Yes. If your purchase qualifies under Steam’s refund policy, request a refund for the original purchase through Steam Support, then buy the game again at its current sale price once the refund is approved and the funds are available. Steam does not refund only the difference in price.
Can you get a refund when a Steam game goes on sale?
Steam Support says it cannot refund the price difference, but you may request a refund for the initial purchase and repurchase the game at the current sale price. The standard policy covers a title requested within 14 days of purchase and played for less than two hours. Steam counts online, offline, and shared-library playtime toward the limit. See Steam’s refund request guidance and its sale and purchasing FAQ.
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That means the sale itself does not guarantee a refund. If you are outside either standard eligibility threshold, you can still submit a request, but Steam reviews it at its discretion.
How to request the refund
- Go to Steam Help and sign in to the account that bought the game.
- Open Purchases, find the game, and select the purchase.
- Choose the issue that best describes your situation, then select the refund request option.
- Complete and submit the form. Choose Steam Wallet or the original payment method if Steam offers that choice.
- Wait for Steam to process the request. You should receive an email confirming submission and a separate email when the request has been processed.
If the purchase is missing from the Purchases list, Steam says it is too far outside the refund window to be eligible through that route. You can still contact Steam Support, but approval is not assured.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Choosing where the refund goes
| Refund destination | What to consider | Timing stated by Steam |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Wallet | Credit can be used for another Steam purchase once it is available. | Approved Wallet credit may take 24–48 hours. |
| Original payment method | Available only when Steam supports a refund to that payment method. The funds return outside Steam, so you may need to wait before repurchasing. | Steam says approved refunds can take up to seven days to appear; international payment methods may take longer. |
These are processing estimates, not a promise of instant access. If Steam approves a refund made within 24 hours of purchase, it may cancel the original transaction rather than show a separate account credit. The bank can take longer to release the authorization hold. In some cases, Steam says a bank may take up to 30 days to confirm a recently canceled transaction.
When to buy the game again
Wait until the refund is approved and the money is available in the destination you selected, then purchase the game at the sale price. Steam does not guarantee that the sale will still be active when the refund is processed. If the refund has been approved but has not appeared after seven days, Steam advises contacting your bank when the refund was sent to an external payment method.
Rank #2
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
What if you have played for two hours or owned it for more than 14 days?
You may submit a refund request outside the standard 14-day and under-two-hours conditions, but Steam says it will review the request; that is not a promise of approval. Be accurate about the reason for the request and your playtime.
Steam permits any number of refund requests for eligible purchases, but reserves the right to revoke refund access if it believes the feature is being abused.
Rank #3
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
EU and UK withdrawal rights
Steam distinguishes its voluntary refund policy from statutory withdrawal rights. Its guidance for EU and UK customers says the withdrawal period for digital content ends 14 days after purchase or first download, whichever comes sooner. This is Steam’s description of the rule, not individual legal advice; consult the relevant consumer authority for guidance on your circumstances.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
- Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
