

For a subscription purchased directly through iRacing:

• 1 month: $14.75, compared to $13.00
• 3 months: $37.50, compared to $33.00
• 12 months: $124.50, compared to $110.00
• 24 months: $222.50, compared to $199.00

This represents an increase of approximately 12 to 13 percent, depending on the subscription length, with the two-year plan being the least affected. iRacing notes that prices on Steam will follow suit at a comparable rate.

Renewing before August 18 locks in the current rate

That’s the key takeaway from the announcement, and the process is more flexible than you might think. With iRacing, an early renewal doesn’t override the current subscription period; it simply adds time to the end of your existing subscription. This means you can pay today at the current rate and extend your subscription by that amount of time—up to two years in advance.

The savings come down to two figures: $14.50 over twelve months, $23.50 over twenty-four. The catch lies elsewhere. An account set to auto-renew where the payment is due after August 18 will automatically switch to the new pricing plan. Unless you take manual action before that date, there’s no way to get a refund. New subscribers will also pay the new rate, while still having access to promotions reserved for new members.

As for the content, the prices remain the same

The store remains the same: a car is still $11.95, a track is $11.95 or $14.95 depending on the layout, and there’s still discounted content available for $2.95 and $4.95. The subscription continues to include 32 cars and 29 tracks at no extra cost. For an account that’s already well-stocked, the difference matters: on a regular user’s annual bill, the line item that increases isn’t necessarily the most significant one.

Another detail that’s rarely mentioned—and one that directly affects French subscribers—is that on iRacing Live, all prices are displayed in dollars and exclude tax; VAT is added at checkout. On Steam, VAT is already included in the price, which explains the usual one-dollar difference in the prices of cars and tracks.

Finally, there are official credits available to offset the cost, though they are rarely used. The Race Participation Credit Program provides up to $10 per season—or $40 per year—at a rate of $4 for an official series in the Rookie, C, or D license categories and $7 for an A or B series. You must race for 8 weeks out of a 12-week season, earn championship points, and complete at least 50% of the laps driven by the winner of your class. These credits can be used to purchase content or pay for your subscription, but they expire after 24 months.

What iRacing Is Offering in Return

The service justifies the price increase by citing rising costs across the board and a base package that is much more comprehensive than it was at launch. Above all, it highlights two projects currently in development: a proprietary graphics engine and a single-player Career mode.

Both are reported to be in development, with no release date or further details. So we’ll have to see them in action before we can draw any conclusions. In the meantime, the only firm deadline remains August 18, and it affects everyone’s wallet.