Rust Airdrop
Image via Facepunch Studios

How to Get Free Skins in Rust

Score free skins in Rust using a variety of methods that cost you nothing but time!

Most players think PvP and raids form the basis of the endgame in Rust, but they don’t. No, the reality is that most people play to score skins! Skins have played an integral role in the progression and customization aspect of Rust for many years now, and it makes the studio a lot of money by selling unique skins every week. But did you know you can earn free skins in Rust? It’s true! Read on to learn how.

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Where to Get Free Skins on Rust

If you’re not keen on buying skins via the Steam Marketplace or in-game store, then you have other options, namely free skins in Rust. To acquire Rust skins completely free, here are the most popular methods:

  • Item Drops: Like many other games within the Steam ecosystem, Rust features a unique item drop system that rewards players for, well, playing. The longer you play the game, the more likely you will receive a drop. These include free skins, “crafting” items, and cards.
  • Modded Servers: While you cannot keep the skins you receive on a modded server once you leave, many popular destinations offer a free skin system that unlocks every Rust skin in the game. To use this mechanic, visit a workbench and reskin your weapon using the server’s extensive library of available skins.
  • Twitch Drops: Rust is always popular on Twitch, and developer Facepunch Studios began capitalizing on this fact not long ago. They’ve partnered with numerous streamers to implement Twitch Drops. These unique skins often feature a design or logo from the streamer in question, and they’re available totally free simply by watching the stream for a certain number of hours.
  • Crafting Skin Crates: Remember how I mentioned “crafting items” as part of the item drop system? Well, if you earn enough of these items, you can craft a skin create. The amount of required resources varies, depending on the type of crate and the rarity of the items within.
    • Low-Quality Bag: These crates contain common skins and cost 10 wood.
    • High-Quality Crate: These contain deployable, like doors and walls, and cost 10 wood and 5 cloth.
    • High-Quality Bag: These contain unique Rust skins for free but require 70 cloth, 5 wood, and 1 metal frag.
    • Weapon Barrel: The best of the bunch, the weapon barrel includes rare skins and costs 10 metal, 5 wood, and 5 cloth to craft.
  • Discord Giveaways: Rust is a massive and always-popular game, with so many Discord servers available for you to join and partake in. What most people don’t realize, however, is that many such servers offer free skin giveaways on occasion.

Can You Sell Rust Skins?

Absolutely! Even if you received a skin for free, chances are high that you can sell it via the Steam Marketplace or through a third-party website. However, the latter is at your own risk. By using the Steam Marketplace, you receive Steam’s support and guarantee for an easy and straightforward transaction.

Are you just getting started in Rust? Check out our guide on how to find stone, one of the most basic and necessary materials in Rust.


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About the Author

Brandon Morgan

Brandon began writing in 2012, for websites such as OnlySP, before transitioning to digital marketing in 2016 to learn the ins and outs of SEO. In mid-2023, Brandon returned to write strategy guides for Prima Games, IGN, DualShockers, and more, with a focus on ARPGs, RPGs, and Survival games. His past coverage includes Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Starfield, Skull and Bones, and many more!