The subscription cost of Anarchy Online is approximately 14,95? (US$14.95) a month if paying monthly, or 7,95? (US$7.95) a month if paid a year in advance. The core game plus the notum wars expansion is freely downloadable. Other expansions must be purchased, though free trials are available via the Anarchy Online website. On January 21 2008 Funcom announced a new "tier" subscription system which would allow players to play the Shadowlands expansion alone for only a $5.00 monthly subscription fee as well as a one time purchase fee of $10.00.
Free play program
Since December 15, 2004, Funcom has run a promotion allowing players to download and play the core game, plus the Notum Wars expansion since October 27, 2006, entirely free of any charges. This programme was recently scheduled to end on January 15, 2008,. Though it has historically been extended past previous deadlines for several years now because of its success, that the bulk of AO's members are such "froobs"[citation needed] (or "free newbies", a word Funcom has even incorporated it into the game as a t-shirt slogan). On January 4th, 2008, Funcom announced that they would extend the Froob programme throughout 2008. Players using free accounts are subject to billboards featuring real-world and game related advertisements. Paying customers are able to remove these advertisements or replace them with ones for fictitious game-world products. Free players wishing to use the content available in any other expansion would need to purchase that expansion, after which monthly subscription fees would begin.
Other online games have similar offers of indefinite free play with restricted content.