Butterfly Knife Skins

25 finishes $340.49 – $10,609.68 36 markets

The Butterfly Knife is one of the most popular knives in CS2, prized for its unique flip animation. Demand stays consistently high, making it one of the most traded knife models.

Cheapest: Safari Mesh $340.49 · Most expensive: Black Pearl $10,609.68

Knives: Butterfly Knife · Skeleton Knife · Talon Knife · Karambit · M9 Bayonet · All 20 models →

All 25 finishes

cheapest ask per finish · min–max across wears · cards ⇄ board

Updated: October 12, 2026

Family
Variants
ST Vanilla Vanilla CovertNo finish Operation Breakout Weapon Case $1,005.29 -2.4% 24 mkts #4 in demand ST Gamma Doppler Gamma Doppler Covert4 phases + Emerald Operation Riptide Case from $1,517.48 -10.8% $1,517–$1,655 wears · 5 phases in board view · 17 mkts ST Doppler Doppler Covert4 phases + Ruby · Sapphire · Black Pearl Spectrum Case from $1,702.36 0% $1,873–$2,230 wears · 7 phases in board view · 18 mkts #1 in demand ST Fade Fade CovertFade percentage Operation Breakout Weapon Case $1,920.20 -8.7% $1,950–$2,144 wears · 24 mkts #2 in demand ST Autotronic Autotronic Covert Operation Riptide Case $599.70 -8.2% $600–$1,160 wears · 27 mkts #3 in demand ST Marble Fade Marble Fade CovertFire & Ice seeds Spectrum Case $1,176.53 -10.7% $1,177–$1,278 wears · 23 mkts #5 in demand ST Black Laminate Black Laminate Covert Operation Riptide Case $498.80 -6.8% $499–$701 wears · 26 mkts #6 in demand ST Freehand Freehand Covert Operation Riptide Case $492.50 -7.8% $493–$595 wears · 26 mkts ST Rust Coat Rust Coat Covert Spectrum Case $458.52 -10.7% $459–$478 wears · 24 mkts ST Bright Water Bright Water Covert Operation Riptide Case $443.95 -5.5% $444–$527 wears · 26 mkts ST Lore Lore Covert Operation Riptide Case $456.85 -10.5% $457–$1,688 wears · 27 mkts ST Tiger Tooth Tiger Tooth Covert Spectrum Case $970.20 -7.9% $970–$1,026 wears · 26 mkts ST Damascus Steel Damascus Steel Covert Spectrum Case $618.21 -7% $618–$766 wears · 28 mkts ST Blue Steel Blue Steel Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $623.88 -6.6% $624–$1,055 wears · 26 mkts ST Ultraviolet Ultraviolet Covert Spectrum Case $428.41 -4.6% $428–$1,772 wears · 25 mkts ST Night Night Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $432.96 -4.9% $433–$1,552 wears · 26 mkts ST Slaughter Slaughter Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $1,023.63 -7.6% $1,024–$1,228 wears · 24 mkts ST Crimson Web Crimson Web CovertWeb patterns Operation Breakout Weapon Case $493.13 -3.2% $493–$3,530 wears · 26 mkts ST Stained Stained Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $480.62 -3.6% $481–$783 wears · 26 mkts ST Forest DDPAT Forest DDPAT Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $380.91 -6.9% $381–$571 wears · 28 mkts ST Safari Mesh Safari Mesh Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $340.49 -6.5% $340–$657 wears · 27 mkts ST Urban Masked Urban Masked Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $397.85 -4.7% $398–$939 wears · 26 mkts ST Boreal Forest Boreal Forest Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $384.29 -5.2% $384–$754 wears · 26 mkts ST Scorched Scorched Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case $385.82 -7.1% $386–$760 wears · 24 mkts ST Case Hardened Case Hardened CovertBlue gem seeds Operation Breakout Weapon Case $595.00 -1.1% $595–$1,225 wears · 25 mkts
Finish Price 30d Sold/day Markets
Vanilla No finish Operation Breakout Weapon Case 26/day · 24 markets $1,005.29 -2.4% 26 24
Gamma Doppler family
Gamma Doppler All phases Operation Riptide Case 181/day · 17 markets from $1,517.48 $1,517–$1,655 wears -10.8% 181 17 Phase 1 Covert Operation Riptide Case 14 markets $1,595.08 $1,595–$1,748 wears -8.8% — 14 Phase 2 Covert Operation Riptide Case 14 markets $1,868.51 $1,869–$2,077 wears -8.1% — 14 Phase 3 Covert Operation Riptide Case 13 markets $1,550.60 $1,551–$1,793 wears -12.1% — 13 Phase 4 Covert Operation Riptide Case 14 markets $1,591.38 $1,591–$1,733 wears -9.4% — 14 Emerald Rare phase Operation Riptide Case 12 markets $6,423.34 $7,114–$7,161 wears -8.4% — 12
Doppler family
Doppler All phases Spectrum Case 85/day · 18 markets from $1,702.36 $1,873–$2,230 wears 0% 85 18 Phase 1 Covert Spectrum Case 11 markets $1,972.50 $1,973–$2,388 wears -3.4% — 11 Phase 2 Covert Spectrum Case 13 markets $3,698.49 $3,698–$3,960 wears -7% — 13 Phase 3 Covert Spectrum Case 13 markets $1,702.36 $1,941–$2,425 wears -2.1% — 13 Phase 4 Covert Spectrum Case 14 markets $2,465.63 $2,466–$2,571 wears -10.2% — 14 Ruby Rare phase Spectrum Case 12 markets $8,301.70 $9,299–$9,547 wears -2.7% — 12 Sapphire Rare phase Spectrum Case 15 markets $5,333.02 $5,977–$6,080 wears -1.8% — 15 Black Pearl Rare phase Spectrum Case 7 markets $10,609.68 -12.9% — 7
All finishes · by market activity
Fade Fade percentage Operation Breakout Weapon Case 64/day · 24 markets $1,920.20 $1,950–$2,144 wears -8.7% 64 24 Autotronic Covert Operation Riptide Case 195/day · 27 markets $599.70 $600–$1,160 wears -8.2% 195 27 Marble Fade Fire & Ice seeds Spectrum Case 105/day · 23 markets $1,176.53 $1,177–$1,278 wears -10.7% 105 23 Black Laminate Covert Operation Riptide Case 197/day · 26 markets $498.80 $499–$701 wears -6.8% 197 26 Freehand Covert Operation Riptide Case 252/day · 26 markets $492.50 $493–$595 wears -7.8% 252 26 Rust Coat Covert Spectrum Case 63/day · 24 markets $458.52 $459–$478 wears -10.7% 63 24 Bright Water Covert Operation Riptide Case 250/day · 26 markets $443.95 $444–$527 wears -5.5% 250 26 Lore Covert Operation Riptide Case 375/day · 27 markets $456.85 $457–$1,688 wears -10.5% 375 27 Tiger Tooth Covert Spectrum Case 158/day · 26 markets $970.20 $970–$1,026 wears -7.9% 158 26 Damascus Steel Covert Spectrum Case 99/day · 28 markets $618.21 $618–$766 wears -7% 99 28 Blue Steel Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 99/day · 26 markets $623.88 $624–$1,055 wears -6.6% 99 26 Ultraviolet Covert Spectrum Case 121/day · 25 markets $428.41 $428–$1,772 wears -4.6% 121 25 Night Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 102/day · 26 markets $432.96 $433–$1,552 wears -4.9% 102 26 Slaughter Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 143/day · 24 markets $1,023.63 $1,024–$1,228 wears -7.6% 143 24 Crimson Web Web patterns Operation Breakout Weapon Case 147/day · 26 markets $493.13 $493–$3,530 wears -3.2% 147 26 Stained Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 98/day · 26 markets $480.62 $481–$783 wears -3.6% 98 26 Forest DDPAT Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 89/day · 28 markets $380.91 $381–$571 wears -6.9% 89 28 Safari Mesh Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 123/day · 27 markets $340.49 $340–$657 wears -6.5% 123 27 Urban Masked Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 118/day · 26 markets $397.85 $398–$939 wears -4.7% 118 26 Boreal Forest Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 107/day · 26 markets $384.29 $384–$754 wears -5.2% 107 26 Scorched Covert Operation Breakout Weapon Case 77/day · 24 markets $385.82 $386–$760 wears -7.1% 77 24 Case Hardened Blue gem seeds Operation Breakout Weapon Case 121/day · 25 markets $595.00 $595–$1,225 wears -1.1% 121 25
No matching items.

Price = cheapest fee-included ask across markets for any wear · How we price →

About the Butterfly Knife

Look, animation and handling

The balisong is a folding knife: two handles rotate around the pivot to sheath or expose the blade. In CS2 the draw and inspect animations show the handles flipping open and the blade spinning between the player's fingers, the longest and most theatrical melee animation in the game. Because the flip is so visible in first person, the Butterfly is bought as much for the motion as for the paint, and finishes that catch light during the spin (mirror-polished Dopplers, Tiger Tooth, Marble Fade) are especially sought after. The deploy is slightly slower-feeling than compact knives but melee speed values are shared across all knives, so it carries no gameplay penalty.

Finishes it carries

The Butterfly uses the shared knife finish set. Mirror/anodized finishes: Doppler (Phases 1-4 plus Ruby, Sapphire and Black Pearl), Gamma Doppler (with the green Emerald), Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth, Damascus Steel, Ultraviolet, Rust Coat, and Autotronic. Patterned/painted finishes: Fade, Crimson Web, Slaughter, Case Hardened, Blue Steel, Stained, Night, Bright Water, Freehand, Black Laminate, Lore, plus the camo group (Boreal Forest, Forest DDPAT, Safari Mesh, Urban Masked, Scorched). The plain factory-finish version, the Vanilla (★ Butterfly Knife with no paint), is itself one of the most expensive items because raw stainless steel suits the model and many players prefer it.

What drives value

Finish tier sets the floor, then pattern and float fine-tune the price. On Fade, a near-100% full fade with the magenta-to-yellow spread across both the blade and visible handle commands a large premium over a partial fade. Doppler value tracks the phase: Ruby and Sapphire (red/blue) and Black Pearl sell for multiples of common Phase 1-4 stones, and Gamma Doppler Emerald sits at the top. Case Hardened is pattern-driven, where high blue coverage (blue-gem tier patterns) is worth far more than a mostly-gold knife. Marble Fade buyers chase the 'Fire & Ice' arrangement, and Crimson Web values the web density and placement on the blade. Across all of these a lower float (Factory New / Minimal Wear) raises price, though most knives never reach high wear visually.

Cheapest way in versus other models

The realistic entry points are the camo-group finishes (Boreal Forest, Safari Mesh, Urban Masked, Scorched, Forest DDPAT) and Night/Stained/Blue Steel in higher wear, which are the lowest-priced Butterfly skins. Even so, the model sits in the premium bracket: a base Butterfly typically costs more than the equivalent finish on common models like the Falchion, Gut, Navaja or Shadow Daggers, and trades closely with the Karambit and M9 Bayonet at the top. If the goal is the cheapest possible knife, those compact models undercut the Butterfly; if the animation is the point, the Butterfly has no substitute.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the Butterfly Knife so expensive?
It is a top-tier knife model with the most elaborate inspect animation in CS2, and it appears in a limited set of case knife collections. High demand for the flip animation plus relative scarcity keeps every finish, including the plain Vanilla, in the premium price bracket.
What is the cheapest Butterfly Knife finish?
The camo-group paints such as Boreal Forest, Safari Mesh, Urban Masked, Scorched and Forest DDPAT are the lowest priced, along with worn Night, Stained or Blue Steel. They are still expensive relative to compact knife models.
Which Butterfly Doppler phase is most valuable?
Ruby, Sapphire and Black Pearl sell for several times the price of standard Phase 1-4 stones, and the Gamma Doppler Emerald typically tops the range. Among regular phases, buyer preference varies but pricing is broadly similar.
Does float matter on a Butterfly Knife?
Yes for price tiering. Factory New and Minimal Wear command premiums, especially on Fade and Doppler. Visually most knives show little wear even at higher floats, so the effect is mostly on resale value rather than appearance.
How do I get a Butterfly Knife?
Open a case whose knife collection includes the Butterfly model and hit the rare special item (roughly 0.26% per open), or buy a specific finish directly on the market. Buying is the only way to control which finish and pattern you get.
Is the Vanilla Butterfly Knife worth it?
The plain ★ Butterfly Knife is one of the priciest options because the bare stainless blade flatters the model and the flip animation, and many collectors specifically prefer the no-paint look.