Steam Direct Fee (Steamworks Documentation)

Steamworks Documentation

Steam Direct Fee

Steamworks Documentation > Getting Started > Steam Direct Fee

Overview

Whether you are completing the Steam Direct signup process or are already an established Steamworks developer, you can now simply pay a $100 USD (or equivalent) fee for each new app you wish to distribute on Steam. Read below for details on how it works.

Onboard On Steamworks

When you are signing up as a Steamworks developer for the first time, you'll need to complete a set of digital paperwork. One of the steps in that paperwork is to pay the Steam Direct Fee, which you can do with any payment method that Steam supports in your country.

You will be directed to the Steam store to complete the transaction, and then directed back to the Steamworks website to continue with your paperwork. See Onboarding for more info.

Purchasing And Activating App Credit

Steamworks developers can easily buy additional app credits to prepare your next games for release on Steam.

The Steam Direct Fee may be paid with any payment method that Steam supports in your country, excluding Steam wallet funds. Once the Steam Direct Fee is paid, an app credit will be attached to the Steam account of the person who paid the fee. The credit can only be activated by the person who paid the Steam Direct Fee.

NOTE: Only users that have Admin permissions within an existing Steamworks partner can pay the Steam Direct Fee.

If you have the necessary permissions to purchase a Steam app credit, you'll see a green button to do so on your Steamworks home page.

Please review the Rules & Guidelines about the content that can be distributed via Steam. Please keep these guidelines in mind when choosing whether to proceed with distribution.

In addition to the Rules & Guidelines, content you publish on Steam must comply with the Steam Distribution Agreement, the Steam Subscriber Agreement, Steam Online Conduct guidelines and the Steam Privacy Policy

Recouping The Steam Direct Fee

The Steam Direct Fee is not refundable, but will be recoupable in the payment made after your product has at least $1,000.00 Adjusted Gross Revenue for Steam Store or in-app purchases. The recoupment of the Steam Direct Fee will be shown as a separate line item in your monthly report. Payment of revenue from sales and repayment of fee may be withheld if deposit payment is charged-back, refunded, or otherwise identified as fraudulent.

Taxes on the Steam Direct Fee

Valve will charge VAT, GST, or other similar consumption based taxes (if any) on the Steam Direct Fee in accordance with country specific requirements.

As all payments on the Steam Store, including that for the Steam Direct Fee, are made by individual user accounts and not corporate accounts, the invoice for the Steam Direct Fee will also be issued to the individual user that was logged in when the Steam Direct Fee was paid.

Please note that Valve cannot issue double invoices for the same transaction; if you have paid the Steam Direct Fee on behalf of another party such as your employer then the easiest solution is often to file an expense report with them. Please consult your local tax advisor for specifics.