The Sims 4 is the most popular life simulation game around, and it's no wonder as to why that is when you consider the sheer amount of content that developer EA continues to steadily release even now almost a solid decade after its initial release date. There are 15 Sims 4 expansions total and many more yet to come, and that's if you choose to count just the mainline DLC without all of the kits and stuff packs in between. It seems like we Simmers receive a new roadmap with content drops to look forward to right about the turn of every season now, meaning expansion packs galore.
With so many Sims 4 expansions floating about and EA's list of DLC continuing to grow over time, it can be difficult to discern which of these packs are truly worth purchasing and which don't quite live up to players' expectations. From expansion packs that add skyscraping apartments to those that introduce stunning island worlds, there are so many to choose from and not nearly enough money or time to assign to each of them. If you're wondering which of the Sims 4 expansions are worth it or which aren't, fret not.
We've compiled all 15 major paid content releases here and have determined the best Sims 4 expansion pack overall to help you on your DLC-shopping way. You'll find all of them listed below in a handy Sims 4 expansion pack tier list, starting from the one we feel is the least worth your money and worst EA release all the way to the one we deem to be the top pick out of all post-base game DLC drops. Whether you want to flesh your game out a bit more with animals or need fresh worlds to explore, you're sure to find the expansion pack most suited to your tastes, too.
Some Sims 4 cheats to check out:
All Sims 4 Expansions Packs Ranked
Our Sims 4 expansion pack tier list starts with the DLC we found to be least worth its price and leads up to the post-base game release we found to be the most fleshed out and fun. It's important to note that our choices all come down to a matter of opinion, as you may enjoy content the majority of players don't. With each of our 15 entries, we try and explain a bit of what makes each expansion pack bad and what makes each piece of DLC good. Starting with the recent For Rent expansion and all of the criticism surrounding it, here are all of the Sims 4 expansion packs ranked from "heck neib" to "heck yibs."
For Rent
While the general premise of For Rent is quite a solid one, this expansion pack's launch was unfortunately ill-received. If we overlook all of the performance issues and save file corrupting bugs, the content itself wasn't suited to many fans' tastes. The world included with For Rent, Tomarang, while stunning, can feel quite small and if you're excited to play with multiple households on one lot, there's a catch. A whopping 48 potential Sims all active on the same lot sounds chaotic in all the best ways, but it sadly doesn't actually play out that way.
Rather than loading the entire lot and its inhabitants at once, there are loading screens to sit through as you try to enter another family's part of a house or a different apartment on that same plot of land. Nonetheless, the gameplay can be fun if you don't mind how buggy this pack still is or how the loading works. Playing as a landlord or a tenant feels like a feature that should've always been present within The Sims 4, especially with pre-existing packs such as City Living having come before.
Get Famous
Get Famous is one of those Sims 4 expansion packs you'll only want to buy if and when it's heavily discounted rather than for its full price. While the new acting career and fame system are intriguing at first, celebrities can be downright annoying and the world that you get, Del Sol Valley, feels incredibly small despite representing a major real-world city like Los Angeles. The size makes this DLC seem more like a stuff pack of sorts or half of a full-blown expansion pack. Fending off fans and paparazzi is just the cherry on top of the cake of annoying Get Famous mechanics.
Nonetheless, it's always nice to add new careers to those you have with The Sims 4 base game, and getting famous can be a quick path to success for many Sims. If you value clubbing, getting rich, and becoming well-known to all Sims in-game, Get Famous is worth a look. However, considering the minimal amount of content with this pack, you should try and snag it during one of EA's many seasonal sales.
Eco Lifestyle
Eco Lifestyle is one of those hit-or-miss expansion packs. Some players absolutely adore it while others find it to be a nuisance. It definitely adds a layer of realism that the base game otherwise lacks, with its industrial harbor town and focus on environmentalism. While there's certainly a lot of content, dealing with pollution, keeping up with your Sims' eco footprints, and working to enforce neighborhood action plans may at times feel taxing rather than fun.
Despite all of the possible setbacks, though, it's not the worst expansion pack around. The challenges it brings can give you more purpose as a player, and there are various wonderful objects that accompany the pack. From the candle-making station to the insect farm, recycler, solar panel, and wind turbine, Eco Lifestyle admittedly spices building up with real-world flair The Sims 4 otherwise lacks.
High School Years
High School Years was on many of our minds long before EA first announced it as an expansion pack for The Sims 4. This DLC blends The Sims 3's own Generations gameplay with The Sims 2's nostalgia-inducing Teen Style Stuff content, making for a highly anticipated mix of fun features. You can experience high school with your Sims like never before thanks to this expansion, attending classes in person and chilling in the cafeteria with other teenage pals.
From fun aspirations to big events like prom, High School Years undoubtedly packs a punch of good content. The downfall with it is the fact that much of it remains buggy even today and the pack itself is quite pricey. It's also more of a niche pack as not all Simmers enjoy playing with teenage Sims. If you do enjoy all stages of a Sim's life and want to experience the little moments that determine their personalities and relationships, High School Years may be for you.
Snowy Escape
Snowy Escape is stunning, and it marks the arrival of some of EA's most diverse content. The new world in this expansion pack, Mt. Komorebi, is a beautiful mountainous region inspired by Japan's own snow-capped peaks. Alongside the whimsical region, Snowy Escape adds festivals and exciting new sports for Sims to play including rock climbing, skiing, and snowboarding. It also brings both decorative and functional objects such as cozy hot springs while introducing traditional Japanese architecture for players fond of building.
Whether you're looking for more activities for your Sims to engage in or a wider range of building and customization options to choose from, Snowy Escape adds a little bit of everything from its enchanting Mt. Komorebi to the gameplay possibilities within the new world. Despite all of this, however, it can all still feel a little lackluster and may function more as a vacation destination pack than a full-fledged expansion for its high price. If you find the build items or Mt. Komorebi appealing, we'd suggest keeping an eye out for any sales.
Horse Ranch
Horse Ranch adds so much new content to The Sims 4, but it's most definitely not an expansion pack for all flavors of player. If you loved the horses in The Sims 3 and want to live out all of your unicorn-riding dreams, then Horse Ranch may just end up being your favorite pack, though. Fans of old Western-style living and animal care should also look to this pack, as it enhances the base farming experience with horses, goats, and sheep as well as various new activities like dances and nectar making.
The new world, Chestnut Ridge, is full of secrets to uncover and stunning trails to traverse on horseback. The community is also quite lively, with regular events including cookouts and dances. If you're not a fan of horses or farm animals in general, Horse Ranch may seem like it offers quite a high price to pay for little interesting content. If you want a massive new region, equestrian sports, and fun ranch-inspired activities to go with it all, this expansion pack is fleshed out enough to genuinely feel worth the money it costs.
Discover University
Discover University is the perfect follow-up expansion pack to High School Years. It's also better if you'd prefer the college experience over the high school or teenage one as it sees your young adult Sims (or any age, for that matter) head off to university. From learning to get used to life with roommates to preparing for class and studying hard, this pack contains all of the college life essentials. Britechester, the world you get with Discover University, is a bustling region harboring two different schools.
Whether you're looking to fully flesh out your Sims' lives with degrees and university or are just hoping to snag the new objects to build with and lot traits to employ, Discover University is a solid expansion pack that brings a lot to the base Sims 4 game. If college doesn't interest you and you don't want the extra stress of degrees, you may want to opt for another pack or wait for a discount as the majority of Discover University's best content revolves around the experiences higher education may give to your Sims.
Get Together
Get Together is the perfect expansion for Simmers looking to up their social gameplay in The Sims 4. This expansion pack introduces a major new feature, clubs, which function much like social groups from The Sims 3 did. Your Sims can join premade clubs or even create their own with Get Together, engaging in activities with fellow members. Whether your Sims are hoping to join secret dance societies or take part in midnight bonfires, they can do all sorts of things thanks to clubs. One of the most beautiful Sims 4 worlds also accompanies this expansion pack, the Northern European-inspired Windenburg.
In terms of build or buy mode objects or functional furnishings, Get Together definitely delivers. There are arcade machines, bonfires, dance floors, DJ booths, espresso bars, foosball tables, and more. You can even create cafés for your social butterfly Sims to hang out at thanks to Get Together's new lot assignment type. Between the various fun clubs suited to different Sims' tastes to changes that affect gameplay across all of The Sims 4's worlds, this expansion pack offers a good chunk of content for its price and is a worthy addition to your DLC collection if you value the game's more social side.
Growing Together
Growing Together feels almost essential at times, despite its status as an expansion pack rather than base game content for The Sims 4. While the DLC itself could be criticized due to its price when many of the included features could've and arguably should've been a part of an update, the content itself is undeniably some of the best to come to the life sim. From the fleshed-out family dynamics to social events found in real life like baby showers and slumber parties, Growing Together contains key elements needed to make meaningful Sim relationships as well as a wholesome new urban world, San Sequoia.
It adds a layer of depth to all age groups that simply isn't present within the standard Sims 4 experience, such as childhood aspirations and dreaded midlife crises. Not only does Growing Together better personify Sims in specific age brackets from small infants to elders with events, feelings, and interactions, but it also breathes life into everyone across the board in-game with harsh realities many of us can relate to such as layoffs or workplace rivals and joyous moments like children first learning to ride bicycles or good friends crafting bracelets together.
Island Living
Island Living adds a stunning tropical archipelago to The Sims 4 with its world, Sulani. From bustling beaches and vibrant coral reefs to crystal clear waters and rumbling volcanoes, this new region offers some of EA's series' most beautiful geographical features. Sulani isn't just a simple vacation destination to visit on your Sims' days off, either. There's the conservationist career to look forward to and smaller jobs such as the diver, fisherman, and lifeguard occupations. Your Sims can also befriend adorable dolphins and swim alongside mermaids, perhaps becoming a part of the merfolk society themselves.
From its nostalgia-inducing Sims 2 Castaway vibes to its inclusion of a rich new culture within Sulani, Island Living is one of the most expansive packs for The Sims 4 around to date. Players hoping to add to their collection of build or buy mode options eat good with Island Living, too, thanks to its many beach-related objects like canoes, colorful towels, fish traps, float loungers, food stalls, sand sculptures, water scooters, and more. If you don't have the pack yet and want a world that stands out and has tons of new gameplay mechanics to boot, you'll want to keep Island Living in mind.
Get to Work
Get to Work is another one of those Sims 4 expansion packs that feels like it includes essential content rather than optional DLC. While this leaves it open to some criticism for sure, it doesn't take away from the fact that the expansion itself includes some of the most exciting features to date. Just like you can attend high school or university in The Sims 4 with the aforementioned packs, you can go to work with your adult Sims and actually complete tasks for them. Whether your Sims are doctors or scientists, you can rule their workplace with your decisions.
Without this pack, careers feel a bit dead as your Sims will leave for the day and you'll be left at their home lot just passing time on the highest speed option available until they return from work. The ability to actually experience Sims' jobs isn't the only cool mechanic to drop with Get to Work, however, as the expansion includes brand-new careers like retail businesses such as art galleries and clothing boutiques. Between the new active careers, items, and aliens (yes, really), there's little left to be desired with Get to Work. We'd recommend this expansion to all types of players as we couldn't imagine our game without it now.
City Living
Just as Island Living centers around its own added region, City Living primarily revolves around the bustling urban world that it adds to The Sims 4, San Myshuno. San Myshuno is one of the game's liveliest city-like areas even today, boasting sky-scraping apartments and regular street festivals for Sims to partake in. While For Rent expands on apartment life with its landlord and tenant-based content, City Living first introduced it all as a concept to The Sims 4 making it possible to experience everything from pesky cockroaches to even more annoying neighbors.
Whether you want your Sims to try the rags to riches challenge in shabby flats and luxurious penthouses or are just hoping to spice your gameplay up with new cultural festivals and politics, City Living is almost certain to contain content you'll enjoy. Along with apartments, festivals, and jobs, countless objects accompany this expansion pack as well as art-based lot assignments and various lot challenges or traits to choose from. It's difficult to put into words just how much City Living expands on the base Sims 4 gameplay, but we promise it's worth at least a wishlist if you don't already own the pack.
Cottage Living
If you don't like the hustle and bustle of urban life yourself and would prefer a serene space for your Sims within the green countryside, fret not. City Living may have apartments and festivals, but Cottage Living has all sorts of animals, barns, and a jaw-droppingly beautiful new world called Henford-on-Bagley. With Cottage Living, your Sims can engage with livestock such as chickens, cows, and llamas, while also living nearby wildlife like foxes, rabbits, and wild birds. Your Sims can fully embrace their quaint village life by farming and harvesting high-quality crops, partaking in the town fairs, and much more thanks to this pack.
Collect eggs, milk cows, shear llamas, and live out your wildest Disney princess dreams in Cottage Living. Your Sims can live entirely off their plot of land by cooking and gardening all the while engaging in other new hobbies such as cross-stitching. This expansion pack also sees the return of infamous Sims series faces, including the notoriously grumpy Agatha Crumplebottom. All in all, Cottage Living is a wonderful addition to the base game alongside other region-focused packs like City Living and Island Living. It's got cozy content galore, from animal care to crop quality contests.
Cats & Dogs
While we may have a little bit of animal-loving bias with this entry, Cats & Dogs still stands out as one of the best Sims 4 expansion packs to date. Let's face it, Sims should've always had the opportunity to own pets but as that wasn't the case, this pack remains important with its significant impact on gameplay and your Sim households. Aside from the more obvious addition of cat and dog companions for Sims, Brindleton Bay continues to be one of our go-to worlds in-game even now thanks to the stunning harbor docks, emerald-green parks, and ever-wandering stray pets.
Cats & Dogs also introduces the veterinary career, allowing your Sims to build animal clinics from the ground up and even hire dedicated staff to help. You get to experience your Sims' work as vets close up and take control of their business. Pets are much more than just aesthetic additions to families, too, as your Sims can bond with them, train them, and watch them develop as full-fledged members of their households. The whole game comes across as much livelier than before once you install Cats & Dogs, and we'd recommend it as a go-to pack for anyone looking to expand their DLC collection.
Seasons
There is one Sims 4 expansion pack that stands out among the sea of DLC as entirely essential to many players, and it's none other than Seasons. Not only does this pack add all four seasons and all of their respective weather quirks, but it also introduces holidays, temperatures, and more. Most of those features feel necessary for a life simulation game like The Sims 4, and once you've played with Seasons active, you'll learn why. From days drawing inspiration from big real-life holidays like Christmas to those taking from Valentine's Day, there are so many new events for your Sims to look forward to with this pack.
It's not just the events themselves either, but rather what they imply. Father Winter visits your lot (yes, that's Santa Claus), little gnomes appear during your Sims' harvest feast, and families ring in the new year together with television fireworks and all. When you get Seasons, you'll also have rainy days and thunderstorms to look forward to. You'll get hot days perfect for beach outings, snowy days set for staying in, and everything in between. If we had to recommend just one of the Sims 4 expansion packs, it would definitely have to be Seasons due to how drastically it changes the base game experience.
It's important to note that our Sims 4 expansion pack tier list may not align with your own subjective views on all of the DLC, but hopefully nonetheless inspires you to try some of the content you may have been avoiding or even unaware of. These 15 packs are just the tip of the Sims 4 iceberg anyway, considering all of the other kits, stuff packs, and more available to purchase.
