Steam Market Fee Explained: How Much Does Steam Take?
October 30, 2026 · Updated November 2, 2026
The Steam Community Market charges a 5% Steam Transaction Fee (minimum $0.01) on every sale. Items from Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Team Fortress 2 and Artifact also carry a 10% game fee. Valve says the buyer pays the fees, which are added on top of what the seller receives. For a CS2 skin, the fees come to about 15% of what the seller gets.
Key facts
- Steam Transaction Fee: currently 5%, with a minimum of $0.01. Valve says it "may be increased or decreased in the future".
- Game-specific fee: 10% for Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Team Fortress 2 and Artifact, set and collected by the publisher.
- The buyer pays the fees. They are shown on the confirmation page before purchase.
- The maximum price for any item is roughly $1,800 USD in your listing currency, and some currencies have a minimum sale price.
- Sale proceeds go to your Steam Wallet, which can't hold more than $2,000, counted across all your accounts.
- Valve says the Steam fee exists to "protect against nominal fraud incidents" and fund development of Steam's economy features.
How the fees stack
Steam calculates each fee from the amount the seller will receive, then adds both fees on top to get the price the buyer sees. When you list an item, Steam shows both numbers: "you receive" and "buyer pays".
| Seller receives | Steam fee (5%) | Game fee (10%) | Buyer pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.05 | $0.10 | $1.15 |
| $10.00 | $0.50 | $1.00 | $11.50 |
| $100.00 | $5.00 | $10.00 | $115.00 |
For games without a game-specific fee, only the 5% Steam fee applies, so a $10.00 sale has a buyer price of about $10.50.
Working back from the buyer price
If you're pricing against existing listings, you see the buyer price, not what you'll get. Divide the buyer price by 1.15 for a CS2, Dota 2 or TF2 item (by 1.05 for others) to estimate what reaches your wallet. A CS2 skin listed at $23.00 pays the seller about $20.00.
Other limits worth knowing
- Wallet cap. You can't list an item if your wallet balance plus the sale price would go over $2,000. Valve counts the wallets of all your Steam accounts together for this, and says deposits over the cap may not be credited until the balance drops.
- Who can use the Market. Your account needs a purchase older than 7 days but not older than a year, and Steam Guard enabled for 15 days. Valve's restrictions page adds that wallet funds, games, DLC and software count as a qualifying purchase, but a retail key activation or a gift you received does not, and a chargeback resets the clock. Steam Community Market restrictions covers every block.
- New devices and new cards. Logging in from a device Steam hasn't seen blocks trading and the Market from that device for 7 days unless you've had the mobile authenticator for 7 days. An unverified payment method carries a 3-day wait before Market purchases, which Valve's card-verification tool removes.
- All sales are final. Valve's FAQ: "you will not have any right to a refund or a reversal of any Community Market transaction once it is completed."
- Proceeds stay on Steam. Money from sales can't be withdrawn. See Steam Wallet to PayPal.
- Tax. Valve collects sales tax or VAT on Market transactions where the law requires, but no longer asks US sellers for tax details or issues 1099s, and it pays any tax due on its own fee.
Selling across currencies
Valve says sellers always list in the currency of their own Steam Wallet, while buyers see prices converted into theirs, using an exchange rate Steam updates daily. A UK seller listing in pounds can sell to a US buyer paying in dollars, and Steam handles the conversion. The fees still come out the same way. If you don't see your local currency on the Market, Valve says it's usually because the account's wallet has never been funded, and its Wallet FAQ explains how the first top-up sets the currency.
Pricing tips that respect the fees
- Check the lowest listing first. The Market page shows what similar items sell for at the buyer price, fees included.
- Undercut by a cent, not a dollar. On a $1 item, fees mean a big undercut costs you far more than it looks.
- Use buy orders when buying. Valve's buy orders let you name your price and wait, instead of paying the lowest listing.
- Remember the wallet cap. Large sales that would push you over $2,000 can't be listed until you spend some balance.
- Keep the receipts. Valve emails a receipt for every Market transaction, and your Market history sits at the top of the Market page and in Account Details.
Is selling on the Market worth it?
For small items like trading cards, the fees barely matter. A card selling for a few cents still nets most of its value. Selling trading cards for wallet funds shows the sums. For expensive CS2 skins, 15% is a big cut, but it's the price of a sale Valve stands behind: no chargebacks, no fake buyers, and the money lands in your wallet, sometimes after a short pending hold.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage does Steam take on the Market?
5% for the Steam Transaction Fee. For CS2, Dota 2, TF2 and Artifact items, a 10% game fee is added, about 15% in total.
Who pays the Steam Market fee?
Valve says the buyer pays. The fees are added on top of what the seller receives and shown before the buyer confirms.
What's the CS2 market fee?
10% for the game plus Steam's 5%. A seller who wants $10.00 lists at a buyer price of $11.50.
Can I avoid Steam Market fees?
Not on the Market. Direct trades have no fee but no money changes hands, and off-Steam sales carry scam and account risks.
Why can't I list an expensive item?
Valve caps any single listing at about $1,800 and blocks listings that would push your wallet past $2,000.
Can I earn Steam Wallet money another way?
Yes, with no 15% cut. Steam codes on XPReward are priced at 144 points per dollar of face value, so the code is worth exactly what it says. Join free.
Sources
Steam Market fees checked on 3 November 2026 against: