What is a trade up contract in CS2?
Short answer: A trade up contract is a free in-game tool in CS2 that turns 10 skins of one rarity into 1 random skin of the next rarity, chosen from the collections of the skins you put in. Since October 2025, 5 Covert skins can be turned into a knife or gloves. The result’s float is calculated from the inputs, and the inputs are destroyed.
The rarity ladder
| Inputs | Result |
|---|---|
| 10 Consumer (white) | 1 Industrial (light blue) |
| 10 Industrial | 1 Mil-Spec (blue) |
| 10 Mil-Spec | 1 Restricted (purple) |
| 10 Restricted | 1 Classified (pink) |
| 10 Classified | 1 Covert (red) |
| 5 Covert | 1 knife or gloves (gold) |
Why people do it
- Profit: when the expected value of the outcomes is higher than the cost of the inputs – about 300 of the ~2,100 single-collection contracts are +EV on a typical day (live list).
- A specific skin: target a skin whose collection has few next-rarity skins – the calculator’s “Target a skin” mode builds the cheapest contract.
- Fun: the knife contract is a $200 lottery ticket with published odds.
What you need to know before crafting
The odds (guide), the float formula (float guide), marketplace fees, and that Souvenir skins are allowed since May 2026 (Souvenir rules).
Open the free CS2 trade up calculator
Related questions
Where is the trade up contract in CS2?
In your inventory: bottom-right “Trade Up Contract” button, or via the Loadout screen. It is free to use.
Is the trade up contract random?
The result is random, but the odds are fixed and known: each input gives its collection 10% of the roll, split evenly between that collection’s next-rarity skins.
Can you lose money on a trade up?
Yes – most random contracts lose value on average. Check expected value and chance of profit first.