Is CD-Keys reputable? This is behind the platform

On the CDKeys platform, you can find a variety of gaming keys that you can usually purchase at discounted prices. We will show you in detail how reputable the platform is.

CDKeys at a glance: provider and business model explained

CDKeys has become a household name in the field of digital game licenses. Many gamers are looking for cheaper alternatives to official platforms such as Steam or PlayStation Store.

• It is important to know that the key reseller market is a gray area. It is not illegal to buy games from such providers, but often the origin of the keys is not clear. This means that you may be buying illegally obtained keys. However, CDKeys is considered a comparatively reputable provider in the key reseller sector, as evidenced by overwhelmingly positive customer reviews.

• In general, you always buy keys at your own risk. Therefore, please read the product description carefully and pay attention to “region locking”, i.e. games that can only be activated in certain regions. Often, keys come from countries like Russia, where they cost very little. However, Steam blocks the activation of these keys in other countries, so that you have bought a key but cannot legally activate it on your German Steam account.

• According to CDKeys, all keys purchased there are subjected to an internal “fraud control” to ensure their validity before they are sold. This is how the company wants to ensure functional and authentic game licenses. However, detailed information is missing on how exactly these controls are carried out and what specific measures are taken to verify the authenticity and legality of the keys.

• Compared to platforms that act as a marketplace for third-party providers, such as G2A, CDKeys’ direct sales model theoretically offers better protection against fraudulent sellers, as you do not purchase the game license keys from third parties, but from CDKeys directly. The risk of falling victim to a scammer is particularly high on sites with third-party providers, because the platform itself does not guarantee security.

• You will receive the keys via e-mail in the form of a scanned image or in writing. According to CDKeys, these keys come from partners all over the world and are offered at a lower price thanks to the savings made by sending them digitally. However, the exact origin of the keys remains unclear. As with all key resellers, purchases from CDKeys are therefore at your own risk.

• CDKeys offers a wide range of payment options, including credit cards such as VISA, Mastercard and Maestro, e-wallets such as PayPal and Apple Pay, as well as various local payment services such as iDEAL (Netherlands), SOFORT and Giropay (Germany), Bancontact (Belgium), PIX (Brazil) and BLIK (Poland). Multi-currency support allows customers to shop in their local currency, reducing transaction fees and avoiding currency conversion issues.

CDKeys seriös? Erfahrungen und Bewertungen im Check

CDKeys can certainly be considered an option for price-conscious gamers who are willing to take a certain risk to save money. The positive customer experiences and the reported reliability of the service speak for the provider, even if complete transparency could be improved in some areas.

• At Trustpilot, CDKeys has a rating of 4.8 stars based on 200,497 reviews (as of April 11, 2025) and thus receives the rating “Excellent”. On the rating platform Sitejabber, CDKeys currently achieves a rating of 4.3 stars from 543 reviews, putting it in the top ten in the category.

• The available customer reviews show mostly positive experiences with CDKeys. Customers report significant price advantages compared to official platforms. In addition, delivery times are described as very fast. The purchase process is also described as “smooth” and “easy”, with keys being activated without any problems. Even skeptics were convinced and returned after an initial purchase.

• The company offers customer service both by email and a hotline. This is in line with the expectations of a reputable online retailer, although the available sources mention that the website lacks a legal notice, which could be problematic from a transparency perspective.

• Compared to other key resellers like CJS CD Keys, CDKeys stands out for its focus on direct sales without third-party providers, which potentially reduces the risk of fraud. The company scores quite well in terms of customer reviews. The aggregation platform KeyForSteam shows that CDKeys is in the middle range with 760 ratings.