Benchmark · updated November 2026
How much does a Steam wishlist cost with short-form creators?
The median cost per Steam wishlist across 26 Trapster campaigns on TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels is $0.26. The lowest was $0.10, the highest was $1.22, and the middle half of campaigns landed between $0.20 and $0.69.
These are the campaigns we publish as case studies, so read them as strong results rather than a guarantee. Every game below links to its full case study.
$0.26
Median cost per wishlist
$0.10
Lowest
$1.22
Highest
26
Campaigns
Cost per wishlist by campaign
| Game | Cost per wishlist | Wishlists gained | Effective CPM | Campaign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very Safe Dino Park 🦖 | $0.10 | 15,701 | $1.02 | 2 days |
| Professional Ship Simulator | $0.15 | 10,874 | $0.76 | 1 day |
| The Bus | $0.15 | 11,082 | $1.75 | 4 days |
| Clay Clinic | $0.16 | 16,750 | $1.09 | 1 day |
| Anomaly Control Simulator | $0.18 | 21,500 | $2.48 | 2 waves |
| Global Rescue | $0.18 | 9,000 | $2.13 | 7 days |
| Catch Meow If You Can | $0.20 | 11,961 | $1.01 | 2 days |
| Cat Mail Co. | $0.21 | 7,600 | $3.87 | 3 days |
| Alaska Gold Fever | $0.22 | 9,000 | $3.27 | 3 days |
| ZOMBUTCHER | $0.22 | 7,400 | $2.81 | 3 days |
| Forensics: Crime Scene Detective | $0.23 | 7,000 | $1.36 | 3 days |
| Fracture Point | $0.24 | 6,600 | $1.01 | 1 day |
| Under the Disco Lights | $0.25 | 6,000 | $3.79 | 12 days |
| Off Road Together | $0.27 | 6,000 | $1.08 | 7 days |
| Don't Panic! It is Just Turbulence | $0.29 | 5,248 | $1.65 | Under 1 day |
| I Know a Guy: Shady Life Simulator | $0.39 | 5,187 | $2.41 | 2 days |
| Dynamite Day | $0.46 | 7,800 | $2.40 | 1 day |
| JOIN US | $0.50 | 8,000 | $2.48 | 2 days |
| Warhounds | $0.53 | 4,000 | $5.18 | 12 days |
| Vacation Cafe Simulator | $0.69 | 6,514 | $2.01 | 6 days |
| Steam To Electric | $0.78 | 3,677 | $2.96 | 4 days |
| Seaworks: Trap Season | $0.85 | 2,000 | $2.44 | 16 hours |
| UNFROST | $0.97 | 2,052 | $1.16 | 8 hours |
| A Game About Chopping Trees | $1.01 | 1,580 | $1.47 | Under 1 day |
| Anomaly President | $1.08 | 1,859 | $4.15 | 2 days |
| Galactic Vault | $1.22 | 1,307 | $4.48 | 4 days |
Why the cost differs between games
Cost per wishlist is effective CPM divided by wishlists per 1,000 views. Across these campaigns the median effective CPM was $2.26 and the median conversion was 5.4 wishlists per 1,000 views.
Cheap views do not guarantee cheap wishlists. What matters is how many viewers go on to wishlist the game, which comes down to how well the game works in a short clip and how ready the Steam page is for that traffic.
Median cost per wishlist by genre
| Genre | Median | Campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| Simulation | $0.23 | 20 |
| Casual | $0.25 | 9 |
| Indie | $0.26 | 16 |
| Adventure | $0.37 | 6 |
| Online co-op | $0.39 | 7 |
| Strategy | $0.46 | 7 |
| Action | $0.50 | 9 |
A game can sit in more than one genre, so campaigns overlap. Genres with fewer than 5 campaigns are left out.
How we calculate it
- Cost per wishlist is creator spend divided by wishlists gained. It does not include the Trapster service fee.
- Wishlists gained is the change on the Steam page across the campaign window, so it also includes organic growth and anything else the studio ran at the same time.
- Effective CPM is creator spend divided by verified views, per 1,000 views.
- This page covers the 26 published case studies with a wishlist cost. The other 10 report sales or views instead, and campaigns without a case study are not included.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Steam wishlist cost with short-form creators?
The median cost per Steam wishlist across 26 Trapster campaigns on TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels is $0.26. The lowest was $0.10, the highest was $1.22, and the middle half of campaigns landed between $0.20 and $0.69.
What is a good cost per wishlist?
In our published campaigns, anything under $0.26 sits in the better half and anything under $0.20 sits in the best quarter. These are selected case studies, so treat them as a strong result rather than a promise.
Why does cost per wishlist vary so much between games?
Cost per wishlist is effective CPM divided by wishlists per 1,000 views. The second number moves most, because it depends on how well the game fits short-form video and how ready the Steam page is to convert a viewer.
Does this cost include the platform fee?
No. Cost per wishlist here is creator spend divided by wishlists gained, before the Trapster service fee.
How much budget do I need to run a campaign?
Trapster campaigns start at $3,000. You set the budget and the CPM, and you pay for verified views.
See what a campaign could do for your game
Set your budget and CPM, approve every creator and pay for verified views.