The multiplayer experience is a core part of the game and is fully functional in all legitimate versions:
: Periodically, the 7 Days to Die Steam page hosts "Free Weekends" where the full game (including multiplayer) can be downloaded and played for a few days at no cost.
If you want to play without purchasing the full game outright, these are your official options:
: If a friend owns the game on Steam, they can use Steam Family Sharing to let you download and play it for free, though you cannot both play at the exact same time on the same license. Multiplayer Features
Searching for a typically leads to two paths: legitimate limited-time trials or risky unauthorized versions. Because 7 Days to Die is a paid title developed by The Fun Pimps , there is no permanent, official free-to-play version of the full game. Legitimate Ways to Play for Free (or Nearly Free)
: You can host a game directly from your PC and invite friends through your Steam friends list or the in-game lobby.
: For a 24/7 world that stays online even when the host is off, you can join public servers or host your own. Some services like Squadnox offer free dedicated server hosting for small groups.