Short answer: Steam takes a flat 15% cut on every CS2 skin sold on the Community Market, split into a 5% Steam platform fee and a 10% game fee that goes to Valve. The rate is fixed no matter the price or how many items you sell, list a skin for $100 and you receive $85. This fee has stayed unchanged since the CS:GO era and it’s the single biggest reason most sellers move higher-value skins to a third-party marketplace instead.
How the 15% actually breaks down
Answer: two separate fees stack together, 5% to Steam as the platform and 10% to Valve as the game’s publisher, for a combined 15% taken off the top of every sale.
| Sale price | You receive | Total fee |
|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $4.25 | $0.75 |
| $25.00 | $21.25 | $3.75 |
| $100.00 | $85.00 | $15.00 |
The formula is simple: net to seller equals list price times 0.85. The percentage doesn’t change at higher price points, there’s no volume discount and no tiered rate the way some third-party marketplaces structure their fees. Sell a $2,000 knife and Steam still takes exactly 15%, not a cent less.
Why this fee pushes sellers toward third-party marketplaces
Answer: because 15% is high compared to the competition, CSFloat charges a flat 2%, and even fee-heavier third-party sites like Skinport still undercut Steam by several points.
The tradeoff is that Steam Market payouts arrive as Steam Wallet funds only, spendable on games and in-game items but never withdrawable as real cash. Third-party marketplaces pay out in actual money, crypto, bank transfer, or PayPal depending on the platform, which is the real reason sellers tolerate the extra step of moving an item off Steam first. See our best CS2 skin marketplaces comparison for exactly how each platform’s fee and payout method stacks up against Steam’s flat 15%.
FAQ
What percentage does Steam take on CS2 skin sales?
15% total, made up of a 5% Steam platform fee and a 10% game fee paid to Valve. It applies equally to every sale regardless of price.
Does the Steam Market fee change at higher sale prices?
No. The 15% rate is fixed. A $5 sale and a $2,000 sale both lose exactly 15% to fees, there’s no volume discount or tiered structure.
Can I withdraw Steam Market earnings as real money?
No. Steam Market sales pay out in Steam Wallet funds only, usable for games and in-game purchases but never withdrawable as cash. That restriction is the main reason sellers move higher-value skins to third-party marketplaces instead.
Where to go next
See our best CS2 skin marketplaces roundup for lower-fee alternatives, and our CSFloat vs Skinport head-to-head if you’re deciding between the two most-recommended options.
Play responsibly. Skin gambling is only for adults (18+/21+ depending on your region) and may not be legal where you live. Skins have real monetary value, never wager more than you can afford to lose. Get help at BeGambleAware.org.