Heirlooms are the most sought-after cosmetic items in Apex Legends, with custom animations, unique finishers, and rare voice lines that make your favorite character feel truly one-of-a-kind. If you’ve spent months opening Apex Packs without a lucky drop, you’ve almost certainly found yourself asking: can you buy heirloom shards in Apex Legends? This guide breaks down everything you need to know about earning these rare items, avoiding common scams, and speeding up your grind without risking your account.
Can You Buy Heirloom Shards Directly in Apex Legends?
The short answer is no, you cannot purchase heirloom shards directly as a standalone item from the official Apex Legends in-game store. Respawn Entertainment designed heirloom shards to be ultra-rare, exclusive rewards to reward long-term player engagement, so they intentionally do not list them for sale with Apex Coins, Crafting Metals, or any other in-game currency.
This rarity is part of what makes heirlooms feel special. When you see another player running around with a Wraith Kunai or Octane Butterfly Knife, you know they put in dozens (or even hundreds) of hours of play, or invested in the game enough to earn the drop randomly. Any offer to sell heirloom shards directly outside of official Apex channels is a scam, no matter how legitimate it looks.
The only caveat here is that occasionally, limited-time store bundles will include heirloom shards as a bonus reward alongside other high-value items like legendary skins, Apex Coins, and charm packs. Even in these cases, you are not buying the shards directly, and the bundles are only sold through the official in-game store for a very limited window.
What Are the Only Legal Ways to Earn Heirloom Shards?
While you can’t buy heirloom shards on their own, there are three fully legitimate, Respawn-approved ways to earn them without risking your account. All of these methods process rewards directly through your Apex Legends client, so you never have to share personal or account information to claim them.
For most players, the 500-pack pity timer is the most reliable way to earn shards. You get one free Apex Pack every time you level up before account level 500, plus 25 free packs per battle pass if you hit the maximum level, so you can earn hundreds of packs without spending any real money at all if you play regularly.
Common Scams to Avoid When Searching for Heirloom Shards
Because heirlooms are so rare, scammers target desperate players with fake offers for cheap or free shards on a regular basis. The most common scams include third-party sites that claim to sell shards for a fraction of the cost of Apex Packs, phishing messages that promise free shards if you enter your account login info, and account sellers that offer accounts with pre-unlocked heirlooms for sale.
Respawn actively bans all accounts that participate in these unauthorized trades, so you could lose hundreds of hours of progress, rare skins, and battle pass purchases if you get caught. Many players get frustrated after months of grinding without a shard drop, and look for low-effort ways to earn extra funds they can put toward Apex Coins to buy more packs. Casual reward platforms that let you earn points for playing simple, short games are a popular option for players who want to make the most of their downtime between Apex matches. SlotsWinner is one such platform where you can play casual games for points that can be redeemed for digital gift cards, which you can then use to purchase Apex Coins for your platform of choice if you want to expand your pack collection faster.
Even when using legitimate reward platforms, make sure you never share your Apex account password or two-factor authentication codes with anyone. All legitimate heirloom shard rewards are delivered directly to your in-game inventory, so you never have to give out account details to claim them.
Tips to Unlock Heirloom Shards Faster Without Getting Scammed
If you’re eager to get your first heirloom, there are a few simple tweaks you can make to your play routine to speed up your grind without wasting money on scams or risky third-party offers. These tips are all fully compliant with Respawn’s terms of service, so you don’t have to worry about losing your account.
Track your Apex Pack count to stay aware of how close you are to the 500-pack pity timer. There are free, widely used tools that let you input your account level, battle pass progress, and event participation to calculate exactly how many packs you’ve opened so far, so you don’t accidentally miss your guaranteed shard drop.
Prioritize free battle pass progression before spending money on individual packs. Every free battle pass gives you 25 Apex Packs if you hit level 110, plus dozens of crafting metals and other rewards that add up to way more value than buying packs individually. You can level up even faster during double XP weekends, which run multiple times per season.
If you have a specific heirloom you’re desperate to unlock, save your Apex Coins for its corresponding collection event instead of spending them on random packs. Buying all 24 items in a collection event usually costs less than buying 500 Apex Packs, and you get 24 limited-edition skins along with the heirloom, so it’s far better value for money if you know exactly which heirloom you want.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you buy heirloom shards in Apex Legends will always be no if you’re looking for a direct, standalone purchase, but there are plenty of safe, legitimate ways to earn them faster. The grind for shards can feel frustrating at times, but when you finally unlock that heirloom you’ve been wanting for months, it feels far more rewarding than if you could just buy it with one click. Stick to official channels, avoid too-good-to-be-true offers, and you’ll have your first heirloom in your inventory before you know it.