The best Sims 4 expansion packs are Seasons, Cottage Living and City Living: Seasons changes every save you play, Cottage Living gives you the richest new way to live, and City Living adds a whole city with careers, festivals and apartments. That is our pick out of all 21 expansion packs released so far, up to royalty & Legacy in February 2026. Below you get the full top 10, quick picks for different play styles, and the packs we would skip if money is tight.
How we ranked them: this is an editorial opinion, not a sales chart. We looked at three things. How much gameplay the pack adds, how much it changes every save (not just one world), and how well it works with the other packs you might own. Release dates and features are checked against the Sims Wiki. For the full list of packs in release order, see all Sims 4 packs.
The best Sims 4 expansion packs at a glance
| Rank | Expansion pack | Released (PC/Mac) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seasons (EP05) | June 22, 2018 | Everyone. It changes every world |
| 2 | Cottage Living (EP11) | July 22, 2021 | Farm life, animals, cosy saves |
| 3 | City Living (EP03) | November 1, 2016 | Careers, nightlife, apartment stories |
| 4 | Get to Work (EP01) | March 31, 2015 | Active careers and running a shop |
| 5 | Growing Together (EP13) | March 16, 2023 | Families and generations |
| 6 | Cats & Dogs (EP04) | November 10, 2017 | Pet owners |
| 7 | Discover University (EP08) | November 15, 2019 | Young adult stories and career boosts |
| 8 | Life & Death (EP17) | October 31, 2024 | Drama, ghosts and legacy play |
| 9 | Island Living (EP07) | June 21, 2019 | Beach life and mermaids |
| 10 | Businesses & Hobbies (EP18) | March 6, 2025 | Running your own small business |
Our top 10 Sims 4 expansion packs, ranked
1. Seasons
What you get: Seasons is the fifth expansion pack. It adds weather and the four seasons, temperatures, a calendar with holidays you can edit or make yourself, the Gardener career, the flower arranging skill, skating rinks, snowpals, beekeeping and a weather control machine. There is no new world. Instead, every world you already have gets its own climate.
Who it suits: anyone. Rain, snow and heatwaves shape what your Sims wear, how they feel and what they do outside, in every save. Holidays give you a reason to bring the family together a few times a year. Want to control the forecast? See how to change the weather in The Sims 4.
The downside: no new world to explore, so the box can feel thin on day one. Its value shows over weeks of play, not in the first hour.
2. Cottage Living
What you get: the English village world of Henford-on-Bagley, chickens, cows and llamas you can keep, and wild rabbits, foxes and birds you can befriend. Chickens give eggs, cows give milk and llamas give wool. You can grow oversized crops for the Finchwick Fair, run errands for the villagers, and turn on the Simple Living lot challenge, which makes you cook from real ingredients.
Who it suits: players who like slow, cosy saves where the day revolves around the garden, the animals and the village. It pairs well with Seasons, because a farm with real weather simply feels more alive. If you grow your own food, our guide on how to get strawberries is a good next stop.
The downside: animals need daily care. If you play busy career Sims, the farm can feel like a second job.
3. City Living
What you get: the city of San Myshuno, apartments and penthouses, and five festivals (GeekCon, Humor and Hijinks, Romance, Spice and the Flea Market) that rotate through the districts. It also adds three careers, Critic, Politician and Social Media, where you can go to work, work from home or take the day off.
Who it suits: players who want busy streets, nightlife and stories about young adults starting out. The festivals give you something to do almost every week. For the full list of jobs in this pack and others, see all Sims 4 careers.
The downside: the apartments are pre-made buildings in San Myshuno. If you want to design and run your own apartment block, For Rent does that job better.
4. Get to Work
What you get: the first Sims 4 expansion. It adds three active careers, Doctor, Detective and Scientist, where you follow your Sim to work and play the shift yourself. You can also own and run a retail business. Playable aliens return, and the Scientist career can lead you to the hidden alien world Sixam. The new neighbourhood, Magnolia Promenade, is a small shopping area with four lots.
Who it suits: players who find regular careers boring because the Sim just disappears into a rabbit hole. Being in the room while your doctor delivers a baby or your detective books a suspect is a different game.
The downside: Magnolia Promenade is not a full world, and playing every shift can get repetitive after a few in-game weeks.
5. Growing Together
What you get: the world of San Sequoia, inspired by the San Francisco Bay Area, plus three systems that work in the background of every household. Milestones record first steps, first jobs and other moments through each life stage. Family dynamics shape how relatives treat each other. Social compatibility decides whether two Sims hit it off or clash when they meet, based on traits, likes and dislikes. Adults can also go through a midlife crisis.
Who it suits: family and legacy players. If you follow one household through many generations, this pack gives every child and grandparent more personality. It is a great match for a long Sims 4 challenge such as a legacy run.
The downside: no new life state or big shiny feature. The changes are quiet, so players who want something new to do right away may feel underwhelmed.
6. Cats & Dogs
What you get: cats and dogs, made in the Create a Pet tool with their own looks, behaviour and even outfits. Pets live through three life stages and can be fed, trained and played with. You also get raccoons and foxes in the wild, the coastal world of Brindleton Bay and a vet clinic business you can own. Our guide covers how to become a vet in The Sims 4.
Who it suits: anyone who wants pets in the house. A dog or a cat adds life to a household without you having to manage much.
The downside: you cannot control pets directly. They act on their own, which some players love and others find frustrating.
7. Discover University
What you get: the world of Britechester with two rival schools, the University of Britechester and Foxbury Institute. There are thirteen degrees, each tied to skills, and distinguished degrees that let a Sim enter a career at a higher level. The pack also brings back Servos (robot Sims), plus Roommates, bicycles and the Law, Education and Engineering careers. Sims can also study from home.
Who it suits: players who want a real stage between teen and adult, and anyone who wants their Sims to start careers higher up.
The downside: most of the fun happens while a Sim is studying. Once they graduate, the pack matters much less in day to day play.
8. Life & Death
What you get: the world of Ravenwood, funerals you can plan and host, tarot readings, a bucket list that can grant a Sim rebirth, wills and heirlooms, and more powers and options for ghosts. Two new careers: Undertaker, and the Reaper career, where your Sim works alongside the Grim Reaper.
Who it suits: storytellers and legacy players. Wills and heirlooms tie generations together, and funerals finally give a death in the family the weight it deserves.
The downside: the theme is dark, and if your Sims rarely die (or you play with aging off), much of the pack sits unused.
9. Island Living
What you get: the tropical islands of Sulani, with beaches, snorkelling, canoes, water scooters, dolphins and a volcano. Mermaids return as a playable life state. There is a Conservationist career and part time work as a lifeguard, diver or fisherman, plus odd jobs. See our guide on how to become a mermaid.
Who it suits: players who want a laid back beach life, or a family that lives by the sea. It is one of the most relaxed packs in the game.
The downside: most of what it adds is tied to Sulani. If your Sims live elsewhere, you get far less out of it.
10. Businesses & Hobbies
What you get: the Scandinavian inspired world of Nordhaven and a small business system that lets your Sim open almost any kind of venue: a tattoo parlour, a pottery studio, a candy shop, a gym or an art centre. Sims can attend lectures and classes to unlock mastery perks, and can teach their own skills to others.
Who it suits: players who want their Sim to be their own boss without the narrow rules of older business types. It also gives hobbies a purpose, since skills you build can become a business.
The downside: if you already own Get to Work, some of it covers ground you know. Running a business also takes a lot of attention away from the rest of the household.
What about the newest expansion packs?
Three expansions arrived after Businesses & Hobbies, and each is worth a look if its theme speaks to you:
- Royalty & Legacy (February 12, 2026): the newest pack. You can create or join dynasties and become nobility in the world of Ondarion, with heirs, outcasts, scandals and swordsmanship. A strong pick for legacy players, and it could climb this list once more players have lived with it.
- Enchanted by Nature (July 10, 2025): fairies return as a playable life state, plus the Natural Living and Apothecary skills in the world of Innisgreen.
- Adventure Awaits (October 2, 2025): getaways and adventure trips in the world of Gibbi Point.
Best expansion pack for…
- Storytelling: Life & Death. Funerals, wills, ghosts and rebirth give you drama that lasts for generations. Growing Together is a close second.
- Builders: Cottage Living for farms and country homes, City Living for urban lots. If you want to build rental units and apartment blocks yourself, look at For Rent.
- Families: Growing Together. Milestones and family dynamics make every child and parent feel different.
- Supernatural: Enchanted by Nature for fairies, Island Living for mermaids, Life & Death for ghosts and reapers. Vampires and spellcasters come in game packs, not expansions: see how to become a vampire and our look at Realm of Magic.
- New players: Seasons. It improves the base game everywhere without asking you to change how you play. Add Cats & Dogs or Cottage Living next.
Which to skip if you’re on a budget
No expansion is useless, but some give less value per pack when money is tight. Our reasoning is simple: a pack that only shines in one world, or only for one goal, does less for your game than a pack that touches every save.
- Snowy Escape and Adventure Awaits: both lean toward trips and getaways. Fun while you are there, but most of your time is spent at home.
- Get Famous: the fame system and acting career are great if you want a celebrity Sim. If you don’t, little of it reaches your other households.
- Horse Ranch: excellent for horse lovers, but horses are the heart of the pack. If they don’t excite you, there is not much else to hold you.
- Eco Lifestyle: its neighbourhood action plans and eco footprint are built around changing a whole community. Players who just want to follow one family often leave it in the background.
Tip: buy the packs that match how you already play. A pack you will use every evening is worth more than a highly rated one you open twice.
FAQ
What is the most popular Sims 4 expansion pack?
EA does not publish sales numbers for single packs, so there is no official answer. In our view, Seasons is the safest buy, because it changes every world and works with almost every other pack.
Which Sims 4 expansion pack should I buy first?
Seasons, unless one theme matters much more to you. If you mainly want pets, start with Cats & Dogs. If you want farm life, start with Cottage Living. If you want careers you can actually play, start with Get to Work.
Do I need expansion packs to use mods?
No. Many mods and most custom content work with the base game alone, and the base game has been free since October 2022. Some mods are made for a specific pack, though, so always read the mod’s description before you install it.
How many expansion packs does The Sims 4 have?
21, from Get to Work (March 2015) to Royalty & Legacy (February 2026). There are also 12 game packs and 20 stuff packs, plus kits. See the full list on our Sims 4 packs page.
