Beginner’s guide to CS:GO’s economy

Learning the ins and outs of the economy is fundamental to Counter-Strike.

Image via Valve

Counter-Strike might look like a simplistic game, but once you start watching and playing more, you’ll begin to see its intricacies.

Recommended Videos

It has a complex economic system that requires a good sense of mental math and critical thinking, along with the bread and butter gameplay mechanics—moving, aiming, fragging, and, of course, winning. 

You have to understand and manage your own team’s economy and predict your opponent’s financial situation. But with enough time, practice, and mental fortitude, you can easily learn to coordinate buys for you and your team without hesitation.

Related: The fundamentals of Counter-Strike

Here’s a comprehensive guide for newer players looking to learn the fundamentals of CS:GO’s economy.

The buy menus

Weapon prices are listed below with the order in which they appear in-game.

RifleWeapon side(s)PriceKill Reward
Galil ART$1,8800$300
FAMASCT$2,050$300
AK-47T$2,700$300
M4A4CT$3,100$300
M4A1-SCT$2,900$300
SG 553T$3,000$300
AUGCT$3,300$300
G3SG 1T$5,000$300
SCAR-20CT$5,000$300
SSG 08T/CT$1,700$300
AWPT/CT$4,750$100
PistolWeapon side(s)PriceKill Reward
Glock-18T$200$300
USP-SCT$200$300
P2000CT$200$300
P250T/CT$300$300
CZ75-AutoT/CT$500$100
Five-SevenCT$500$300
Tec-9T$500$300
Dual BerettasT/CT$300$300
Desert EagleT/CT$700$300
R8 RevolverT/CT$600$300
SMGWeapon side(s)PriceKill Reward
MAC-10T$1,050$600
MP9CT$1,250$600
PP-BizonT/CT$1,400$600
MP7T/CT$1,500$600
UMP-45T/CT$1,200$600
P90T/CT$2,350$300
HeavyWeapon side(s)PriceKill Reward
Sawed-OffT$1,100$900
MAG-7CT$1,300$900
NovaT/CT$1,050 $900
XM 1014T/CT$2,000$900
M249T/CT$5,200$300
NegevT/CT$1,700$300
GrenadeWeapon side(s)PriceKill Reward
DecoyT/CT$50$300
FlashbangT/CT$200$300
SmokeT/CT$300$300
HET/CT$300$300
Molotov CocktailT$400$300
IncendiaryCT$600$300
GearWeapon side(s)PriceKill Reward
Kelvar VestT/CT$650
Kelvar + HelmetT/CT$1,000
Zeus x27T/CT$300$0
KnifeT/CT$0$1,500
Defuse KitT/CT$400

Win and loss bonuses

The outcome of a round determines how much money, per player, your team is awarded. The chart below should give you a good reference point for calculating and predicting the economy. 

Once you’re comfortable with the system and you’ve put a couple hundred hours into the game, you should be able to recite round wins and losses by heart.

Each player starts the half with $800 and money is earned based on the round outcome. The money cap for both sides is $16,000.

Terrorist (T) side

Round after resetWinBomb detonateTotalLoss**Bomb plantTotal
First round$3250$250$3500$1400$800$2200
Second round$3250 $250 $3500 $1900$800$2700
Third round$3250 $250 $3500 $2400$800$3200
Fourth round$3250 $250 $3500 $2900$800$3700
Fifth round*$3250 $250 $3500 $3400*$800$4200*

(*maximum loss bonus)

(**T side players who lose the round due to time are awarded no loss bonus ($0)

Counter-Terrorist (CT) side

Round after resetWinBomb detonateTotalLossBomb plantTotal
First round$3250 $250 $3500 $1400N/A$1400
Second round$3250 $250 $3500 $1900N/A$1900
Third round$3250 $250 $3500 $2400N/A$2400
Fourth round$3250 $250 $3500 $2900N/A$2900
Fifth round*$3250 $250 $3500 $3400*N/A$3400*

The meta

There are several types of buys in the current meta—full buys, force buys, quasi buys, eco/saves, and full saves. 

Full buys are ideal when your team has the best possible firepower. The remaining buy options are situational, with force and quasi buys used when you and your team are low on money. Ecos and full saves, on the other hand, are used when your team’s economy has been reset. This typically happens when your team wins a round then loses the next. It’s called a reset because your team’s loss bonus goes back to $1,400.

  • Full buy: primarily rifles, armor, and utility
  • Force buy: SMGs, upgraded pistols, and some armor
  • Quasi buy: some rifles, some SMGs, some upgraded pistols, and some armor
  • Eco/save: upgraded pistols and very few grenades
  • Full save: no buying weapons or utility at all

Here’s a set of common scenarios for the first three to four rounds:

Image via Jamie Villanueva

Your team will often force buy pistols if they lose the opening round on either side. This is a sensible gamble that allows your team to break the enemy early on with little to no risk. But in a scenario where the T side plants the bomb in a pistol round and loses, they can then full save the second round before full buying the round after.

If your team wants to play it safe, they can instead full save twice in a row (double save) after a pistol round loss and full buy on the fourth round. This is a conservative approach to the game, but it won’t always necessarily work in your favor.

Author
Image of Jerome Heath
Jerome Heath
Senior editor at Dot Esports. Jerome has been in and around the gaming industry for the last eight years, and he's not going anywhere anytime soon.