10 Red CS2 Skins That Won’t Break the Bank This December 2025

CS2 quietly made it possible to mash 10 Covert (aka red) skins into a contract and roll a knife. If you want in without setting your wallet on fire, here are the cheapest Factory New reds on Steam right now that feed into those knife pools. Prices swing constantly, and we are not talking StatTrak here.

Quick refresher before you dive in

You pick the case family with the reds you feed into the contract, and that decides which set of knives you can hit. If you care about patterns and finishes (of course you do), this is where you try to angle for Fades, Case-Hardeneds, Dopplers, etc. The list below is sorted from pricier to cheapest, all Factory New, all live on the Steam Market as of now.

1. AUG | Chameleon (Factory New) - around $135
   From the Operation Phoenix Weapon Case. Not the flashiest AUG, but as contract fodder it points you at the classic knife pool, with hits like M9 Bayonet Fade, Karambit Case-Hardened, and plenty more in that tier.

2. AWP | Chrome Cannon (Factory New) - around $134
   Sleek look, carbon fiber bits on the scope and accents. If you want a roll at the Kilowatt case knives (yes, the Kukri hype), this gets you in that door.

3. MP9 | Starlight Protector (Factory New) - around $133
   The adorable unicorn skin doubles as a ticket to Dreams & Nightmares knife pools. Think Butterfly Emerald, Bowie Lore, and other premium pulls in that family.

4. R8 Revolver | Fade (Factory New) - around $122
   Nobody begs for an R8 in a trade-up… unless you are chasing knives. This one lines you up with Revolver Case knives, including shots at a Bayonet Fade, Flip Knife Crimson Web, and similar headliners.

5. FAMAS | Bad Trip (Factory New) - around $120
   If you are targeting the Fever Case knife pool, this is the on-ramp. That set includes showy options like Skeleton Knife Marble Fade and Survival Knife Tiger Tooth.

6. Desert Eagle | Printstream (Factory New) - around $111
   Still one of the cleanest Deagle looks. If you are not planning to keep it equipped, it is a solid component for Fracture Case knife contracts.

7. Five-SeveN | Angry Mob (Factory New) - around $105
   Loud, colorful, and useful: this one dials you into Prisma Case knives like the Talon Marble Fade and Stiletto Doppler without blowing up your budget.

8. AWP | Neo-Noir (Factory New) - around $81
   One of the best bang-for-buck play skins that also works as repeatable contract fuel. It targets the classic Danger Zone Case knife pool.

9. AK-47 | Legion of Anubis (Factory New) - around $77
   Another Fracture Case red, but cheaper than Printstream. If you are aiming at the same knife pool and want to keep costs lean, this is the alternative.

10. FAMAS | Commemoration (Factory New) - around $70
    Flashy, gold, and the most affordable Covert on this list. If you are after the CS20 case knives and you like to minimize the damage, this is the play.

The bottom line

Knife contracts are a gamble. These are simply the cheapest Factory New reds that point you at those knife pools right now, and the market moves daily. If you pulled something wild from one of these routes, I want to hear about it.