CS2 trade up: key facts
- Standard trade up: 10 skins of one rarity → 1 skin of the next rarity (Consumer → Industrial → Mil-Spec → Restricted → Classified → Covert). Cheapest inputs by rarity: Mil-Spec, Restricted, Classified.
- Knife & glove trade up: 5 Covert skins → 1 knife or gloves from the case of one of the inputs (CS2 update, October 22, 2025). The cheapest Covert skins page lists the inputs by price.
- Odds: (inputs from a collection ÷ 10) ÷ next-rarity skins in that collection.
- Output float: min + average normalised input float × (max − min).
- Factory New: output float below 0.07; Minimal Wear 0.07–0.15; Field-Tested 0.15–0.38; Well-Worn 0.38–0.45; Battle-Scarred 0.45–1.00.
- Not allowed: mixing StatTrak™ and normal skins, mixing rarities, knives/gloves as inputs.
- Souvenir skins: allowed since May 22, 2026 – stickers and Souvenir status are removed and the output is a normal skin.
- Profitable when: expected value > input cost + marketplace fees.
What is a CS2 trade up contract?
A trade up contract in Counter-Strike 2 lets you exchange ten weapon skins of the same rarity for one skin of the next rarity up. You could turn ten Mil-Spec skins into one Restricted skin, ten Restricted into one Classified, and ten Classified into one Covert. Since the October 22, 2025 update you can also trade five Covert skins for a knife or gloves from the case of one of your inputs. The skin you receive always comes from one of the collections your inputs belong to, and its wear (float) is decided by the floats of the skins you put in.
Because the outcome is random but the rules are fully known, a trade up can be calculated in advance. That is exactly what this CS2 trade up calculator does: it lists every skin you could receive, the probability of each, the output float, and – using live market prices – whether the contract is expected to make or lose money.
How to use the trade up calculator
- Search for a skin or pick the input rarity with the coloured chips (Consumer, Industrial, Mil-Spec, Restricted or Classified).
- Click a skin card to add it to the contract (use +10 to fill every empty slot), or switch to Target a skin and click the skin you want to receive – the calculator fills the contract with the cheapest inputs from that collection.
- Prices load automatically. The calculator fetches the current price of every input skin (at its wear) and every possible outcome.
- Read the result: odds per outcome, output float, contract cost, expected value (EV) and expected ROI. Green means the contract is profitable on average.
- Optimise by lowering input floats, swapping in cheaper filler skins, or mixing collections – then save the contract to compare later.
- Simulate it. The trade up simulator runs the same contract 1,000 times and shows how often you end up in the red and the longest losing streak, because a profitable EV still loses most single rolls.
The CS2 trade up float formula
Since the 2023 Counter-Strike 2 update, trade up floats use normalised floats. Every input is first converted into a percentage of its own skin's float range, those ten percentages are averaged, and the average is mapped onto the output skin's range:
average = sum of 10 normalised values / 10
output float = out min + average × (out max − out min)
Worked example
Ten inputs with a range of 0.00–1.00 at float 0.10 give an average of 0.10. If the output skin's range is 0.00–0.80, the result is 0.00 + 0.10 × 0.80 = 0.08 (Minimal Wear). Push the inputs to 0.08 and the output becomes 0.064 – Factory New, which is often worth several times more. That is why cheap low-float inputs are the backbone of most profitable trade ups.
| Wear | Float range |
|---|---|
| Factory New (FN) | 0.00 – 0.07 |
| Minimal Wear (MW) | 0.07 – 0.15 |
| Field-Tested (FT) | 0.15 – 0.38 |
| Well-Worn (WW) | 0.38 – 0.45 |
| Battle-Scarred (BS) | 0.45 – 1.00 |
How trade up odds work
Every input skin gives its collection one ticket. A collection's share of the draw is its number of tickets divided by ten, and that share is split equally between all of the collection's skins at the next rarity.
Example: 7 inputs from collection A (two possible outcomes) and 3 from collection B (one outcome). Each A outcome has 0.7 / 2 = 35%, the B outcome has 30%. Using a collection with only one or two next-tier skins is the classic way to raise the odds of hitting a specific skin.
| Input rarity | Output rarity |
|---|---|
| Consumer Grade | Industrial Grade |
| Industrial Grade | Mil-Spec Grade |
| Mil-Spec Grade | Restricted |
| Restricted | Classified |
| Classified | Covert |
| Covert (5 skins) | Knife or gloves (from the input’s case) |
Tips for profitable CS2 trade ups
- Chase float thresholds. Crossing from MW to FN (below 0.07) or FT to MW (below 0.15) can multiply an outcome's price.
- Use filler collections. Put a few cheap inputs from a collection whose outcomes are also cheap only if it lowers total cost more than it lowers EV.
- Prefer collections with few outcomes. Fewer next-tier skins means a higher chance at the one you want.
- Check ROI after fees. Marketplaces take a cut when you sell, so aim for a comfortable positive ROI rather than break-even.
- Watch prices move. Popular trade ups get crowded quickly – refresh live prices right before you craft.
Want the full walkthrough? Read the complete CS2 trade up guide.
CS2 trade up FAQ
What is a trade up contract in CS2?
A CS2 trade up contract exchanges 10 skins of the same rarity for 1 random skin of the next rarity up (10 Mil-Spec → 1 Restricted), or 5 Covert skins for a knife or gloves. The output comes from the collections you put in and its float is calculated from your input floats. This free trade up calculator shows every possible outcome with exact odds, float and profit at live Steam prices before you craft.
How many skins do you need for a CS2 trade up?
You need exactly 10 skins of the same rarity for a standard trade up (Consumer, Industrial, Mil-Spec, Restricted or Classified). For the knife and glove trade up you need exactly 5 Covert skins. All inputs must be either all StatTrak™ or all normal.
Can you trade up Covert skins into a knife or gloves in CS2?
Yes. Since the CS2 update of October 22, 2025, 5 Covert skins can be exchanged for 1 knife or 1 pair of gloves from the case collection of one of the skins you used. 5 StatTrak™ Covert skins return a StatTrak™ knife (gloves have no StatTrak version). Each input gives its collection a 1-in-5 share of the roll.
How are CS2 trade up odds calculated?
Each input gives its collection one ticket. The chance of a specific skin is: (inputs from its collection ÷ 10) ÷ (number of next-rarity skins in that collection). Example: 7 inputs from a collection with 2 possible outcomes give each of them 0.7 ÷ 2 = 35%. Skin price and float do not change the odds.
How is the output float of a CS2 trade up calculated?
CS2 uses normalised floats. Each input is converted to its position inside its own float range, (float − min) ÷ (max − min), the 10 values are averaged, and the average is mapped onto the output skin’s range: output float = min + average × (max − min). Lower input floats mean a lower, better-looking output.
How do I get a Factory New skin from a trade up?
Keep the average normalised input float low enough that the output lands below 0.07. For an output skin with a 0.00–1.00 range the average must be under 0.07; for a 0.00–0.50 range it must be under 0.14. Our calculator shows the exact output float and wear for every outcome before you craft.
Can you mix collections in a CS2 trade up?
Yes. You can mix skins from different collections as long as they share the same rarity. Each collection’s chance equals its share of the 10 inputs, so mixing spreads the odds across more possible outcomes. Collections with only one or two next-rarity skins give the best odds of hitting a specific skin.
Can you use StatTrak and normal skins in the same trade up?
No. A contract must be all StatTrak™ or all normal. Ten StatTrak™ inputs always return a StatTrak™ skin, and five StatTrak™ Covert inputs return a StatTrak™ knife.
Can Souvenir skins be used in a trade up contract?
Yes – since the CS2 update of May 22, 2026. Souvenir skins can be used as trade up inputs, even mixed with normal skins of the same rarity, but all Souvenir attributes (including stickers) are removed and the result is a normal skin one rarity higher. Knives, gloves, stickers and agents still cannot be used as inputs.
Does float or price affect trade up odds?
No. The odds depend only on how many inputs come from each collection and how many next-rarity skins those collections contain. Float only changes the output float (wear), and price only changes whether the contract is profitable.
Are CS2 trade ups profitable?
Some are, most random ones are not. A trade up is profitable on average when its expected value (EV) is higher than the cost of the inputs plus marketplace fees. Profitable contracts usually use cheap low-float inputs, collections with few outcomes, or target a price jump at a wear threshold such as Minimal Wear → Factory New.
What is the expected value (EV) and ROI of a trade up?
Expected value is the average value you receive per contract: EV = Σ (chance of outcome × price of outcome). ROI = (EV − contract cost) ÷ contract cost. A positive ROI means the contract makes money on average; also check the chance of profit, because a high-ROI contract can still lose most of the time.
What happens to the skins you put into a trade up?
They are consumed. The 10 (or 5 Covert) input skins are permanently removed from your inventory and replaced by the single output item. The trade up itself is free – you only pay for the skins.
What is the best free CS2 trade up calculator?
CS2TradeUp.gg is a free CS2 trade up calculator with skin images, instant search across 1,400+ skins, live market prices, exact odds, output float, expected value, ROI and chance of profit. Its Target a skin mode builds the cheapest contract for the skin you want. No sign-up is required.
Where do the calculator’s prices come from?
Prices are Steam Community Market prices refreshed every hour (via the public Waxpeer price feed). You can switch to the lowest marketplace listing (Waxpeer, HaloSkins, Tradeit) or overwrite any price by typing your own.
Does this calculator work for CS:GO trade ups?
Yes. CS2 kept the CS:GO collections and trade up system; the only change was the normalised float formula, which CS2TradeUp.gg already uses. The knife and glove (5 Covert) trade up exists only in CS2.
CS2 trade ups today (2026-11-11)
- 198 of 2,527 single-collection contracts have a positive expected value before fees; 134 of them also have at least a 50% chance of profit (best trade ups).
- Highest-ROI safe contract: 10× SCAR-20 | Cardiac BS StatTrak™ (Vanguard Collection) – cost $115.80, EV $442.25, ROI +282%, 50% chance of profit.
- Cheapest knife trade up: 5× AWP | Chrome Cannon BS (Kilowatt Collection) for $141.60 – EV $77.54, 13 possible items at 7.7% each (all cases).
- Best knife trade up by ROI: 5× M4A4 | The Battlestar BS StatTrak™ – cost $199.80, EV $288.44 (+44%).
- Prices are Steam Community Market prices refreshed every hour; all figures before the 13% Steam fee. Items above Steam's $2,000 listing cap use the lowest marketplace price. See how our data works.
Popular CS2 skin trade ups
The most searched skins on the site – each page shows the inputs, odds, float needed and today’s cheapest contract.
More trade up questions
Short answers to the questions we get most: how to trade up, StatTrak™ rules, trade-locked skins, why you can’t trade up a skin, how many reds for a knife, knives from trade ups, Souvenir skins – or browse the full trade up FAQ, the best trade ups right now and our comparison of trade up sites.