Since we’re on the topic of Steam, it’s worth mentioning a strategy that, while not massive in profits, has been around for years and still works: Steam card farming. This method helped me back in the day to build up my initial capital, and it’s still an accessible way to generate a bit of income with minimal investment. If you’re looking to test the waters and start earning with low risk, Steam card farming with ASF might be just the ticket.

Why Steam Card Farming?

The appeal of card farming is simple—small investment, minimal technical requirements, and a steady stream of passive income. While you won’t be retiring on these profits, farming cards through Steam can be a solid introduction to digital earning, especially for anyone looking to build up their first bankroll.

If you’re new to it, ASF (ArchiSteamFarm) is the tool of choice here. It’s a streamlined console-based utility that manages your Steam accounts and farms trading cards from games without fully loading each one. This means you can run hundreds of accounts without maxing out your CPU or memory, even on a basic server.

Getting Started: The Basics of ASF Card Farming

Here’s what you need to get started with ASF card farming:

1. Steam Accounts with Open Trade Status: If you’re just starting out, it’s possible to find account lists on forums and test them for valid Steam accounts. I gathered my first 50 accounts this way, building up a manageable farm.
2. Discount Game Bundles or Keys: Steam cards only drop from games that support trading cards, so you’ll need to source games. Game bundles with steep discounts (sometimes as high as 90%) often include multiple games that can drop cards. The value of the cards can end up being higher than what you paid for the bundle. Steam’s Summer and Winter Sales are also great times to grab cheap games that yield decent card returns.
3. Setting Up ASF: Once you have the accounts and games, setting up ASF is pretty simple. Add your accounts, configure 2FA within ASF, and connect your main account for easy access and monitoring. Drop your game keys into the Steam chat, and ASF will assign them to your accounts, which will then start farming cards. When a game is done, you can use ASF to send the cards back to your main account for selling.

How It Works Today: This method is a bit slower now than it used to be since trades take a bit longer, but the process is still effective and can yield steady returns. You’ll need to test different methods for cashing out Steam balance, but there are multiple ways with varying percentages.

Is Card Farming Worth It?

Let’s be clear—this isn’t a high-profit method, but it’s reliable, low-maintenance, and a great way to get hands-on experience with digital income generation. The initial returns may be modest, but they can be a valuable stepping stone. Whether you’re saving up for larger projects or just exploring the world of digital income, card farming is a simple, practical option.

I’ll admit, card farming isn’t as exciting as some other methods, but it’s rewarding in its own way. You’re managing a small, automated income source, setting up your first “mini farm,” and learning how to manage multiple accounts. From here, you can think about reinvesting in larger projects or experimenting with different forms of automation.

And here’s a bonus: While writing about ASF, I remembered another scheme I used in Payday 2 involving safe farming. If there’s interest in this, I’ll share that story next—it’s a throwback, but still a fun and nostalgic look at another low-investment, low-risk income stream that used to be very effective.