Is Brawl Stars Free? Gems, Passes and What Your Kid Might Spend

Three-minute brawls with no entry fee

Brawl Stars is a team-based arena game from Supercell. Players pick a Brawler and join short online matches in modes such as 3v3, 5v5 and battle royale. It is free to download on iPhone and Android, and the UK App Store describes it as free to download and play, with some items available for real money, including random items.

There is no console or PC version, so everything on this page is about phones and tablets, which also means device-level parental controls are your main safety net.

Matches pit teams of real players against each other online, so a connection is always needed. That also means everyone you play with is another person, which is worth bearing in mind for younger players.

Gems, bundles and three different passes

Gems are the premium currency. On the UK App Store (checked 3 Nov 2026) they are listed at £1.99 for 30, £4.99 for 80, £9.99 for 170 and £19.99 for 360. The same listing shows a Season Pass at £6.99, Season Pass Plus at £9.99 and Brawl Pass Plus at £12.99, plus basic bundles from £0.99.

Having several overlapping passes is the main thing parents notice: the names are similar, the prices step up, and each season brings a fresh one. If your child wants a pass, agree which one and how often before the first purchase.

Random rewards and the PEGI 16 on Google Play

Google Play UK lists Brawl Stars at PEGI 16 with "Users interact" and "In-game purchases (includes random items)". The UK App Store rates it 13+ for weapons and cartoon violence. Brawl Stars is not in the pegi.info database because it is a mobile game rated through the stores' own system.

The higher PEGI number lines up with PEGI's 2026 changes. In June 2026 PEGI started weighing paid random items, and from October 2026 it began updating existing digital-only games rated 3, 7 or 12 that contain paid random items to PEGI 16 across storefronts. We cannot confirm from Supercell or PEGI that this is why Brawl Stars changed, only that the timing and descriptor match.

Is a paying Brawler stronger than a free one?

Brawl Stars is competitive, so this matters more than in a single-player game. Spending can speed up unlocking Brawlers and progressing them, which gives more options in matches. Skill and teamwork still decide a lot, but a bigger, more developed roster is an advantage.

That puts it at 3 out of 5 on our pay-to-win meter: not a game where money guarantees wins, but one where money helps.

How long the free unlock route takes

Matches are short, which makes Brawl Stars easy to pick up for ten minutes. The longer grind is in progression: unlocking and upgrading many Brawlers without spending takes months of regular play. Seasonal passes reward regular sessions, which keeps players coming back but can also feel like homework.

For a casual player who sticks with a few favourite Brawlers, the free route is comfortable. For a completionist, it is a long road.

Clubs, strangers and Supercell ID for parents

Online matches and Clubs (the game's teams) can include strangers. Supercell's parents' guide says Club chat is text only and uses an automated word filter calibrated to the player's age. A Supercell ID lets a parent-controlled email manage the account and friends, with two-step email verification.

We did not find an in-game parental control panel, so purchase controls sit at device level:

• iPhone and iPad: Screen Time can block or require approval for in-app purchases.
• Android: Google Play parental controls and Family Link can require approval for purchases.

Agreeing a Gem budget with a young player

Brawl Stars is popular with children, and the 13+ App Store rating and PEGI 16 on Google Play suggest it is aimed at older players than its cartoon look implies. If your child plays, a few editorial suggestions:

• Turn on purchase approval first. Screen Time on iPhone and iPad, or Family Link on Android, means no Gems are bought without you.
• Pick one pass, not all three. If you agree to spend, a single season pass is a fixed cost; Gem packs bought on impulse are not.
• Talk about random items. The store listing confirms some purchasable items are random, so explain that paying does not guarantee a particular reward.
• Use the Supercell ID. A parent-controlled email makes it easier to manage the account and its friends list.

None of this is required to enjoy the game. Plenty of players never spend, and short matches make it easy to set a time limit as well as a money limit.

Season rhythm and log-in nudges

Like many mobile games, Brawl Stars is organised into seasons, each with a pass that rewards regular play. That rhythm is part of the fun for committed players, but it also builds a habit of checking in, which is exactly what PEGI's 2026 criteria began to scrutinise alongside paid random items.

For adults, the main question is whether the season structure fits how you like to play. If you dip in occasionally, the free track still gives something back, and you lose nothing by skipping a season. If you find yourself logging in only to collect rewards rather than to play, that is a good moment to step back.

Our shop score of 4 out of 5 reflects how many paid options sit in front of players at once, not any single aggressive pop-up.