4 min read
How Steam levels work
A clear guide to XP, badges, trading card sets and what actually raises a Steam level.
The short version
Steam levels are built from XP. Crafting a game badge gives XP, and a badge is crafted from one complete set of that game's trading cards.
Most normal badges have five craftable levels. That means each game can usually absorb up to five complete card sets before it is finished.
Why calculators matter
The XP needed for the next level rises as your level gets higher. A jump from level 10 to 20 needs fewer sets than a jump from level 100 to 110.
Gameza reads your current level and badges first, then quotes only the sets that can still be used by your account.
What arrives
You receive ordinary Steam trading cards in a Steam trade offer. After you accept, you craft the badges yourself in Steam.
Large orders can arrive in rounds because Steam trade offers have item limits and each game badge has its own craft limit.
Why badge limits matter
A normal game badge is usually useful only up to level 5. If you already hold level 4 on one game, that game can only take one more normal set.
That is why a real quote has to read your badges, not only your current Steam level. Total stock is not the same thing as usable stock for your account.
Sources
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