Paid account from 2013 vs free?

[annomite]

I bought the game in 2013 but not sure if I got the login details. Will the bought account have any difference (stuff, dlc, etc.) compared to free you get today?

[birdfoot]

Yes, there are differences. The free version has restrictions and also fewer character slots. Basically, if you have a paid account (even if it's just the base game), there's no reason to use the free version.

[Fictitious]

The exact details of what is and isn't accessible can be found here: https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/230165307-Guild-Wars-2-Account-Types-Free-Core-HoT-PoF. Your old account would also have birthday gifts for whichever characters you have created.

[Mango]

You can contact a.net to restore your account

[RotherHans]

You should try hard to get that account back as the characters on it will have accumulated pretty substantial yearly rewards, unless it was hacked.
It will be not convertable to a Steam account, but one really doesn't need that anyway.

Other than that, the current F2P version of the game is identical to an orginal account from launch.
If you didn't do any of the Living World seasons.