Can You Gift Prime In CS2?

The majority of the player base plays Counter-Strike 2 for its ranked game modes, as it is the best way to compare their skill and track improvement. However, playing CS2 ranked requires players to have a Prime-protected account, which will cost money. If you can’t play ranked with your friend since they do not have Prime, here’s the answer to the common question, “can you gift Prime in CS2 to a friend?”

What is Prime in CS2?

The Prime status in CS2 is a paid feature that gives players access to the following perks:

• Eligibility for ranked matchmaking with other Prime users
• Reduced chance of encountering hackers or cheaters in games
• Weekly drops including skins and weapon cases

Prime is essentially a trust filter in CS2. The financial commitment required will make cheaters or smurfs think twice before ruining the match quality for regular players. 

How Much Does Prime Cost in CS2?

As of 2025, Valve has made Counter-Strike 2 a free-to-play game. Though this removed border has contributed to the increase in the player base, it also increases the number of cheaters and smurf accounts. As a result, Valve Prime status must be purchased with real money.

The Prime status upgrade costs $14.99. However, Prime is a one-time purchase, meaning after buying it for the first time, it will be tied to your Steam account forever. Keep in mind that prices may vary slightly depending on your currency or regional pricing. However, the price range should float close to the regular price point. 

Can You Gift Prime to a Friend in CS2?

When playing CS2 ranked, Prime players will only be put up against Prime players, which significantly reduces the chances of running into cheaters or smurfs, whose accounts are usually unprotected with Prime. If a friend in the party does not have a Prime account, the entire team must play in non-Prime matchmaking, which can be a frustrating experience.

Unfortunately, if your friend is not equipped with the Prime status, there is no way to directly gift it to them. It cannot be gifted through the Steam or CS2 client. 

This is because Valve does not offer Prime as a giftable item or through redeemable codes. The Prime status is considered an account upgrade, not a tradable or giftable product like your typical cases or skins. 

How to Buy CS2 Prime for a Friend

However, don’t be discouraged. There are still ways to buy the Prime status for your friend without gifting it through the Steam or CS2 clients. Here are three ways to buy CS2 Prime for your friend:

Send Them a Steam Gift Card

The most common way to buy your friend the Prime status upgrade on Steam is to purchase a Steam wallet gift card equivalent to at least $14.99, then have them receive the funds on their account and purchase Prime themselves.

Here’s how you can purchase a Steam Wallet Code:

1. Open your Steam desktop client.
2. Then, go to the Store menu on the top-left corner.
3. On the left side of the screen, click on “Steam Gift Cards.”
4. Next, under “Digital Gift Cards,” select “Send a Digital Steam Gift Card.”
5. Select the gift card amount. To afford Prime, it must be at least $14.99.
6. Choose the Steam friend you are looking to buy Prime for. 
7. Fill in the required information on screen, such as a gift message. 
8. Continue with the purchase process, and complete the checkout using your preferred payment method. 

Once your payment has been confirmed by the Steam platform, your friend would have received the money on their Steam account. Then, they can purchase Prime themself.

Here’s how your friend can buy CS2 Prime:

1. Launch the Steam client, then head over to the CS2 store page.
2. Click the “Buy Prime Status Upgrade” button.
3. After adding Prime to the cart, proceed to the checkout menu.
4. In the payment methods, select Steam Wallet credits.

Once the purchase is complete, they can launch CS2 and be notified that the Prime status has been enabled on their account. 

Send Them Skins for Them to Sell

If you do not want to use real-money to purchase a Steam gift card for your friend, another method is to send them CS2 skins or items, have them sell it on the marketplace, and then make them purchase the Prime status upgrade themself. 

First, you must look for skins or items that add up to roughly $18 in Steam Market value. This is because, later on when your friend tries to sell the item, the Steam Market will impose a 15% fee on sales, so sending them $14.99 won’t be enough. 

Once you have gathered $18 worth of CS2 items, send your friend a trade offer, and have them accept it. When the items arrive, they can sell them on the Steam Market and wait for buyers to purchase the items.

After the funds have been received in their Steam Wallet, they can follow the procedure above and purchase the Prime status upgrade. 

Send Them Money In-Real Life

If you know your friend in-real life, or live in the same country, you can always send them the funds for the Prime status through bank transfer, or other methods. If your friend lives in another country, international payment methods like PayPal or cryptocurrency can be two options, too. 

Once you have sent over enough money for them to buy the Prime status, be sure to guide them through the Prime purchasing process on the Steam platform, such as topping up funds and where to buy the Prime status upgrade in the client. 

Frequently Asked Questions