What Are Steam Points?

If you’re a Steam user, you’re probably well-versed in most features of this platform. However, there might be some parts of it you’re not sure how to use, such as Steam Points. You may have noticed them racking up on your profile, but what exactly are they?

In this post, we’ll delve deep into Steam Points, telling you how they work, how to redeem them, and more helpful information.

What Are Steam Points?

Steam Points are a currency that lets you unlock valuable Awards. You receive them if you make a purchase in-game or in the Store. Some of the items you can buy include games, applications, DLCs, hardware, soundtracks, and in-game items.

Whenever you purchase something, Steam adds a certain number of Points to your account. You can find your balance by visiting the Shop, and it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your balance. If the number drops below zero, Steam may remove some Awards and items purchased with Points.

How Do Steam Points Work?

As previously mentioned, you can earn Steam Points by purchasing items from this platform. If you buy games or items worth $1, you’ll receive 100 Points. Keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to your Steam Market. You get no Points for anything you buy there.

However, you can use many other methods to generate Steam Points. Using awards is one of them.

One way to receive an Award is to ask your friend to send you one. The number of Points you receive this way equals 1/3 of the value of your Award. It works like Reddit Awards – you can obtain them directly through a comment, screenshot, or profile.

Another thing you should remember is that buying discounted items doesn’t work the same as purchasing regular ones. If you pay a lower price for a game, the number of Points obtained is determined by the discounted price and not the total cost.

What Is Steam Points Shop?

The Steam Points Shop is where you can find a wide range of items to personalize your profile. It’s also where you redeem Points for Chat or Profile items.

Here are some of the most attractive purchases you can make:

• Animated Avatars – These Avatars are a huge upgrade to standard Avatars because they feature unique animations.
• Badges – Badges are a crucial part of your user account and are shown on your profile. They grant you access to emoticons, coupons, and other appealing items.
• Frames – These items improve the aesthetics of your Avatars.
• Backgrounds – You can apply different backgrounds to your profile for a stunning visual effect.

The Shop is open all year round, and most items you buy remain on your profile forever. Still, they’re not tradeable or marketable.

How to Redeem Points in Steam

Redeeming your Steam Points requires you to visit the Shop. Here, you can explore the items, and once you find the one you need, click it to find out how unlocking it affects your profile. If it looks good, and you can afford it, press the box in the bottom-right corner that displays the cost. Make the purchase to successfully redeem your Points.

How to Get Free Steam Points?

There’s just one way to receive free Steam Points – another user needs to gift them to you. However, your friends aren’t the only ones who can send you Points.

When you engage with the community (e.g., by leaving reviews), other users can reward you by sending you Awards. Besides improving your balance, this also gives you a unique Badge to embellish your profile.

FAQ

Points are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Steam’s award system. The following section will tell you more about it.

What are Steam Trading Cards?

Steam Trading Cards are another virtual reward. Like Steam Points, they’re part of your profile and can’t be redeemed for physical rewards.

But this doesn’t mean they can’t be incredibly useful.

More specifically, you can get some great rewards with each Steam Trading Card set. Once you collect a full set, you can access a bunch of customization options for your profile. Alternatively, you can sell the Cards on your Community Market to obtain wallet funds you can later use to make Steam purchases.

On top of that, there’s a special type of Trading Cards – Foil Cards. Each set can be turned into a foil badge to upgrade your profile.

Foil Cards work like shiny Pokémon cards – they look the same and have the same function as regular ones. However, they’re rarer, making them more valuable.

Start Stacking Steam Points Today

You might only view Steam as a gateway to your favorite games. But the platform is much more than that.

There are several ways to enhance your profile and make it stand out. One of them is to use Points for a wide range of embellishments. They enable you to showcase your achievements for the entire Steam community to admire. So, start redeeming your Points today, and you’ll be able to reinvigorate your profile.

How many Steam Points have you collected? What have you purchased with your Steam Points? How does your profile look after those upgrades? Let us know in the comments section below.