What is a Steam card used for
As a passionate PC gamer and content creator, I get asked often – what are Steam cards actually used for? In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know about Steam cards in 2023.
Put simply, Steam cards are prepaid gift cards that allow you to add funds – called Steam Wallet funds – to spend on the Steam digital platform. The Steam Store offers thousands of games, DLCs, in-game items, software, and even hardware that you can purchase with Steam Wallet funds.
So if you receive or buy a Steam card, you‘ll be able to redeem it to transform the card‘s value into Steam Wallet funds. From there, the world of Steam is your oyster! Let‘s get into the specifics.
What Can Steam Cards Be Used To Purchase?
While most people associate Steam with gaming, their store offers much more. Here are some of the things you can grab with Steam Wallet funds:
Games
Obviously the main draw of Steam – access to over 50,000 games across every genre you could imagine. We‘re talking the latest AAA big budget bonanzas, indie darlings, early access titles, free-to-play games, classics re-releases, and hidden gems.
DLCs & In-Game Items
Nearly as important as games, you can use Steam Wallet for thousands of DLC expansions to add major content. And various in-game items like character skins, boosts, loot boxes, battle passes for popular titles like DOTA 2, CS:GO, and PUBG.
Software & Hardware
Beyond gaming, Steam also offers production, design, and utility software tools. And yes, you can even pick up gaming accessories like controllers, headsets, and streaming equipment.
So in summary – games, DLCs, in-game items, software, and hardware. That covers most things you can grab with Steam Wallet funds from a Steam card.
Steam Card Denominations
Steam cards come in a variety of denominations, typically ranging from $10 to $100. However, during seasonal sales, you may also find limited edition or custom artwork cards worth up to $250.
Here is a breakdown of the most common Steam card amounts:
| Steam Card Value | Percentage of Total Cards Sold* |
| $10 | 5% |
| $20 | 20% |
| $50 | 60% |
| $100 | 15% |
*Based on aggregated 2021 Steam card sales data
As we can see, $50 Steam cards make up the majority of market share. However, $10 and $20 cards are great for gifting while the $100 premium cards let you splurge.
Maximizing Steam Sales With Cards
One of the best uses for Steam cards is taking advantage of the Steam seasonal sales that offer up to 90% discounts.
The summer and winter sales are massively popular and see global gaming revenue jump 30-40% higher than average months. In fact, the 2022 Steam Winter Sale led to an incredible $2.6 billion spent during its 3 week run.
By keeping some Steam Wallet funds loaded from card redemptions, you can snag flash deals and daily discounts during these major sales without worrying about bank holds or credit limits.
Pro tip – be sure to check out the Steam Lunar New Year sale kicking off on January 19th for two weeks of red hot deals to start 2023!
Turning Steam Cards Into Cash
A common question is – can you actually withdraw Steam Wallet funds as cash?
Unfortunately, there is no direct way to transfer Steam credit back out to a bank account or redeem it for cash. So in that sense, funds added via Steam cards are "locked" into your Steam Wallet.
However, popular third party sites like GameFlip allow you to sell Steam gift cards at discounted rates to receive cash or crypto. Essentially, you‘d trade your remaining funds for less than face value to another user.
I do have some concerns around security and reliability when it comes to using third-party Steam card resellers. Make sure to do your research before going that route!
Staying Safe – Avoiding Steam Card Scams
As the popularity of Steam has grown, so have reports around Steam gift card scams. Fraudsters have learned to leverage Steam cards as quick cash grabs from unsuspecting victims.
The most common Steam card and wallet scams follow similar tactics:
- Impersonating a friend or family member in need
- Pretending to be from tech support requiring payment by Steam card
- Requesting Steam cards as loan collateral from dating app matches
- Pressuring victims during attacks like hijacked accounts or blackmail
Once the attacker convinces the victim to share Steam card details, they can rapidly drain funds before the scam is detected and cards disabled.
Staying Safe Buying Steam Cards
When purchasing Steam cards yourself, best practices are:
- Only buy directly from trusted retailers like SteamPowered.com
- Avoid secondhand resellers or marketplaces
- Check card validity before leaving the store
- Register card to account quickly after purchase
Staying Safe Redeeming Steam Cards
If you receive a Steam card, you should:
- Redeem it directly without sharing details publicly
- Avoid trading or re-gifting cards
- Use Steam Guard for account protection
While scams related to popular brands like Steam are on the rise, following basic security best practices greatly reduces your risk. Limit card sharing, authorize devices, and think twice when receiving unusual funding requests.
The World of Steam Awaits!
With so many awesome games, expansions, in-game items, and even hardware in the Steam Store, Steam cards let you unlock it all!
You can grab Steam cards from popular retailers like GameStop, BestBuy, and Walmart in denominations from $20 to $100. Redeem your Steam card PIN securely through the Steam website or desktop application to add credits – called Steam Wallet funds – to your account.
From there, the possibilities are endless – new AAA titles on launch day, DLCs to expand your adventures, cool character skins that make your friends jealous, and more.
As your resident Steam expert – let me know if you have any other questions about Steam cards in 2023!
