Guides to buying and selling skins
Fees, scams, trade protection, best sites: everything you need to know before paying or cashing out, with our sources.
Buying
- Buying your first CS2 skin without getting ripped offSet up your Steam account, fix a budget, choose the site and payment method, avoid the traps: the simple method for buying your first CS2 skin.5 min read
- Skinport vs CSFloat: fees, delays and security comparedSkinport or CSFloat? Commissions, deposit and withdrawal fees, how they work, delays and reputation compared, with a worked example and a verdict for your profile.5 min read
- Cheap CS2 skins: how to pay as little as possibleCompare the total price, choose the right wear, avoid hidden deposit fees: 9 practical tips for buying cheap CS2 skins without getting scammed.5 min read
Selling and fees
- Skin marketplace fees: what each site really takes from youSeller commission, buyer fees, card deposit, withdrawal: every fee on CS2 skin marketplaces (Skinport, CSFloat, DMarket, CS.Money…) with worked examples.5 min read
- Steam Market or marketplace: where should you sell your skin?The Steam Market is safe but the money can't be withdrawn. Fees, caps, delays and when Steam still makes sense: the comparison for choosing where to sell your CS2 skin.5 min read
- Where to sell your CS2 skins: the complete site comparisonSkinport, CSFloat, DMarket, CS.Money… Where can you sell your CS2 skins for the best price? Commissions, withdrawals, delays and traps, site by site, with a worked example.7 min read
- Selling a CS2 skin for real money, step by stepTurn your CS2 skins into money in your bank account: set up your Steam account, estimate the price, choose the site, sell and withdraw without getting scammed.6 min read
What drives the price
- Doppler and Gamma Doppler: understanding phases before you buyPhase 1 to 4, Ruby, Sapphire, Black Pearl, Emerald: why two Doppler knives with the same name do not cost the same, current prices phase by phase, and how to check the phase before paying.2 min read
- CS2 float and wear: what really moves the priceFactory New, Minimal Wear, Field-Tested… How CS2 skin float and wear work, why two identical skins don't cost the same, and how to use it to your advantage.5 min read
- CS2 skin pattern (seed): what it is and why it changes the priceThe pattern (paint seed) decides where a skin's colours fall. Case Hardened, Fade, Doppler, Marble Fade, Crimson Web: when it matters, how to check it and how to avoid paying for a \"rare pattern\" that isn't one.3 min read
Safety
- Avoiding CS2 skin scams: the survival guideSteam API key, fake login sites, fake admins, QR codes, reversed direct sales: the 8 most common CS2 skin scams and how to protect yourself.5 min read
- The 7-day trade protection on CS2: the clear guideSince July 2025, a CS2 trade can be reversed for 7 days. What it changes for buying, selling and getting paid, and the scams to avoid.5 min read
Other guides
- Estimating a CS2 skin's price from its exact floatTwo skins with the same wear can differ in price by a factor of three depending on their float. How to estimate the price of a specific copy, the floats worth gold (Blackiimov, Hades skulls) and the limits of the estimate.4 min read
- What stickers applied to a CS2 skin are really worthA €100 sticker on an AK-47 doesn't make it €100 more expensive. What stickers really add at resale, measured on more than 160,000 real sales: crafts, scraped stickers, Holo, tournaments.4 min read