How much does Steam take? Valve's cut on sales
By Mike Dalton ·
Steam takes 30% of a game's revenue up to $10 million, 25% of the revenue between $10 million and $50 million, and 20% of everything above $50 million. The developer keeps the rest: 70% of every sale for most games, and up to 80% of the sales past $50 million.
Steam's revenue share tiers
| Revenue from one game on Steam | Valve keeps | Developer keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10 million | 30% | 70% |
| $10 million to $50 million | 25% | 75% |
| Above $50 million | 20% | 80% |
The tiers are marginal: a lower rate only applies to the revenue above its threshold, not to all of a game's revenue. A game that has earned $20 million pays 30% of the first $10 million ($3 million) and 25% of the next $10 million ($2.5 million), so Valve keeps $5.5 million, or 27.5% overall.
Valve announced these tiers in 2018, and they count revenue from October 1, 2018 onward.
What counts toward the tiers
The thresholds apply to each game separately, not to a developer's whole catalog. Three games that each earn $5 million all pay 30% on every sale.
A game's revenue includes the base game, its DLC, in-game purchases made through Steam, and its Steam Community Market fees. Steam keys that you sell in other stores are not sold through Steam, so Valve takes no share of them, and they do not count toward the thresholds.
What comes out before Steam's cut
Steam's share is calculated on the revenue that remains after these deductions:
- Refunds. Players can get a refund for any game they bought less than two weeks ago and played for less than two hours. Refunded sales are taken out of your revenue.
- Chargebacks. Payments that a player's bank reverses are also deducted.
- Sales tax and VAT. In many countries the price a player pays includes VAT, and Valve collects US sales tax on top of the price. Valve sends those taxes to the tax authorities, and they never count as your revenue.
Steam's sales and activations reports show revenue before these deductions. The monthly sales report subtracts them and shows the amount Valve will pay you.
The Steam Direct fee
Before a game can go on sale, you pay a one-time Steam Direct fee of $100 for each game. Valve pays the fee back once the game has earned $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam Store sales or in-app purchases.
When Valve pays developers
Valve pays for each month's sales about 30 days after the month ends, so February's sales are paid at the end of March. A payment is only sent when the month's sales exceed the $100 minimum.
Steam's average cut in practice
Valve reported that it paid out 76% of the revenue from all non-Valve games on Steam in 2025, which makes its average cut 24%. GameDiscoverCo estimates that most of the gap comes from the largest games, which earn most of their revenue in the 25% and 20% tiers. A game that earns less than $10 million on Steam pays the full 30% on every sale.
Estimate what a Steam game keeps
To estimate how much a Steam game has sold and what the developer keeps after discounts, refunds, taxes, and Steam's cut, enter its review count and price in the Steam revenue calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Does Steam take 30% of every sale?
Only until a game has earned $10 million on Steam. Valve keeps 25% of the revenue between $10 million and $50 million and 20% of the revenue above $50 million.
Does Steam take a cut of DLC and in-game purchases?
Yes. DLC and in-game purchases made through Steam count as part of the game's revenue, pay the same share, and count toward the same thresholds.
Does Steam take a cut of Steam keys sold in other stores?
No. Keys sold outside Steam are not Steam sales, so Valve takes no share of them, and they do not count toward the $10 million and $50 million thresholds.
Is Steam's cut taken before or after taxes and refunds?
After. Sales tax, VAT, refunds, and chargebacks come out first, and Valve's share applies to the revenue that remains.
