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Spending more than $5 on Steam upgrades your account from a limited one to a premium one. I know there are a few benefits and privileges enjoyed by premium account holders, such as adding friends.

What other features do you gain access to as a paid member that limited members don't get?

Timmy Jim
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Derpologgs
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2 Answers2

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According to Steam's help page:

Limited users are prevented from accessing several features on Steam, including but not limited to:

  • Sending friend and group invites
  • Requesting access to groups
  • Opening group chat
  • Voting on Steam Reviews and Workshop items
  • Participating in the Steam Market
  • Trading Steam Community items (trading cards, booster packs, gems, etc.)
  • Posting frequently in the Steam Discussions
  • Gaining Steam Profile Levels (Locked to level 0) and Trading Cards
  • Submitting content on the Steam Workshop
  • Posting in an item's Steam Workshop Discussions
  • Accessing the Steam Web API
  • Using browser and mobile chat
  • Adding public artwork and screenshots
  • Adding messages to trade offers
  • Creating Steam groups
  • Counting towards Steam group membership

So, I assume you are able to do the above after spending five dollars.

Timmy Jim
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    Amazing, your posting times are the same... – Nelson Sep 21 '17 at 01:02
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    Now we need to manage to give them the same net vote count. – Ian Sep 21 '17 at 06:41
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    Some of these features require more than just spending 5 dollars, though (not sure if that's relevant to the OP.) For example, selling cards on the market requires that you set up two-factor authentication with the Steam Guard app, (apparently) in addition to spending $5. – Steve-O Sep 21 '17 at 19:25
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    @Steve-O Not true. I've sold cards on the market, and I have never set up 2-factor. The sale is just held for 15 days. – Jerry B Sep 22 '17 at 08:20
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    @JerryB Really? It literally wouldn't let me do it without adding Steam Guard. It specifically said I needed to add Steam Guard to participate in the market, and then for the first week anything I put up was "on hold" for a number of days before the sale would go through, just to make sure no one was hacking my account and selling stuff. To this day I need to use Steam Guard to confirm all items put up for sale before they actually go up for sale. Maybe it's a country-by-country thing then? – Steve-O Sep 22 '17 at 13:18
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    If I go to steamcommunity.com/market/ and click a link "Read about security requirements", a window pops up. It makes it clear that I can trade or sell stuff, but the action is on hold for up to 15 days, to have time to cancel if it's not me. Adding a Mobile Authenticator removes the hold, since you have to authenticate. Last time I sold anything was back in Feb. this year, but everything I'm seeing says I still can. Don't know why it forced you to. – Jerry B Sep 24 '17 at 07:44
  • @Steve-O Perhaps it forced you to because you'd previously linked your phone to your account for other purposes. That or you misinterpreted their insistent suggestions as requirement and didn't read all the text. – Pharap Sep 27 '17 at 05:24
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According to this article by Valve, this is what a "premium" account gets over a "free" (officially called "limited account") one:

  • Sending friend and group invites
  • Requesting access to groups
  • Opening group chat
  • Voting on Steam Reviews and Workshop items
  • Participating in the Steam Market
  • Trading Steam Community items (trading cards, booster packs, gems, etc.)
  • Posting frequently in the Steam Discussions
  • Gaining Steam Profile Levels (Locked to level 0) and Trading Cards
  • Submitting content on the Steam Workshop
  • Posting in an item's Steam Workshop Discussions
  • Accessing the Steam Web API
  • Using browser and mobile chat
  • Adding public artwork and screenshots
  • Adding messages to trade offers
  • Creating Steam groups
  • Counting towards Steam group membership
ave
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