Not every CS2 knife costs thousands. Some finishes on smaller knife models go for well under $100 — roughly the same price as many Covert skins. If you've always wanted a knife in your inventory but don't want to spend a fortune, this is where to look.
We pulled every knife (no gloves — those are a separate category) from all 42 weapon cases and sorted them by the latest imported market prices. These are the 10 cheapest knives you can actually get from a case opening, plus a full top-20 table below for quick reference.
Navaja Knife | Crimson Web comes in at #1 in the current import at $0.14. That puts it in the true entry tier of the knife market, where unboxable knives can cost about the same as high-end red skins.
This entry uses the Navaja Knife model with the Crimson Web finish and drops from Danger Zone Case and Horizon Case. Budget finishes like this are a big reason there are already 115 unboxable knives under $100 in the current snapshot.
Skeleton Knife | Boreal Forest comes in at #2 in the current import at $19.16. That puts it in the true entry tier of the knife market, where unboxable knives can cost about the same as high-end red skins.
This entry uses the Skeleton Knife model with the Boreal Forest finish and drops from Fracture Case and Shattered Web Case. Budget finishes like this are a big reason there are already 115 unboxable knives under $100 in the current snapshot.
Shadow Daggers | Rust Coat comes in at #3 in the current import at $46.86. That puts it in the true entry tier of the knife market, where unboxable knives can cost about the same as high-end red skins.
This entry uses the Shadow Daggers model with the Rust Coat finish and drops from Spectrum 2 Case and Spectrum Case. Budget finishes like this are a big reason there are already 115 unboxable knives under $100 in the current snapshot.
This next price band is dominated by Survival Knife, Shadow Daggers and Navaja Knife and keeps the budget range moving slowly rather than jumping straight into premium territory. The finishes here still come from the same low-end pattern families that keep the entry market affordable.
Across this group, the knives drop from Fever Case, Shadow Case, Danger Zone Case and Horizon Case. That spread is why the cheapest knife page changes after a price refresh: multiple low-cost cases can reshuffle these spots.
This next price band is dominated by Navaja Knife and Shadow Daggers and keeps the budget range moving slowly rather than jumping straight into premium territory. The finishes here still come from the same low-end pattern families that keep the entry market affordable.
Across this group, the knives drop from Danger Zone Case, Horizon Case, Dreams & Nightmares Case and Operation Riptide Case. That spread is why the cheapest knife page changes after a price refresh: multiple low-cost cases can reshuffle these spots.
Top 20 Cheapest CS2 Knives
| # | Knife | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Navaja Knife | Crimson Web Navaja Knife | $0.14 |
| 2 | Skeleton Knife | Boreal Forest Skeleton Knife | $19.16 |
| 3 | Shadow Daggers | Rust Coat Shadow Daggers | $46.86 |
| 4 |  Survival Knife | Rust Coat Survival Knife | $51.75 |
| 5 |  Shadow Daggers | Night Shadow Daggers | $53.49 |
| 6 |  Shadow Daggers | Boreal Forest Shadow Daggers | $53.96 |
| 7 |  Navaja Knife | Forest DDPAT Navaja Knife | $54.00 |
| 8 |  Navaja Knife | Urban Masked Navaja Knife | $54.74 |
| 9 |  Shadow Daggers | Black Laminate Shadow Daggers | $55.90 |
| 10 |  Navaja Knife | Scorched Navaja Knife | $56.49 |
| 11 |  Shadow Daggers | Bright Water Shadow Daggers | $56.50 |
| 12 |  Gut Knife | Safari Mesh Gut Knife | $57.32 |
| 13 |  Survival Knife | Safari Mesh Survival Knife | $57.50 |
| 14 |  Bowie Knife | Safari Mesh Bowie Knife | $57.51 |
| 15 |  Paracord Knife | Safari Mesh Paracord Knife | $57.58 |
| 16 |  Navaja Knife | Boreal Forest Navaja Knife | $57.61 |
| 17 |  Shadow Daggers | Safari Mesh Shadow Daggers | $57.91 |
| 18 |  Paracord Knife | Rust Coat Paracord Knife | $58.22 |
| 19 |  Navaja Knife | Safari Mesh Navaja Knife | $59.46 |
| 20 |  Shadow Daggers | Forest DDPAT Shadow Daggers | $59.64 |
What Makes a Knife Cheap?
Three things determine how much a CS2 knife costs. The model matters most — Karambits, Butterfly Knives, and M9 Bayonets command a massive premium regardless of finish, while smaller or less in-demand models sit far lower. The finish is the second factor. Budget finishes like Safari Mesh, Boreal Forest, Rust Coat, and Scorched are always the cheapest versions of any model. And wear plays a role too — Battle-Scarred and Well-Worn conditions are cheaper than Factory New or Minimal Wear.
If you just want a knife in your inventory and don't care about the specific model, the Navaja Knifecurrently sets the floor at about $0.14. The model that appears most often in the low-end top 20 is the Shadow Daggers, which shows how heavily the budget end clusters around a few accessible knife families.
FAQ
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Further Reading
- →Cheapest CS2 Cases — the 10 cheapest weapon cases ranked by market price.
- →Best Cases by ROI — cases ranked by expected return, not just price.
- →Case Opening Simulator — open any case for free with real Valve drop rates.