Steamline vs Self-Publishing on Steam
Deciding how to publish your game on Steam? Here's what you need to know.
Quick Comparison
| Steamline | Self-Publishing | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | Less than 1 week | 30+ days |
| Our fee | 3.5% after Steam's cut | 0% |
| Payment (non-US devs) | Save 3-8% total | Lose 10-20% to SWIFT fees |
| Tax forms | One form (W-9 or W-8BEN) | One form + potential EIN/ITIN application |
| US tax compliance | We handle reporting | You navigate treaties/withholding |
| IP ownership | 100% yours | 100% yours |
The Payment Difference (Non-US Developers)
This is where Steamline provides the most value.
Self-Publishing:
Valve pays via SWIFT wire → intermediary banks take 10-20% → you lose $100-200 on every $1,000 payment
Steamline:
Valve pays us (US entity, no fees) → we take 3.5% → we pay you via optimized rails → you save 3-8% total
Example on $10,000/month in sales:
- After Steam's 30% cut = $7,000
- Self-publishing: Keep ~$5,600-6,300 (after SWIFT fees)
- Steamline: Keep ~$6,650 (after our 3.5% and payment fees)
- You save $350-1,050/month
Setup Comparison
Self-Publishing:
Create Steamworks account → wait for verification → pay $100 per game → wait 30 days → navigate Valve's docs → set up international payments → finally publish
Total: 30+ days, 20-40 hours of your time
Steamline:
Sign up → fill out one tax form → pay $100 (we handle Steam Direct Fee) → we create your game in our account → you're ready to build
Total: Less than 1 week
When to Self-Publish
Self-publishing makes sense if you:
- Are US-based and comfortable with administrative work
- Have experience with Steamworks and tax compliance
- Want 0% revenue share (and accept SWIFT fees for non-US)
- Are publishing many games and can amortize setup costs
When to Use Steamline
Steamline makes sense if you:
- Are outside the US and want to avoid SWIFT fees
- Want to focus on game development, not paperwork
- Are publishing your first game
- Want faster time to market
- Value human support over documentation
Can I Switch Later?
Yes, in both directions. Steamline is month-to-month with no long-term commitment. You can transfer games from your Steamworks account to ours, or from ours to yours at any time. Your store page, reviews, and everything else stays intact.
Ready to get started? Create an account at app.steamline.io
Have questions? Email us at info@whippering.com