If you're just downloading Valorant for the first time, or thinking of dipping your toes into its rotating cosmetic shop for the first time, you've probably wondered how much does Valorant cost to play long-term. I still remember the first time I opened the shop and saw a Glitchpop Vandal, and immediately wondered if I was going to end up dropping a bunch of money on a game I’d just downloaded for free. Riot Games' hit 5v5 tactical shooter has built a reputation for being accessible to all players, but there are plenty of optional expenses that add up if you want to customize your experience. I've been playing Valorant since its beta launch, and I've spent both nothing and way too much on the game over the years, so I can break down exactly what you'll pay, if anything, to play.
How much does Valorant cost for casual, non-spending players?
The short answer here is zero. You don't have to pay a single cent to download Valorant, access every map, play all game modes, or queue for ranked play. The core Valorant experience is completely free for all players, with no pay-to-win mechanics whatsoever. Every new agent added to the game can be unlocked for free by completing contract milestones, and you don't need to spend money to access any feature that impacts your gameplay performance.
I played the first 18 months of Valorant without spending any money, hit Platinum rank, and never once felt like I was at a disadvantage compared to players who spent hundreds on skins. The only thing you'll miss out on as a free player are cosmetic items: gun skins, player cards, sprays, gun buddies, and custom finish animations that don't change how the game plays at all. You can easily play Valorant for years without spending a dollar if you don't care about customizing your in-game look.
Breakdown of optional Valorant in-game purchases and their costs
If you do want to customize your experience, all purchases use Valorant Points (VP), a premium currency you buy with real money. VP pricing varies slightly by region, but in the US, 1000 VP equals roughly $10 USD. You can only buy VP in pre-set bundles, so you'll often have a small amount of leftover VP after purchases. The most common items you can buy include:
- Valorant Battle Pass: Each act's premium battle pass costs 1000 VP, and unlocks dozens of cosmetics, player cards, sprays, and 1000 VP as you level it up, effectively letting you earn back the cost if you complete it.
- Skin bundles: Limited-time skin bundles range in price from 5100 VP ($50 USD) for smaller sets to 8700 VP ($85 USD) for premium, fully animated collections like the Champions or Sentinels of Light lines.
- Individual skins: Single skins bought from the daily rotating shop cost between 875 VP ($8.50 USD) for basic edition skins up to 2475 VP ($25 USD) for exclusive, ultra-tier skins with custom animations and sound effects.
- Radianite Points: This premium currency, used to upgrade skin levels and unlock custom color variants, costs 1600 VP ($16 USD) for 20 points, or can be earned for free through the battle pass.
- Agent unlocks: You can pay 1000 VP ($10 USD) to instantly unlock any new agent, rather than earning them through gameplay contract milestones that usually take 10 to 15 hours to complete.
You never have to buy any of these items to enjoy the game fully. I know plenty of high-rank players who only buy the battle pass once a year, and others who only buy one skin for their main gun and never spend anything else. It's entirely up to what you think is worth the cost.
How much do regular Valorant players typically spend?
Spending habits vary a lot depending on how much you play and how much you care about cosmetics. Most casual players I know spend between $10 and $30 a year on the game, usually just buying the occasional battle pass when they have time to grind it. Players who like collecting skins might spend $50 to $150 a year, picking up one or two premium bundles that match their style.
Dedicated collectors who buy every limited-time premium bundle can easily spend $500+ a year on the game, and players who want rare closed-beta skins can spend thousands of dollars on third-party account sales (though I don't recommend that, since Riot bans bought accounts regularly). Spending money on Valorant will never make you a better player, so it's important to only spend what you can comfortably afford to waste on cosmetic items that don't impact your gameplay.
One great hack for regular players is that if you complete the premium battle pass every act, you earn 1000 VP back, which is exactly the cost of the next act's battle pass. That means you can essentially pay for every future battle pass for free if you buy the first one and grind it to level 50 each act. I've done this for the last three years, and I haven't had to buy new VP for a battle pass since 2021.
Tips to save money on Valorant purchases
If you do want to buy some cosmetics without breaking the bank, there are a few easy ways to cut down on costs. First, wait for sales. Riot runs occasional sales on older skin lines, usually 30% to 50% off, a few times a year, so you can pick up popular skins for half price if you're patient. Most skins show up in the daily shop multiple times a year, so you don't have to buy a skin the first time you see it pop up.
Second, only buy the battle pass if you know you can play enough to level it to 50. If you only play a few hours a week, you might not hit level 50 before the act ends, and you'll lose out on the 1000 VP reward that lets you get the next pass for free. Third, earn free Radianite points through the free track of each battle pass, so you don't have to buy them to upgrade your favorite skins. You get 10 free Radianite points per act just from playing, which is enough to fully upgrade one basic skin.
Avoid buying VP in small increments, because larger VP bundles give you bonus VP that adds up over time. The $50 VP bundle gives you 900 extra bonus VP, which is almost enough for a free battle pass, so if you plan to make multiple purchases a year, buying larger bundles will save you money in the long run. I used to buy $10 VP packs every time I wanted a skin, until I realized I was wasting almost $20 a year on lost bonus VP by buying small packs.
At the end of the day, how much does Valorant cost is entirely up to you, the player. You can play every part of the game for free for as long as you want, or spend as much or as little as you want on customizing your in-game look. There's no pressure to spend, and Riot has done a good job of keeping all gameplay-related content free for everyone, regardless of their budget. Whatever you choose to spend, make sure it's within your means, and remember that the only thing that matters in Valorant is how well you work with your team, not how fancy your gun skin is.
