ShadowPay is a peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace launched in early 2021 that enables players to buy and sell virtual items from popular Steam games such as CS2 (Counter-Strike 2), Rust, and Dota 2. Unlike traditional marketplaces that hold items in centralized inventories, ShadowPay connects buyers and sellers directly, allowing for faster trades without the typical Steam trade holds. With a growing user base and a focus on security and convenience, ShadowPay has become a notable player in the skin trading space. This review covers everything you need to know about ShadowPay in 2025.

Trust Factor

Games & Overall Design

Deposit & Withdraw

Customer Support

How to Sign Up For ShadowPay

ShadowPay can be a good platform for players looking to embark on their CS2 trading journey. Here is how you can get started with ShadowPay:

1. Visit the official ShadowPay website using the link provided.
2. Click on the “Get Started” button on the top-right corner. 
3. Sign in to your Steam account.
4. Start browsing through the site!

Platform Overview

ShadowPay is primarily focused on providing peer-to-peer services, meaning there is no involvement of trading bots for its main services – ShadowPay users are transacting with other ShadowPay users, in other words, real humans.

All trades will be done directly between buyer and seller, ensuring there is no 7-day trade hold. This allows for fast transactions without having to reserve any items while waiting for the trade lock to end. 

However, ShadowPay also has an instant cashout system, where the website will purchase your skin immediately. Still, you should expect low prices due to the nature of the system, which is similar to other websites such as SkinCashier.

Being a marketplace website, ShadowPay does not have a trading feature, but does have a Discord server where members can post their trade listings and make offers. 

How to Use ShadowPay for Buying and Selling CS2 Skins

As hinted above, users can only engage in the buying and selling of skins on the ShadowPay platform. So, let’s check out how the procedure for each function works.

How to Buy Skins on ShadowPay

Users looking to expand their CS2 inventories can head over to the ShadowPay website, top up website balance, and purchase skins from its marketplace listings. 

Here is how you can buy your skins on ShadowPay:

1. Head over to the “Market” section of the ShadowPay website.
2. Look for the skins you are looking to purchase. 
3. Add the skins to the cart, or check out when you are finished.
4. Select your payment method and complete the transaction.
5. Wait until the seller responds and sends you a trade offer on Steam. 

Keep in mind that the prices set on the ShadowPay marketplace are listed by other users, so be sure to conduct your own research before settling on a skin. 

How to Sell Skins on ShadowPay

There are two ways to sell skins on the ShadowPay website – either P2P or Instant. The former means you will list your items and have another user purchase it, while the latter means the website will directly purchase the skin from you. 

Here is how you can sell your skins on ShadowPay using the P2P feature:

1. Head over to the “Sell Items” section of the ShadowPay website.
2. Choose the “P2P” option.
3. Select the skins you are looking to sell. 
4. Determine the prices for the skins you are about to list.
5. Once your listing is up, wait for another user to purchase it.
6. If the listing is sold, ShadowPay will provide instructions to send the skin to the buyer.
7. After the buyer accepts the skin and ShadowPay confirms the transaction, funds will be paid out to you. 

Here is how you can sell your skins on ShadowPay using the Instant feature:

1. Head over to the “Sell Items” section of the ShadowPay website.
2. Choose the “Instant” option.
3. Select the skins you are looking to sell. 
4. Select your preferred payment method. 
5. A ShadowPay trading bot will send you a trade offer on Steam.
6. Accept the trade and you will get paid out. 

Fees and Transaction Costs

Generally, the fees on the ShadowPay website are extremely reasonable and not as high as competing platforms such as SkinBaron. 

Selling Fee

Players transacting on the website will be met with a base 5% selling fee, which might slightly vary depending on items. This fee amount follows a standard rate compared to most marketplace platforms. 

Withdrawal Fee

Users looking to withdraw their skins or website balance into real money will be imposed with a 5% withdrawal fee. Again, this is a pretty standard rate for a withdrawal fee.

Deposit Fee

Users trying to top up website balance will not be charged any fees from the ShadowPay website, but methods such as bank transfer or cryptocurrency network fees will be imposed. The fees are determined by the payment provider, but usually varies from 1 to 2%. 

User Experience

The ShadowPay website features a clean, intuitive interface that is easy to navigate for both beginners and experienced traders. The marketplace offers advanced features like price tracking, seller ratings, and detailed item descriptions, helping users make informed decisions.

The desktop app and browser extension greatly simplify trading by automating trade offers and confirmations, enabling 24/7 trading even when users are offline. The platform is optimized for both desktop and mobile browsers, providing a seamless experience across devices.

Payment Methods

Users looking to top up funds on the ShadowPay website can do so through credit cards, cryptocurrency, Steam skins, or wallet gift cards. 

Meanwhile, cashing out can only be done through cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, or USDT. Overall, the deposit methods look quite complete, but we would have loved to see one or two more payment methods available for withdrawing skins. 

Security and Trustworthiness

For those still wondering to themselves, “is ShadowPay legit,” let’s go over some information surrounding the website to help you make a decision.

The ShadowPay website has been standing since 2019, and has built up a decent reputation without getting into any controversies. 

The page is used by around 150,000 unique visitors monthly. This isn’t the largest number of users compared to a website like DMarket, but these are decent numbers. 

Social Media Presence

ShadowPay maintains an active presence on social media platforms, including Twitter and Discord, where it engages with the community through updates, promotions, and giveaways. Its Discord server hosts a lively community of traders and provides a direct channel for support and announcements.

Final Verdict

ShadowPay stands out as a reliable and user-friendly peer-to-peer marketplace for CS2, Rust, and Dota 2 skins. Its low fees, direct trading model, and automation tools make it attractive for both buyers and sellers. While the manual approval process can cause minor delays, the overall experience is secure and efficient.

The lack of live chat support and some missing responsible gambling features are areas for improvement. Nevertheless, ShadowPay’s solid reputation, backed by thousands of positive user reviews and strong traffic, makes it a trustworthy choice for skin trading in 2025. And if you are looking for an alternative platform, check out the SkinBaron.