Steam Plans Pricing
Steam does not charge a per-call fee for the Steamworks Web API. Access is gated by a free Steam Web API Key (any Steam user) for the public read-only interfaces, and by a Steamworks publisher account for partner-restricted interfaces. Valve monetizes via a non-recurring $100 USD Steam Direct submission fee per product (recoupable once the product passes $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue) and via revenue share on store sales (commonly described as 30/25/20 across published volume tiers, with Valve's share decreasing as a title's gross sales pass $10M and $50M). Players pay nothing to use the Steam Community Web API beyond owning a Steam account.
Plans
Any Steam user can register a free Web API key at steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey to call the public, read-only interfaces (ISteamUser, ISteamUserStats, ISteamNews, IPlayerService, etc.). No fee, but subject to the Steam Web API Terms of Use.
- Free API Key
- Public Read-Only Interfaces
- 100K Calls / Day Soft Limit
Submit a game to the Steam store via Steam Direct. A non-refundable $100 USD submission fee is charged per product, recoupable from earnings once the product reaches $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue. Publishers receive a Steamworks partner account with access to partner-restricted Web API interfaces (ISteamMicroTxn, IInventoryService, IGameInventory, ISteamCheckout, etc.).
- Steamworks Publisher Account
- Partner-Restricted Web APIs
- Microtransaction Support
- Inventory + Workshop Tooling
- Recoupable from First $1K Adjusted Gross Revenue
Valve takes a graduated share of store sales. The commonly cited tiers are 30% on the first $10M of a title's lifetime gross, 25% on $10M-$50M, and 20% above $50M. Exact terms are in the Steam Distribution Agreement.
- Graduated Revenue Share
- Valve Pays Net of Refunds and Chargebacks