Steam Market Fees, Listing Limits, and Sales Tax Explained
Valve’s Steam Community Market is the primary hub where millions of players buy, sell, and trade in‑game items ranging from CS2 weapon skins to Dota 2 cosmetics. Understanding the fee structure, listing caps, and the sales tax that applies to each transaction is essential for anyone who wants to price items competitively or simply avoid surprises when the final payout arrives.
How Steam Calculates Transaction Fees
Every completed sale on the market is subject to two separate deductions: a flat 5 % Steam platform fee and a publisher‑specific fee that varies by game. For the most popular titles — Counter‑Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2 — the publisher fee is 10 %, bringing the total deduction to 15 %. Other games may charge a lower publisher fee (often 5 % or even 0 % for free‑to‑play titles), so the total cost can range from 5 % to 15 % of the sale price.
| Game | Steam Fee | Publisher Fee | Total Deduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counter‑Strike 2 | 5 % | 10 % | 15 % |
| Dota 2 | 5 % | 10 % | 15 % |
| Team Fortress 2 | 5 % | 10 % | 15 % |
| Other Valve titles (e.g., Half‑Life Alyx) | 5 % | 5 % | 10 % |
| Third‑party free‑to‑play games | 5 % | 0 % | 5 % |
Listing Limits and Quantity Restrictions
Steam imposes several caps to keep the market orderly and to prevent abuse. An account may hold up to 2 000 active listings at any moment. In addition, there is a daily limit of 200 listing actions (creating, editing, or canceling listings) per account. The maximum price for a single listing is $1 800 (or the equivalent in local currency), and the minimum price is $0.03. These limits apply globally, regardless of the game the item belongs to.
| Restriction | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Active listings per account | 2 000 | Shared across all games |
| Daily listing actions | 200 | Includes create, edit, cancel |
| Maximum listing price | $1 80
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