Steam / Practical guide
Steam Level XP Chart 2026: XP per Level, Badge Math, Rewards and Level Colors
Valve's rule fits in one sentence, but nobody prints the full table. Here it is, checked against real badge pages, with what each level unlocks and the colour your level badge shows.
ALVIRAN Editorial · Reviewed 2026-10-23
In this guide
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Steam level XP chart: levels 1 to 100
Valve's Trading Cards FAQ gives the rule: it takes 100 XP to reach the next level at first, and "the amount needed to level up increases every 10 levels". We built the table from that rule and checked it against public badge pages (see the next section). The badge column assumes the usual 100 XP per badge level. The friends column uses Valve's friends list rule: 250 plus 5 per level.
| Levels | XP per level | Total XP at the top of the band | Badge levels needed (100 XP each) | Friends limit at the top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | 100 | 1,000 | 10 | 300 |
| 11 to 20 | 200 | 3,000 | 30 | 350 |
| 21 to 30 | 300 | 6,000 | 60 | 400 |
| 31 to 40 | 400 | 10,000 | 100 | 450 |
| 41 to 50 | 500 | 15,000 | 150 | 500 |
| 51 to 60 | 600 | 21,000 | 210 | 550 |
| 61 to 70 | 700 | 28,000 | 280 | 600 |
| 71 to 80 | 800 | 36,000 | 360 | 650 |
| 81 to 90 | 900 | 45,000 | 450 | 700 |
| 91 to 100 | 1,000 | 55,000 | 550 | 750 |
The pattern makes each band of 10 levels cost 1,000 XP more than the one before: levels 1 to 10 cost 1,000 XP, 11 to 20 cost 2,000, 21 to 30 cost 3,000. Levels 91 to 100 alone cost 10,000 XP, as much as the first 40 levels together.
How to calculate any Steam level (and the check against real profiles)
Write the level as tens (T) and remaining ones (R), so level 47 is T = 4, R = 7. Total XP = 1,000 x T x (T + 1) / 2 + R x 100 x (T + 1). For level 47 that is 10,000 + 3,500 = 13,500 XP. The XP for the next single level is 100 x (T + 1), so level 47 to 48 costs 500 XP.
| Profile level | XP shown by Steam | XP to next level shown by Steam | Formula says next level needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1,248 | 152 | 1,400 total, so 152 to go |
| 14 | 1,974 | 26 | 2,000 total, so 26 to go |
| 32 | 6,998 | 202 | 7,200 total, so 202 to go |
| 5,001 | 125,305,877 | 44,323 | 125,350,200 total, so 44,323 to go |
All four match to the single XP, including an account above level 5,000, so the rule has no hidden cap or change at high levels. You can see your own numbers on your Steam badges page, which shows your level, your total XP and the XP to the next level.
XP for level 150, 200, 500 and 1,000
| Level | XP per level at this point | Total XP | Badge levels needed (100 XP each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 1,500 | 120,000 | 1,200 |
| 200 | 2,000 | 210,000 | 2,100 |
| 250 | 2,500 | 325,000 | 3,250 |
| 300 | 3,000 | 465,000 | 4,650 |
| 400 | 4,000 | 820,000 | 8,200 |
| 500 | 5,000 | 1,275,000 | 12,750 |
| 1,000 | 10,000 | 5,050,000 | 50,500 |
| 2,000 | 20,000 | 20,100,000 | 201,000 |
| 5,000 | 50,000 | 125,250,000 | 1,252,500 |
Level 1,000 needs 5,050,000 XP, about 92 times what level 100 needs. A game badge can be crafted up to five times, for 500 XP in total, so reaching level 100 from game badges alone takes full five-level badges from 110 different games.
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Steam level rewards: what each level unlocks
Valve lists three direct benefits: a bigger friends list, more profile showcases and a better booster pack drop rate.
| Steam level | Booster pack drop rate | Showcases | Friends limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | Base rate | 0 | 250 to 295 |
| 10 | +20 % | 1 | 300 |
| 20 | +40 % | 2 | 350 |
| 30 | +60 % | 3 | 400 |
| 40 | +80 % | 4 | 450 |
| 50 | +100 % (double) | 5 | 500 |
- Friends: the list starts at 250 and grows by 5 per level. Valve's FAQ adds that outstanding invites you sent count toward the limit.
- Showcases: the first unlocks at level 10, and "each 10 Steam Levels earns you an extra showcase".
- Booster packs: you only become eligible after receiving all your card drops, and you need to log in each week. Valve's list of bonuses stops at +100 % at level 50.
Valve also calls the level "a quick way for users to see how much someone has invested in their Steam account". It does not unlock games, discounts or store features.
Where Steam XP comes from
| Source | XP | Limit or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Game badge (craft a full trading card set) | 100 XP per level | Up to 5 crafts per game, so 500 XP per game |
| Years of Service badge | 50 XP per year | Granted on the anniversary of account creation |
| Sale and event badges | Usually 100 XP per badge level | Example: Summer Sale 2026 badge, level 1 = 100 XP |
| Steam Awards nominations badge (2025) | Badge levels | One nomination earned it; more levels for all 11 categories, playing and reviewing a nominee |
| Games owned badge | Grows with library size | 82 games = 298 XP, 222 games = 467 XP, 1,514 games = 1,764 XP on public badge pages |
| Steam Community badge | Grows with tasks done | Basic community tasks; 100 XP and 200 XP seen on public pages |
Crafting a game badge also gives a profile background, an emoticon and possibly a coupon, per the FAQ. Valve's 2025 Steam Awards post is the source for the nominations badge rules. Buying games does add XP, but only through the games owned badge, whose title changes as the library grows (Collection Agent, Power Player and Game Industry Guardian on the pages we checked). Valve does not publish its XP formula.
The Summer Sale 2026 example, the games owned badge values and the Years of Service values come from public badge pages read on 23 October 2026. Valve's FAQ says most badges give 100 XP; check the badge itself for the exact amount.
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Steam Years of Service badge XP by account age
The Years of Service badge is the only XP that comes from account age alone. Three public profiles confirm 50 XP per year: an account created on 12 September 2003 shows 1,150 XP, one from 3 April 2010 shows 800 XP and one from 15 May 2011 shows 750 XP.
| Account age | Years of Service XP | Level from this badge alone |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 50 | 0 |
| 5 years | 250 | 2 |
| 10 years | 500 | 5 |
| 15 years | 750 | 7 |
| 20 years | 1,000 | 10 |
| 23 years (Sept 2003 account) | 1,150 | 10 |
Even the oldest Steam accounts get only level 10 from age, so a high level always means badges. If you compare accounts, a 15-year-old account at level 7 has no XP beyond its age, while one at level 50 has at least 14,250 XP from other badges. CS2 has its own separate profile rank; our CS2 service medals guide explains that one.
Steam level colors: every badge border from 0 to 6,100
The circle around your level number changes colour every 10 levels up to 99, then becomes a framed shape every 100 levels. The colours below are the exact values in Valve's community stylesheet.
| Levels | Color | Hex |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | Grey | #9b9b9b |
| 10 to 19 | Red | #c02942 |
| 20 to 29 | Orange | #d95b43 |
| 30 to 39 | Yellow | #fecc23 |
| 40 to 49 | Green | #467a3c |
| 50 to 59 | Blue | #4e8ddb |
| 60 to 69 | Purple | #7652c9 |
| 70 to 79 | Pink | #c252c9 |
| 80 to 89 | Dark plum | #542437 |
| 90 to 99 | Tan | #997c52 |
From level 100 each hundred gets its own image, and inside each hundred the style shifts again every 10 levels. The names below are the file names in Valve's stylesheet:
| Levels | Frame |
|---|---|
| 100 to 900 | Hexagons (100), shields (200), books (300), chevrons (400), circle (500), angle (600), flag (700), wings (800), arrows (900) |
| 1,000 to 1,400 | Crystals (1,000), space (1,100), water element (1,200), fire element (1,300), earth element (1,400) |
| 1,500 to 1,900 | Air element, one image per hundred |
| 2,000 to 2,900 | Geo (2,000 to 2,400), mandala (2,500 to 2,900) |
| 3,000 to 3,900 | Spiro (3,000 to 3,400), patterns (3,500 to 3,900) |
| 4,000 to 4,900 | Shapes (4,000 to 4,400), grunge (4,500 to 4,900) |
| 5,000 to 5,900 | Halftone (5,000 to 5,200), dashes, crosshatch, spiral, leaves, mountain, rain, tornado (5,300 to 5,900) |
| 6,000 and 6,100 | Snowflake (6,000), crown (6,100), the highest style in the stylesheet |
Why a Steam level can be stuck at 0
Limited account
Valve's limited user rules lock accounts that have spent less than $5.00 USD in the Steam store at level 0, with no trading cards.
What lifts it
Adding $5 or more to the Steam Wallet, buying games worth $5 or more, redeeming a Steam Wallet card of $5 or more, or buying a Steam gift of $5 or more.
What does not count
Retail game keys, free demos, free-to-play games, free weekends, gifts you received and money from items sold on the Community Market.
After a refund
If a refund to your bank or a chargeback brings your total below $5, the account becomes limited again.
For anyone looking at an account, that makes the level a useful check: any level above 0 means the account has met the $5 spend rule. Our Full Access vs NFA guide covers the other things to check, and the Steam Awards winners list and best-selling Steam games 2026 show which paid games are worth having in a library.
Frequently asked questions
How much XP do you need for each Steam level?
100 XP per level for levels 1 to 10, then 100 XP more per level for every 10 levels: 200 XP for 11 to 20, 300 XP for 21 to 30, and so on.
How much XP is Steam level 100?
55,000 XP in total. Level 50 is 15,000 XP and level 10 is 1,000 XP.
How many badges do you need for Steam level 10?
10 badge levels at 100 XP each, or 1,000 XP from any mix of badges.
What do you get for leveling up on Steam?
5 more friends list slots per level, one more profile showcase every 10 levels, and a higher booster pack drop rate, up to double at level 50.
How much XP does the Steam Years of Service badge give?
50 XP per year. A 10-year-old account gets 500 XP from it, and an account from September 2003 shows 1,150 XP.
Why is my Steam level 0?
Most likely the account is limited. Valve keeps accounts at level 0 until they have spent at least $5.00 USD in the Steam store.
What color is Steam level 50?
Blue, #4e8ddb in Valve's stylesheet. Level 10 is red, 20 orange, 30 yellow, 40 green, 60 purple, 70 pink, 80 dark plum and 90 tan.
Does buying games increase your Steam level?
A little. The games owned badge gives XP that grows with library size (298 XP for 82 games on one public profile). Most XP comes from crafting trading card sets into badges, at 100 XP per badge level.
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Sources and editorial scope
Reviewed 23 October 2026. XP rule, badge XP, the five-craft limit, booster pack bonuses and showcases: Valve's Steam Trading Cards FAQ. Friends limit: Steam Support, Steam Friends List. Level 0 and the $5 rule: Steam Support, Limited User Accounts. Level colours and frames: Valve's shared_global.css (classes lvl_0 to lvl_90, lvl_100 to lvl_6100). Steam Awards nominations badge: Valve, 24 November 2025. Formula check, Years of Service XP and the sale badge example: public Steam Community badge pages read on 23 October 2026. Totals above level 100 are calculated from Valve's rule.
The Steam Subscriber Agreement does not allow you to sell your Steam account or otherwise transfer it. Nothing in this guide changes that or removes the risk of account action.