Steam pricing: launch price, regional prices and minimums
29 Oct 2026 · 7 min read
On Steam you set the price, in every currency, and Valve checks it before it goes live. This guide covers who can set prices, the review, how regional pricing works, the minimums and the rules for changing a price, from Valve's pricing and supported currencies docs, checked 29 Oct 2026.
Who can set the price
Only some Steamworks accounts can enter or change prices. Two things must both be true:
For a new partner, the default account is the one that completed the paperwork for the Steam Distribution Agreement. If you lack the permission, ask one of your Steamworks administrators; they are listed in the right column of your Steamworks home page.
Valve reviews every price
Your initial prices and any proposed change are reviewed by Valve, usually within one or two business days. Valve tries to spot input errors during review but says it cannot guarantee it will catch every one, so check your prices carefully before you submit.
Choosing a launch price
Valve lists the questions to ask when you set a launch price:
Its advice is to treat it like any other business decision and do market research: buy and play similar games, and read their user reviews to see how much value customers feel they get. Valve says the point is not to undercut the competition but to make sure customers get great value for their money.
Sources: Pricing. Checked 29 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
Regional pricing
Each product on Steam has a price in 37 currencies and 4 region groups. How you set them is up to you. In the Propose Pricing tool Steam suggests a price for each currency relative to the USD price you pick, and you can accept or adjust each one. Steamworks has three conversion methods:
Valve's About Regional Pricing tool shows how each method converts each USD price point. Valve also says many developers set their own price in each currency, and that is fine; the methods are a data point for those without the time to research every market.
Leave no currency blank. Any currency without a price makes the game unavailable to players who rely on it. Valve's example: no Japanese Yen price means users in Japan cannot buy it.
The four region groups
Where Steam has no local currency, prices show in US dollars, except in countries in Europe, which use the euro. For four groups of such countries, Valve says it recommends a discounted USD price, entered under these names in the pricing tools. Valve's list, as published on 29 Oct 2026:
| Region group | Countries |
|---|---|
| USD_CIS | Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan |
| USD_LATAM | Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela |
| USD_MENA | Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Turkey, Yemen, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan |
| USD_SASIA | Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka |
Only currencies marked Live on Valve's supported currencies page are used on the store. That page also lists which currencies allow partial amounts and in what increments.
Sources: Supported Currencies. Checked 29 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
Minimum prices
Steam has two minimums. The base price in every currency must be at least the multi-variable conversion of the $0.99 USD tier. The lowest transaction price is 50% off that minimum, roughly $0.49 USD, which leaves room to discount. Valve's examples:
| Base price tier | Largest possible discount |
|---|---|
| $0.99 | Up to 50% |
| $1.99 | Up to 75% |
| $4.99 | Up to 90% |
A price below the minimums causes problems:
Changing your price
Free to paid, or paid to free
Both are allowed; ask Valve through the support form. Valve asks for at least one week's notice to customers first. Going from free to paid, post it as a News Event before you remove any in-game purchasing, so players can claim the free license or use up in-game currency. Players who already have the free license keep the game after the switch.
What Steam pricing does not support
Taxes. Steam shows prices with or without tax according to local norms and rules in each country.
Missing packages. If your App ID was created without its standard packages (Valve calls it an occasional bug), use the Create Standard Packages button on the All Associated Packages, DLC, Demos And Tools page, or contact Valve support.
Sources: Pricing, Supported Currencies. Checked 29 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
Where a broadcast fits
Once the price is set, the store page has to sell the game at it. A live broadcast on that page shows the game moving to every visitor. Loopcast keeps a store page broadcast running from an uploaded video, billed per minute on air; the launch checklist shows where it fits. You can try it free for 7 days, no card needed.
FAQ
How long does Valve take to review a Steam price?
Valve reviews initial prices and proposed changes, usually within one or two business days. It tries to catch input errors but cannot promise to find every one, so check your prices before you submit.
What is the minimum price on Steam?
The base price must be at least the multi-variable conversion of the $0.99 USD tier in every currency. The lowest possible transaction price is 50% off that minimum, roughly $0.49 USD.
What happens if I leave a currency without a price?
Players who rely on that currency cannot buy the game. Valve's example: with no Japanese Yen price, users in Japan are unable to purchase it.
How soon after launch can I change my Steam price?
Valve asks that price changes wait until 30 days after release. A major pricing error at launch can be fixed sooner by contacting Valve. A price increase also blocks discounts for 30 days.
Can I schedule a Steam price change?
No. After Valve reviews a change you can publish it yourself when it suits you, or have Valve publish it right after review. The option is in the Propose Pricing section of the package landing page.