Choosing a vanilla server in 2026
Is World of Warcraft free to play?
Short answer
Partly. Blizzard's free trial lets you level characters to 20 in modern World of Warcraft, with no time limit but no trading, guilds or Classic. Every Classic version needs a subscription or game time. Keldurn is an independent realm where the classic 1.12 world is free to play all the way to level 60.
Key facts
| Official free trial | Modern WoW only, characters up to level 20 |
|---|---|
| Trial gold cap | 1,000 gold per character |
| Trial limits | No trade, mail, Auction House, guilds or party invites |
| WoW Classic | Era, Hardcore, Anniversary and Mists need a subscription |
| Trial time limit | None, but the level cap stays at 20 |
| Keldurn | Free classic 1.12 realm, level cap 60, x1 rates |
What the official free trial includes
Blizzard's trial needs only a Battle.net account. It covers modern World of Warcraft without the newest expansion: you can create characters, level them to 20, earn up to 1,000 gold each, use the Random Dungeon Finder and talk in /say and /party.
The restrictions are what most players notice. Trial accounts cannot trade, send mail or use the Auction House, cannot join a guild or form a party, and can only whisper friends. Buying game time or a subscription lifts the limits.
Classic is not part of the trial
None of the Classic versions are included. Classic Era, Hardcore, the Anniversary realms and Mists of Pandaria Classic all require an active subscription or game time. If what you want is the original world of patch 1.12, the official trial will not get you there.
Playing the classic world for free
Independent realms recreate the 1.12 world, and many of them are free. Keldurn is one: an account costs nothing, there is no subscription and the level cap is 60 at x1 rates. You can play in a browser, on a phone or tablet, or with the Windows client.
Independent realms are not Blizzard services, so check how a realm pays its bills before you invest your time. On Keldurn the optional shop never sells items with stats, experience or gold, which means progress cannot be bought.
- Read a realm's shop page before you start.
- Use a password you do not use anywhere else.
- Expect to start at level 1, because characters do not move between servers.
Questions players ask
How long does the WoW free trial last?
There is no time limit. The trial stays free, but characters cannot pass level 20 until you buy game time or a subscription.
Can I play WoW Classic for free?
Not on Blizzard's servers: Classic Era, Hardcore, Anniversary and Mists of Pandaria Classic all need a subscription. Independent realms such as Keldurn offer the 1.12 world for free.
Is Keldurn really free?
Yes. Creating an account and playing to level 60 are free, and the optional shop never sells power.
Sources
Updated October 3, 2026. Keldurn is an independent project compatible with the 1.12.1 era. It is not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.