Just like most competitive games, money and economy plays a massive role in how Counter-Strike is played. Teams will have limited funds to purchase resources, which adds additional depth to the strategy of playing the game.
To become a successful Counter-Strike player, you must have an avid understanding of how the economy works, as poor financial management can lead to misbuys and disjointed team economy which will undoubtedly lose you games.
In this article, we’ll uncover a beginner’s CSGO economy guide, but also provide you with advanced tips and tricks to ensure the money keeps flowing.
How Does Money In CSGO Work?
If you’re clicking on this guide, there’s a solid chance you are new to the game and want to have a brief overview of how the economy system works.
Essentially, players must buy weapons in rounds to get the upper hand in firepower, as well as purchase armor and utility. Proper money management is crucial to ensure you have an advantage over your opponents.
Players will start with a fixed amount of money, and will have the opportunity to earn more money every round.
Starting Money
When a half starts, every player in the game, regardless of which side, will begin with a mere $800. This sum of money can only get you various pistols, a Kevlar Vest, or different types of utility such as a Defuse Kit or grenades.
Due to the limited purchases, the first round of every half is called the “Pistol Round,” as nobody in the game can purchase higher weapons such as SMGs, rifles, or snipers.
Round Money
After the pistol round, teams will be rewarded depending on their performance throughout the following rounds, measured by the objectives achieved and the overall result of the round.
There are several factors that influence the amount of money a player receives in the next round.
Round Wins
All players on a team will be rewarded with the same amount of money, $3,250, for every round they win. This money is immediately awarded to the players going into the next round. However, the Terrorist side can receive an additional bonus if the bomb was planted, which will be discussed a little later in the article.
Round Losses
Teams receive less money when they lose a round. However, there is a “loss bonus” system that escalates the money received after losing consecutive rounds. The loss reward starts at $1,400, and goes all the way up to $3,400.
Here is how loss bonuses are calculated:
| Loss Count (Streak) | Money Received |
| 0 | $1,400 |
| 1 | $1,900 |
| 2 | $2,400 |
| 3 | $2,900 |
| 4 | $3,400 |
If a team manages to win around after losing consecutive rounds, they will receive the round win bonus, but the loss bonus streak will be reset to 0.
Kill Rewards
A player’s performance throughout a round can also influence the amount of money they receive. Players will receive bonus money for every kill they get. The amount differs depending on weapons.
Here is a table that visualizes the different weapons and equipment and how much money they offer for each kill:
| Weapon/Equipment | Kill Reward |
| Knife | $1,500 |
| Pistol | $300 |
| CZ75-Auto* | $100 |
| SMG | $600 |
| P90* | $300 |
| Shotgun | $900 |
| Rifle + Machine Gun | $300 |
| AWP* | $100 |
| Grenade | $300 |
| Zeus x27 | $0 |
Objective (Bomb Plant on Terrorist side)
If the Terrorist side manages to plant the bomb, all the players will receive a bonus of $300. However, if the Terrorists plant the bomb and lose the round to a defuse, they will receive an additional $800, which is a hefty sum of money. During most eco rounds, the Terrorist side will try getting the bomb down by all means necessary.
How To Buy In CSGO?
Now that we understand how money is made in Counter-Strike, some of you might not know how to actually purchase weapons in the game. All weapon purchases are completed through the in-game buy menu which is accessible before each round starts.
Here is a step-by-step guide of how to buy in CSGO:
- When the round is about to start, press your “B” key to open the buy menu.
- Weapons and equipment are divided into their respective categories.
- Look for the item category you would like to buy, and then purchase your desired item.
- If the item is grayed out, that means you do not have the funds.
You can also sell your weapon by right-clicking it in the buy menu.
Types Of Buys In CSGO
Throughout a game of Counter-Strike, you won’t win every round, so you must expect various economic situations. There are several types of purchases teams are recommended to attempt during different scenarios.
Pistol Round
The pistol round occurs twice every game. Each player only has $800 to work with. Generally, beginners should look to purchase a Kevlar Vest to sustain body shots from opponent pistols.
However, it is recommended that one or two players on the team purchase utility to help the team. This includes a Defuse Kit on the Counter-Terrorist side, or grenades such as smokes or flashbangs. Alternatively, players can also drop stronger pistols such as the P250 or Dual Berettas to teammates that have armor.
Anti-Eco
An anti-eco round occurs when a team has won the pistol round. Winning the pistol round offers a huge economic advantage, usually forcing the enemy team to perform an eco round. The winning team can purchase SMGs to abuse the lack of weaponry on the enemy team and farm tons of cash through the $600 kill reward.
Eco Round
When a team is low on money, it is recommended to perform an eco round, which means “economy round”. During an eco round, teams buy close to nothing. Usually, they purchase upgraded pistols but do not purchase armor. Some players might buy a grenade or two, but that’s pretty much it.
An eco round is essential to save money for the next round, allowing the team to have a stronger purchase to stand a chance against the enemy team’s firepower and resources.
Full Buy
A full buy is when a team has sufficient funds to go all out. Rifles such as the AK-47, M4A1-S, and AWP are purchased, and teams are equipped with full armor. Utility is also crucial, as teams will have a full set of grenades as well as additional resources such as Defuse Kits.
Full buys tend to cost around $4,000 to $6,000 on the Terrorist side, and around $4,500 – $6,500 on the Counter-Terrorist side.
Force Buy
A force buy is an “all-in” strategy that teams use when they are desperate. They will use all the money in their bankroll to buy whatever means necessary, even if it is not enough money for a full buy.
Force buys are usually used in two situations:
- Losing the pistol round: Teams can surprise the winning team with a force buy while they are expecting an eco round with no armor. This can cause a momentum shift in the game if the force buy is won.
- Desperate situations: When a team is far behind, risks must be taken to attempt a comeback. Teams often perform a force buy as a last resort play when the game looks grim.
Partial Buy
A partial buy usually occurs when a team is stacking up on loss bonuses. Teams usually buy less expensive items, such as upgraded pistols, a few pieces of utility, and light armor. This is because they will have enough money to perform a full buy in the next round, so they invest partially to try winning a surprise round.
Coordinating Purchases With Your Team
Counter-Strike is a team game, and it is vital to coordinate your buys with your entire team. This ensures that there aren’t two players performing an eco while the other three are spending all their money. Someone should make the call to full buy, partial buy, or eco, or else mismatched buys will happen which weakens the overall firepower and economy of the team.
Keeping The Money As Balanced As Possible
Generally, you want to keep the economy as balanced as possible, ensuring that no player has too much more than others. Teammates should discuss how much each player should spend to create a collective approach where everyone can follow the coordinated buys in the coming rounds.
Dropping Teammates Weapons
To balance the economy, dropping is essential. If a teammate has more money than the other, they can buy a weapon and drop it to the teammate that lacks the funds. This ensures every player will have weapons, and no man is left behind. Dropping a weapon can be done by pressing the “G” key.
Buying Utility Such As Defuse Kits
On the Counter-Terrorist side, the Defuse Kit is an important piece of utility. When the CT side is not swimming in cash, it is a common strategy to have two or three players buy a Defuse Kit, as it can be picked up from the ground if they die. Sharing a Defuse Kit can save teams up to thousands of dollars.
Pro Economy Management Tips
What we’ve covered above should be more than enough to help you understand how money and buys work in Counter-Strike. However, here are a few advanced tips you should look to master in the future.
Farming Anti-Eco Rounds
Keeping track of the enemy team’s money is important so you know what to expect from them in the next round. If you are predicting them to perform an eco or a low buy, you can opt to buy an SMG to farm them and get high kill rewards.
Reset/Swing Rounds
After losing consecutive rounds and finally winning, an enemy team’s loss bonus will be reset back to 0. This can be a perfect opportunity to reset the loss bonus streak for the enemy team and put their finances back into shambles.
Saving In Unfavorable Rounds
You can’t win every round. If you are in an unfavorable situation and the round seems impossible. You can consider saving your rifle for the next round. Hide and wait until the round timer counts down, and you will save your weapon for the next round.
Don’t Die After Time As A Terrorist
Saving is mostly recommended on the Counter-Terrorist side, as Terrorists are greeted with bad news if they try to save. If a round timer expires for the Terrorists, they will receive no round money for the next round.
However, saving full armor and an AK-47 is usually more money than you’d receive from round money. Just make sure you don’t die after the time ends, or you’ll be left penniless.
Prioritize Armor Over Firepower
Generally speaking, armor is more important than having good firepower. Most players prefer buying lower weapons such as a FAMAS, Galil AR, or an SMG if they cannot afford full armor and a primary rifle.