What's the best CS2 loadout under $500?

With $500 the picks below maximise look-per-dollar: the knife and gloves take most of the budget because they define a loadout, then the best rifle, pistol, SMG and heavy skins fill what's left. Prices are live lowest-market quotes (August 2026) — load the template into the builder to customize.

Are these prices current?

Every price on this page comes from our market snapshot (lowest price across 14+ marketplaces, updated August 2026) and the picks are recomputed as prices move, so the loadout always fits the budget.

Best CS2 Loadout Under $500

By Josh Lingenfelter

Updated August 2026— picks computed from live lowest prices across 14+ marketplaces. Knife and gloves carry most of the budget because they define a loadout's look; the remaining slots take the best skins the leftover buys.

T-Side Loadout Under $500

Slot	Pick	From
Knife	Huntsman Knife \| Gamma Doppler - Phase 4	$190.00
Gloves	Sport Gloves \| Big Game	$104.17
Primary Rifle	AWP \| CMYK	$84.47
Secondary (Pistol)	Tec-9 \| Blue Titanium	$40.02
SMG	MAC-10 \| Fade	$44.93
Heavy	Sawed-Off \| First Class	$30.74
Total		$494.33

Load this T-Side loadout in the builder →

CT-Side Loadout Under $500

Slot	Pick	From
Knife	Huntsman Knife \| Gamma Doppler - Phase 4	$190.00
Gloves	Sport Gloves \| Big Game	$104.17
Primary Rifle	AWP \| CMYK	$84.47
Secondary (Pistol)	Desert Eagle \| Code Red	$40.00
SMG	MP9 \| Dark Age	$46.02
Heavy	MAG-7 \| Prism Terrace	$23.56
Total		$488.22

Load this CT-Side loadout in the builder →

Other budgets: under $50 · under $100 · under $1,000 — or set any number in the builder's budget generator.

FAQ

What's the best CS2 loadout under $500?: With $500 the picks below maximise look-per-dollar: the knife and gloves take most of the budget because they define a loadout, then the best rifle, pistol, SMG and heavy skins fill what's left. Prices are live lowest-market quotes (August 2026) — load the template into the builder to customize.
Are these prices current?: Every price on this page comes from our market snapshot (lowest price across 14+ marketplaces, updated August 2026) and the picks are recomputed as prices move, so the loadout always fits the budget.