Steam Fee Calculator
How much does Steam actually take? Enter your price and projected sales to see your real net payout after regional pricing, VAT, refunds, and Valve's tiered cut.
How Much Does Steam Actually Take?
The headline number is 30%: Valve keeps 30% of the first $10 million your game earns, and you keep 70%. But that 70% is calculated on adjusted gross revenue, not your sticker price -- and by the time VAT, refunds, and regional pricing have stacked up, the real distance between your list price and your bank account is much bigger than 30%.
Walk through a $20 game. In VAT-inclusive regions like the EU, the tax authority takes its slice first: an average ~15% VAT/sales-tax blend trims your $20 sale to about $17 before Valve's split is even calculated. A typical indie refund rate of 12% takes that to roughly $15. Then Steam's 30% cut leaves about $10.50 -- around 52% of the list price, not the 70% most developers pencil in.
And that assumes everyone pays your US price. If you follow Steam's recommended regional pricing (you should -- it grows total revenue), your worldwide average sale price runs about 22% below the US price. Factor that in and the blended net on a $20 game lands closer to $8-9 per unit, roughly 41-45% of list price. That's the number to use when you plan budgets, set wishlist targets, or decide whether a price point can sustain your studio.
None of this makes Steam a bad deal -- the audience and infrastructure are why most indie revenue still comes from Steam. It just means your planning math should start from ~45-50% of list price, not 70%. For the full breakdown, read our Steam revenue share explainer.
Steam's Revenue Share Tiers
| Adjusted Gross Revenue (per game) | Steam's Cut | You Keep |
|---|---|---|
| First $10 million | 30% | 70% |
| $10 million to $50 million | 25% | 75% |
| Above $50 million | 20% | 80% |
Three things to know about the tiers. First, they apply per game, not across your catalog -- three games at $5M each all pay 30%. Second, the thresholds count adjusted gross revenue (after VAT, refunds, and chargebacks) from direct Steam sales only; Steam keys sold through Humble or other stores don't count toward them. Third, the lower rates only apply to revenue above each threshold: dollar 10,000,001 is split 75/25, but the first $10M stays at 70/30.
In practice, almost every indie game lives entirely inside the 30% tier. The median indie title earns $5,000-$15,000 lifetime, and even top-5% games rarely clear $1 million. Treat 30% as your number unless you have strong evidence you're shipping an outlier.
The $100 Steam Direct Fee
Before any revenue share matters, there's an entry cost: Valve charges a $100 Steam Direct fee for each game (technically each app) you publish on Steam. You pay it when you submit the app through Steamworks, and it can't be paid with Steam Wallet funds.
The fee is non-refundable but recoupable. Once your game has earned $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam store and in-app purchases, Valve returns the $100 in your next monthly payout, shown as a separate line item in your financial report. At a $9.99 price point with typical deductions, that's roughly 130-150 copies sold -- a low bar, but one that a surprising share of releases never clear: studies estimate around 40% of games released on Steam never recoup the fee.
Compared to console platforms (dev kits, certification, licensing), $100 is by far the cheapest entry to a major storefront. Budget it per game, plan to recoup it in week one, and move on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money does Steam take from games?
Steam takes 30% of the first $10 million in adjusted gross revenue per game, 25% between $10 million and $50 million, and 20% above $50 million. Because VAT and refunds are deducted before the split, and regional pricing lowers your average sale price, most developers actually keep around 40-55% of the US list price per unit, not 70%.
Is the Steam cut 30%?
Yes, for the vast majority of games. The 30% rate applies to the first $10 million in adjusted gross revenue per title, and almost no indie game reaches the reduced 25% and 20% tiers. Note that the 30% is calculated after VAT, refunds, and chargebacks have been deducted, not on the sticker price.
What is the Steam Direct fee refund policy?
The $100 Steam Direct fee is non-refundable, but it is recoupable: once your game earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam store or in-app purchases, Valve returns the $100 in your next payout as a separate line item. The fee is charged per app and cannot be paid with Steam Wallet funds.
Does Steam deduct VAT before its cut?
Yes. Valve deducts VAT and sales taxes collected from customers, along with refunds and chargebacks, from gross revenue before applying the 70/30 revenue split. In VAT-inclusive regions like the EU, a meaningful slice of the sticker price goes to the tax authority before either you or Valve see a cent.
How much revenue does Steam take?
Steam's revenue share is tiered per game: 30% on the first $10 million in adjusted gross revenue, 25% from $10 million to $50 million, and 20% above $50 million. The thresholds count direct Steam sales only; Steam keys sold through other stores do not count toward the tiers.
How much does a developer make on a $20 Steam game?
For a $20 US sale, VAT in tax-inclusive regions trims it to roughly $17, a typical 12% refund rate takes it to about $15, and Valve's 30% cut leaves around $10.50, about 52% of list price. If you follow Steam's recommended regional prices, your worldwide blended net is closer to $8-9 per unit.
Related Resources
Steam Revenue Share Explained
The complete breakdown of Steam's tiers, how they compare to Epic and GOG, and the full take-home math.
Steam Refund Rates Data
What refund rates indie games actually see, and what drives them above or below the 12% typical rate.
Steam Revenue Calculator
Estimate how much any existing Steam game has earned from its public review count.
Regional Pricing Calculator
See Steam's recommended prices for every region and how they affect your blended revenue.
Disclaimer: This calculator uses industry-average assumptions for regional pricing, VAT, refunds, and chargebacks. Your actual mix depends on where your audience buys and how your game performs. It does not account for your own income taxes. For planning purposes only.