How much more does the Steam Market cost than marketplaces?
The Steam Community Market is the easiest place to buy a skin: everything happens inside Steam, with no account to create elsewhere. But is it also the most expensive? For each skin, we compared the Steam price with the lowest total price on the other marketplaces. The calculation reruns on every price update.
The short answer
Today, a skin costs 42% more on median on the Steam Market than on the cheapest marketplace, fees included. Steam is more expensive on 98% of the 15,110 skins compared.
Today's figures
| Lowest price outside Steam | Skins | Median markup on Steam |
|---|---|---|
| Under €5 | 7,397 | +47% |
| €5 – €50 | 3,717 | +33% |
| €50 – €500 | 3,761 | +43% |
| €500 and above | 235 | +62% |
Computed on October 27, 2026 from the latest price check: Steam price paid by the buyer, versus the lowest marketplace total (buyer fees included, paid with the site balance), for skins listed on Steam and at least 2 other sites. Buff163 and YouPin898 excluded.
Why Steam is more expensive
- Seller fees are high on Steam: about 15% (5% for Steam, 10% for the game). Sellers raise their prices to make up for it.
- Steam money can't be withdrawn: it stays in your Steam wallet. Many sellers therefore accept a lower price on marketplaces, where they receive real money, and keep a higher price on Steam.
How we measure it
- The skins: those with a price on the Steam Market and on at least 2 other marketplaces (today 15,110 skins).
- The Steam price: the lowest price listed on the Steam Market, which is what the buyer pays.
- The price elsewhere: the lowest total on the other marketplaces, buyer fees included, paid with the site balance (card fees aren't counted, because several sites don't publish them). Buff163 and YouPin898 are excluded: they require a Chinese account.
- The measurement: the gap between the two, as a percentage, then the median across all skins.
What it means for you
- When buying: if you're spending real money, a marketplace is almost always cheaper. Compare the total price on the skin page.
- If you already have a Steam balance (gift cards, past sales), the Steam Market is still a way to spend it: that money can't leave Steam anyway.
- When selling, it's the other way round: see our guide Selling on the Steam Market or on a marketplace.
FAQ
Why does the same skin cost more on Steam?
Because sellers pay about 15% in fees there and the money stays locked in Steam. So they set a higher price on Steam than on marketplaces, where they receive real money.
Is the Steam Market safer?
It's built into Steam and doesn't require an account elsewhere. The big marketplaces are reliable too, as long as you check their reputation: see our reviews of each site.
Does this figure change?
Yes, it's recalculated on every price update, every 2 hours. The calculation date is shown under the table.
Sources
- Prices recorded by FragPrice on the Steam Market and the tracked marketplaces every 2 hours.
- Steam Market fees: Steam's official help
- Steam Market review