What Is FiveM? Cost, Requirements and Who Owns It
By Luke, RPScripts
FiveM is a free multiplayer platform for the PC version of GTA V that lets you join community-run servers instead of GTA Online. Each server sets its own map, rules, vehicles and game modes, and roleplay communities are its best-known use. You need a legitimate, up-to-date PC copy of GTA V and Windows. FiveM is made by the Cfx.re team, which has been part of Rockstar Games since August 2023.
This page answers the common first questions and links to the detailed guides for each step. Facts were checked against Cfx.re and Rockstar sources on 1 November 2026.
What can you do on FiveM?
FiveM itself is a client and a server list. The game you play depends on the server you join: serious roleplay with jobs, police and a player economy, racing and drifting, combat modes, or small private servers for friends. Server owners run their own server software and add resources (scripts, maps, vehicles, clothing) that players download automatically when they connect.
If roleplay is what brought you here, read what GTA RP is and how it works before choosing a community, and keep the FiveM roleplay glossary open for terms like metagaming or powergaming.
Is FiveM free?
Yes. The FiveM client is a free download from fivem.net, and the official download page lists no price; it only invites optional support through the Cfx.re Portal. What you pay for is GTA V itself: Cfx.re states that FiveM requires a fully updated, legal copy and does not work with pirated versions. Some servers sell optional perks through their own stores; that is the server's offer, not a fee for FiveM.
What do you need to play FiveM?
- A Windows PC. The official requirements list Windows 10 or 11. Cfx.re says the client cannot run on Linux and is not planned for PlayStation or Xbox.
- Your own copy of GTA V for PC, kept up to date. For FiveM Legacy, Steam, Epic Games Store, Rockstar Games Launcher and Xbox app installations work. FiveM for GTA V Enhanced needs the Rockstar Games Launcher and GTA V Enhanced.
- The GTA V edition your server uses. FiveM now exists in two versions: FiveM Legacy for GTA V Legacy and FiveM for GTA V Enhanced, which is in early access.
- Hardware that meets the FiveM requirements, which differ between Legacy and Enhanced (Enhanced needs an SSD). Laptops work if they meet the same specifications.
Legacy or Enhanced: which GTA V do you need?
Follow the server you want to join. Since 21 July 2026, Cfx.re offers FiveM for GTA V Enhanced in early access alongside FiveM Legacy. The two are separate clients, and Legacy and Enhanced players cannot share a server. Rockstar gives PC owners of GTA V both editions in their library, so most players can install whichever one their community needs. The full comparison, including graphics, performance and what still breaks, is in our guide to FiveM Legacy vs Enhanced.
System requirements
| Component | FiveM Legacy (minimum / recommended) | FiveM for GTA V Enhanced (minimum / recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 / Windows 11 | Windows 10 build 1909 / Windows 11 |
| Processor | Core 2 Quad Q6600 or Phenom 9850 / Core i5 3470 or FX-8350 | Core i7-4770 or FX-9590 / Core i5-9600K or Ryzen 5 3600 |
| Memory | 4 GB / 8 GB RAM | 8 GB / 16 GB dual-channel RAM |
| Graphics card | 9800 GT or HD 4870, 1 GB / GTX 660 or HD 7870, 2 GB | GTX 1630 or RX 6400, 4 GB / RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT, 8 GB |
| Storage | 125 GB plus 4 GB / plus 8 GB | 105 GB SSD required / DirectStorage-compatible drive |
These are the figures on fivem.net, not a promised frame rate on a busy roleplay server. For FiveM Legacy, Cfx.re's support article sets a higher memory bar of 8 GB minimum and 16 GB recommended, and notes that some older AMD laptop GPUs may not work. If you are choosing a graphics card for FiveM, our GPU guide for FiveM explains which settings and resources load the card most.
Does FiveM work on Mac or Steam Deck?
Not officially. Cfx.re publishes Windows requirements only and offers no macOS download. The Steam Deck runs SteamOS, which Valve describes as a Linux system, and Cfx.re states the FiveM client cannot run on Linux. Workarounds such as Windows installations or cloud PCs are outside Cfx.re support, so check the rules of your chosen server before relying on them.
Can you play FiveM without GTA V?
No. FiveM runs on top of your GTA V installation and checks that you own the game; it does not include the game files. If you do not own GTA V for PC yet, buy it from an official store first.
Who made FiveM, and does Rockstar own it?
FiveM was built by Cfx.re (CitizenFX), the team that also makes RedM for Red Dead Redemption 2. Its client and server source code is public in the CitizenFX repository on GitHub, which our article on whether FiveM is open source covers in detail.
On 11 August 2023, Rockstar Games announced that the Cfx.re team had officially become part of Rockstar. Rockstar Games is a label of Take-Two Interactive. Neither Rockstar nor Cfx.re published a purchase price or deal terms, so any figure you see elsewhere is not from either party. Before the announcement, Cfx.re ran FiveM as an independent team outside Rockstar. What the deal changed, and what it did not, is explained in does Rockstar own FiveM.
How to start playing FiveM
Check which GTA V edition your chosen server uses and install it on your PC. Then download the matching client from fivem.net; our step-by-step FiveM install guide covers both versions and the Steam and Epic folder paths. Finally, open the server browser, read a server's rules and join. The guide on how to play FiveM covers your first session, voice chat and what to do when you cannot connect.
Want to play alone? GTA V Story Mode is the offline option; a private FiveM server is only useful for testing resources, as our page on FiveM single player explains.