What are all the Faceit levels and Elo cutoffs?
Faceit publishes the exact Elo band for each level. Elo adjusts by a K-factor of roughly 25-50 per match. The critical insight is that Level 10 is a broad band — a Level 10 at 2,100 Elo is vastly below a Level 10 at 3,500 Elo.
| Level | Elo range | Typical skill profile |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 501 – 700 | New player / learning fundamentals |
| Level 2 | 701 – 800 | Novice / inconsistent aim |
| Level 3 | 801 – 950 | Comfortable with basic callouts + utility |
| Level 4 | 951 – 1,100 | Average Faceit player |
| Level 5 | 1,101 – 1,250 | Above average / knows spray control |
| Level 6 | 1,251 – 1,400 | Solid mid-level / strong fundamentals |
| Level 7 | 1,401 – 1,550 | Former CS:GO Supreme / Global |
| Level 8 | 1,551 – 1,700 | Semi-serious grinder / fast aim |
| Level 9 | 1,701 – 2,000 | Tier-3 CS player / streamer level |
| Level 10 | 2,001+ | Elite ladder / Tier-2 pros and above |
How is Valve Premier rating distributed?
Premier replaced CS:GO's 18 named tiers (Silver 1 → Global Elite) with a continuous numeric rating. The distribution has a long upper tail — most players cluster in the 8,000-15,000 band, with fewer than 1% pushing above 25,000.
| Rating band | Roughly equivalent to | Share of active players |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 5,000 | CS:GO Silver 1-Nova 1 | ~20% |
| 5,001 – 10,000 | CS:GO Nova 2-MG | ~35% |
| 10,001 – 15,000 | CS:GO MG-DMG | ~25% |
| 15,001 – 20,000 | CS:GO DMG-Supreme | ~12% |
| 20,001 – 25,000 | CS:GO Supreme-Global Elite | ~6% |
| 25,001 – 30,000 | Top Faceit Level 10 territory | ~1.5% |
| 30,001+ | Streamer / pro level | <0.5% |
How do ESEA tiers work for CS2?
ESEA runs a subscription-based league with named tiers. Bottom-to-top: Open → Intermediate → Main → Advanced → Premier (the top tier, which leads to the ESEA Premier league championship and Tier-1 qualification). Unlike Faceit pugs, ESEA is team-based — your rank reflects your team's tier.
| ESEA tier | Premier equivalent | Faceit equivalent | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10,000-15,000 | Level 4-6 | Entry tier, Tier-4/amateur teams |
| Intermediate | 15,000-18,000 | Level 6-7 | Feeder tier, semi-amateur |
| Main | 18,000-22,000 | Level 7-8 | Serious amateur teams |
| Advanced | 22,000-26,000 | Level 9-10 | Semi-pro / tier-3 teams |
| Premier | 26,000+ | Level 10+ | Tier-1 onramp — Challenger/Major qualifiers |
How do Premier, Faceit and ESEA convert to each other?
Cross-ladder conversion is approximate because player populations differ. Use the table as directional, not precise — several active CS2 pros rarely play Premier but carry Faceit Elo above 3,000.
| Premier | Faceit level | Faceit Elo | ESEA tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 – 8,000 | Level 1-3 | 501 – 950 | Below ESEA |
| 8,001 – 12,000 | Level 4-5 | 951 – 1,250 | Open |
| 12,001 – 16,000 | Level 5-6 | 1,101 – 1,400 | Open / Intermediate |
| 16,001 – 20,000 | Level 6-7 | 1,251 – 1,550 | Intermediate / Main |
| 20,001 – 24,000 | Level 7-8 | 1,401 – 1,700 | Main |
| 24,001 – 27,000 | Level 9 | 1,701 – 2,000 | Main / Advanced |
| 27,001 – 30,000 | Level 10 | 2,001 – 3,000 | Advanced / Premier |
| 30,000+ | Level 10+ | 3,000+ | ESEA Premier / pro |
Which CS2 ladder should you play?
For casual progression, Premier is free and low-friction. For serious improvement, Faceit offers Pro-level anti-cheat, 128-tick servers, and a deeper concentration of skilled players at higher levels. ESEA is the pathway if you're joining a team with tournament ambitions. Most competitive players run all three in parallel — Premier for short sessions, Faceit for grinding, ESEA for team play.
- If you just want to rank up: Premier is fastest and free.
- If you want to go pro: Faceit + ESEA, plus scrims.
- If you want anti-cheat quality: Faceit (FACEIT AC is much stricter than Valve AC).
- If you have a team: ESEA. Otherwise, stick to Faceit pugs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Premier rating the same as CS:GO rank?
No. CS:GO used 18 named tiers from Silver 1 to Global Elite. CS2 Premier is a continuous numeric rating. Old CS:GO ranks do not carry over; players earn a new Premier rating via placement matches.
What is a "good" CS2 Premier rating?
The median active Premier player sits around 8,000-12,000. 15,000+ is strong; 20,000+ is very strong; 25,000+ is elite. The full distribution has a long upper tail.
Do Faceit and Premier ranks decay?
Premier rating decays slightly if you don't play. Faceit Elo does not decay but you will effectively drop as new ladder entrants settle below you.
Which ladder has the best anti-cheat?
Faceit anti-cheat (FACEIT AC) is generally considered the strictest. Valve's VAC + VACnet on Premier is looser; ESEA client anti-cheat is strict but requires a running client.
