How much does Steam capsule art cost?
Your capsule is the first thing people see of your game on Steam, usually before they've seen a single screenshot. Here's what devs actually pay for one, with sources, what you're paying for, and how to brief an artist so the first draft is close.
- A fully custom capsule from a freelancer usually costs a few hundred dollars. Well-known illustrators charge into the thousands.
- Chris Zukowski of How To Market A Game says to expect $250 minimum, up to multiple thousands for top artists.
- In July 2026, Steam Page Analyzer found most commission listings quoting $300 to $600 for fully custom capsule work, and $130 to $150 to rework existing key art into Steam's sizes.
- Steam needs your art in a lot of sizes, so ask for every one of them in the quote.
- Put your budget in your first message. A good artist can tell you right away what it gets you.
I'm not going to make up numbers. Every price on this page comes from a named source you can click and read. Freelancers set their own rates, so treat these as ballparks, not a price list.
What capsule art costs, by artist level
presskit.gg's key art budget guide (2026) splits commission prices by experience. Capsule art is usually a crop of this same piece, so these are the numbers most devs end up paying:
| Who you hire | Price |
|---|---|
| Student or emerging artist | $100 to $300, and quality varies a lot |
| Mid-level freelancer | $300 to $800 |
| Experienced game artist | $800 to $2,000 |
| Established illustrator with a recognizable style | $2,000 to $5,000+ |
Two more data points line up with that. Chris Zukowski at How To Market A Game says to "expect to pay $250 minimum all the way up to multiple thousands for top of the line artists." And Steam Page Analyzer checked commission listings in July 2026 and found most quoted $300 to $600 for fully custom capsule work. If you already have key art and just need it reworked into Steam's sizes, they found budget options around $130 to $150.
Why devs spend money here first
Zukowski's take is that "dollar for dollar capsule art is the best use of your marketing money," and that unless you're an illustrator yourself, you should save up and hire someone (five trends in Steam capsule art).
One example he wrote about is Imagine Earth. The devs swapped only their capsule art about a year after launch and told him daily sales went from 0 to 3 copies a day to 40 to 60. That's one game's story, not a promise, but it shows how much the image does when it's the only thing a player sees.
What you're actually paying for: every size Steam asks for
Valve updated these in August 2024 and says the old sizes are no longer accepted. This is from the Steamworks graphical assets page:
| Image | Size (pixels) | What goes on it |
|---|---|---|
| Header capsule | 920 × 430 | Logo and artwork |
| Small capsule | 462 × 174 | Logo and artwork |
| Main capsule | 1232 × 706 | Logo and artwork |
| Vertical capsule | 748 × 896 | Logo and artwork |
| Library capsule | 600 × 900 | Logo and artwork |
| Library header | 920 × 430 | Logo and artwork |
| Library hero | 3840 × 1240 | Artwork only, no logo |
| Library logo | 1280 wide and/or 720 tall | Logo only, transparent PNG |
| Page background (optional) | 1438 × 810 | Subtle artwork |
Valve's rule for capsules is "just your game logo and artwork," so no award badges, review quotes or "Wishlist now" text. That's a lot of crops: wide, tall, tiny and huge. Most artists paint one big illustration with room around it and crop from there, which only works if they know about every size before they start. As presskit.gg puts it, "discovering you need a vertical crop after the horizontal piece is finished leads to awkward conversations and additional charges."
What makes capsule art cost more
- A full illustrated scene. A painted character in a scene costs more than your logo over a polished screenshot.
- The logo. Some artists design it, some expect you to bring one. Ask which.
- Extra revisions. presskit.gg says most artists include two to three rounds of revisions in their base price, and more rounds cost extra.
- Every size and the source file. All the crops, the hero image without a logo, and a layered file you can reuse cost more than one flat image.
- A rush deadline, like needing it before a Next Fest or a sale.
- Using it everywhere. If you'll use the art in trailers, ads, posters or merch too, say so up front so the price covers it.
How to brief a capsule artist
- Show the top games in your genre. Zukowski's advice is to "send examples of the top games in your genre to your artist." The capsule's main job is telling people what kind of game it is in a split second.
- Hire someone who's done your genre. An artist with cozy farming capsules in their portfolio already knows what cozy farming players look for.
- List every size from the table above, and say whether you need the logo designed.
- Give your budget and deadline in the first message.
- Ask for the layered file and agree in writing where you can use the art: Steam, trailer, press kit, ads.
- Check it small. Look at the draft at 462 × 174, the small capsule size. If you can't read the logo or tell the genre, it needs another pass.
Tip: When you post a role on IndieGuild, there's a budget field. Put your number in and the card shows it right on the Job board, so artists see the pay before they pitch.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Steam capsule art cost?
Usually a few hundred dollars for a fully custom capsule from a freelancer, and into the thousands for well-known illustrators. Chris Zukowski of How To Market A Game says to expect $250 minimum, and a July 2026 check by Steam Page Analyzer found most commission listings quoting $300 to $600 for fully custom capsule work.
Is the logo included in the price of capsule art?
Not always. Some artists paint the illustration and expect you to supply the logo, others design both. Ask before you agree on a price, because Steam needs the logo on most capsules and as its own transparent file for the library.
How many images do I need for a Steam page?
Valve lists header, small, main and vertical capsules, a library capsule, library header, library hero and library logo, plus an optional page background and your screenshots. Most artists paint one big illustration and crop it, so ask for every size in the quote.
What is the difference between key art and capsule art?
Key art is the main illustration for your game, used on your store page, trailer, press kit and posters. Capsules are the Steam crops of it with your logo on top. Many devs commission them together.
Is IndieGuild free?
Yes. IndieGuild is free for developers and creators, and I don't take a cut of anything you pay people. Pay and rights are agreed directly between you and the person you hire.
Find your capsule artist
Post who you're looking for with your genre, the sizes you need and your budget, and artists who fit get it in their inbox. Or browse artist portfolios and message someone directly.
Post your art roleMore guides
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