There are a plethora of options to train every part of your game in Counter-Strike 2. Players often turn to the Steam Workshop for tools to improve their abilities, and have for years. The alternative option is splashing a bit of cash on a paid subscription service that may be a bit more premium, such as Refrag.

In this blog post, we’ll be going through the pros and cons of each approach, and what the true differences are between community Workshop maps and the Refrag service.

Steam Workshop maps

Pros: They have a surprising amount of functionality

Community made maps can give you a good training experience. Whether you’re learning new utility lineups or honing your aim in a bot arena, the amount of functionality offered by these free maps is quite good. CS:GO offered map developers even more flexibility, but the release of CS2 caused a lot of the advanced capabilities to be lost, at least for now.

Steam Workshop maps also do not require an internet connection to run. So long as you have the map already downloaded to your machine, you can play at anytime, even if Steam servers are down.

Cons: Varying in quality, somewhat inconvenient

The quality of the practice tool varies heavily on the Workshop. Updates to the game can break functionality with some workshop maps, and if the creator isn’t active in updating the map, your favorite option may become unplayable.

Most workshop maps also usually only have one functionality. For example, utility maps can only show you lineups for the current map you’re on, and if you want to switch to another map, you’ll have to search the workshop for another map if you don’t already have it saved. Even if you do, you have to disconnect from your current local server and start another one, cutting into your practice time. There’s also no way for workshop maps to track your statistics or improvement, unless you do so manually.

Refrag

Pros: Variety of modes on dedicated servers, performance tracking with Coach

Refrag has over 30 training modes across every map, even those not currently in the Active Duty map pool. All the essentials are covered; NADR helps teach you utility, Crossfire is the perfect deathmatch replacement, and Creator Studio allows for your own creation of arenas. Because Refrag is ran off of dedicated servers, you can even invite your friends to practice with you in modes that support it. All of these modes are available through the Refrag Dashboard, but you can also switch between modes and maps just by using chat commands in-game. No need to disconnect and reload a new map.

In addition to a robust selection of training modes, Refrag Coach is your ticket to a personalized training regime based on your match performances in Premier, FACEIT, and other platforms. Coach will analyze your stats shortly after your match concludes and track your improvement over time, allowing you to see exactly what you need to improve on. It doesn’t stop there. Once your matches are analyzed, Coach creates a custom Routine based exactly on what you need to improve on, maximizing your rate of improvement.

Refrag is closer to a fully fledged training platform than a collection of training modes. It provides much more functionality on top of existing training modes that may be able to be found elsewhere.

Cons: Not free, requires an active internet connection

Refrag is a subscription service starting at $5.40 USD a month, which may turn those away who are looking for a free method to train. Refrag also requires an active internet connection to use, since it’s run off of dedicated servers.

Both options are viable!

No matter what your situation is, you can train your Counter-Strike abilities. Both Refrag and Steam Workshop maps provide viable options for practice, and can have great efficacy in taking you to the next level. The primary differences are ease of use, quality of practice mods, and access methods.

To check out what other practice modes Refrag offers, click below!