How to price a CS2 trade fairly
Most bad trades are not scams — they are just mispriced. Here is how to value both sides properly before you hit accept.
The one rule: value the copy, not the name
The same "AK-47 Redline (Field-Tested)" can be a bargain or an overpay depending on the exact copy. Before you can compare two sides of a trade, price each item by its own float, pattern and stickers — and for Dopplers, its phase. A name-average number is where overpays hide.
Pricing a trade, step by step
- List both sides. Everything you give, everything you get.
- Price each item net of fees. Use the best net a market you would actually sell on would pay, not the Steam sticker price. Steam value is gross of ~13% and locked to your wallet.
- Add up each side. Give-total vs. get-total.
- Read the spread. Close after fees is fair. A big gap means one side is overpaying — make sure it is not you.
- Sanity-check the hyped items. Newly popular skins can carry a temporary premium that a stale price misses in either direction.
Then check the trader, not just the skins
A fair-looking trade is still a bad one if the other side never sends. Nothing is held in escrow, so before you accept:
- Check their reputation (SteamRep and history) for scam flags.
- Confirm the items in the offer match what was agreed — float, pattern and all.
- Remember that a public trade board post or a Discord promise guarantees nothing; only an accepted Steam offer moves items.
PatinaAI's trade checker prices both sides per copy, net of fees, shows the spread and a verdict, and flags the other trader — so you know the number before you commit.
Check a trade →