Steam revenue calculator for indie games
Estimate what your indie game studio might receive after refunds, discounts, platform fees and a publisher split.
How much will your Steam game earn?
Adjust sales and assumptions to estimate your indie game revenue. All values are estimates in your selected currency.
Sales taxes, Steam fee and publisher deal Adjust assumptions
No currency conversion is performed.
Editable assumption: sales tax and VAT vary by market. Tax-inclusive prices are divided by (1 + rate).
30 % par défaut, à adapter selon votre contrat et les éventuels paliers.
Part supposée calculée après la commission Steam.
Pour estimer la retenue fiscale américaine, si applicable.
Utilisez le taux indiqué dans votre entretien fiscal Steamworks (0 à 30 %).
Marketing, prestations, coûts fixes… hors impôts et cotisations de votre entreprise.
How much does an indie game earn on Steam?
Sales multiplied by list price is not the amount an independent developer receives. Discounts, refunds, sales taxes, the Steam platform share, possible US withholding and publishing agreements all affect the payout. Use the sliders to test a launch scenario or a long-tail sales forecast.
Understanding Steam fees and taxes
The standard Steam revenue share is commonly modelled at 30% for smaller titles; Steam's revenue-sharing tiers may differ for very high-earning games. Sales taxes and VAT depend on where customers purchase the game. A single average rate is only a simplification: set it to match your sales mix rather than assuming one country's VAT applies worldwide.
US withholding is not the same as company income tax
Depending on your Steamworks tax interview and applicable treaties, US withholding may apply to certain US-source revenue. It is not a blanket tax on all worldwide sales. Separately, your studio may owe corporate income tax, self-employment contributions or other taxes in its home jurisdiction. Those are not calculated here.
Indie developer examples
Try 100 sales to estimate a small launch, 1,000 sales for an early milestone, or 10,000 sales for a stronger release. Adjust the average discount and refund rate: two games with identical units sold can generate different revenue.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the developer's personal take-home income?
No. It estimates studio revenue before the company's local taxes, payroll, business expenses and any personal taxes.
Does an indie publisher take a fixed share?
No. The publisher percentage is a scenario input. Real agreements can involve recoupment, minimum guarantees and different revenue definitions.
Does Steam always take 30%?
The standard share is a useful baseline for most small independent games, but actual terms and thresholds can differ.
Learn more in the Steamworks financial documentation.
Frequently asked questions about this calculator
Is Steam’s store share taken from the full sticker price?
No single sticker-price percentage reliably predicts payouts worldwide. Taxes, refunds, discounts and store adjustments affect net receipts.
How should I account for a publishing agreement?
Use the actual contract terms and any recoupment clauses. Revenue paid to a studio is not necessarily profit after development and operating costs.