Climbing through the Valorant battle pass or unlocking agents always comes down to one thing: XP. The faster you earn it, the quicker you grab skins, contracts, and rewards. But with so many game modes in 2025, it isn’t always obvious which one gives the best return for your time. We’ve put together a breakdown of every mode, how much XP it gives, how long matches usually last, and which one is really worth grinding.

The XP System in a Nutshell

Valorant doesn’t hand out XP randomly. You always get rewards either per round played, per round won, or as a flat bonus at the end of a match. Longer modes like Unrated or Competitive hand out big totals, while shorter ones like Swiftplay or Deathmatch might give less XP overall but pack more into every minute. If your daily and weekly missions are already cleared, the mode you choose makes a huge difference in how quickly you progress.

Which Mode Is the Best for XP?

If you’re asking what’s the best Valorant mode for XP, the answer depends on whether you want maximum XP in one match or maximum XP per minute. Unrated and Competitive are heavy hitters for raw totals, but if you only care about speed, Swiftplay is hands down the most efficient choice.

Unrated Matches

Unrated feels like Competitive without the pressure of rank. Matches take about 30-35 minutes, and XP is tied to rounds: 100 XP for playing a round, 200 XP for winning one. So, how much XP does unrated give Valorant? A winning game usually nets 3,800-4,500 XP, while a loss still gives around 2,800-3,200 XP. That works out to 100-130 XP per minute. Great if you want the full match experience, but not the fastest grind.

Competitive Mode

Competitive runs on the same formula as Unrated, but games can stretch to 40-45 minutes if overtimes drag on. So, how much XP do you get from competitive Valorant? Victories pay 4,200-5,000 XP, and losses around 3,000-3,500 XP. Efficiency comes in at about 100-120 XP per minute. The pace is slower than Swiftplay, but you’re ranking up and farming XP at the same time, which makes it worth the grind for serious players.

Premier Games

Premier is Riot’s structured league format. Matches last even longer, usually 37-42 minutes. XP is identical to Competitive: 100 per round played, 200 per round won. Expect 3,800-5,200 XP per game, which works out to 90-110 XP per minute. Not great for farming, but essential if you’re invested in Premier progression.

Swiftplay

Swiftplay is designed for shorter sessions: first to five rounds, 10-15 minutes on average. XP is still based on rounds - 100 for playing, 200 for winning. So, how much XP does swiftplay give Valorant? Wins average 2,000-2,200 XP, and losses sit around 1,500-1,700 XP. With 140-180 XP per minute, this is the most efficient grind mode in the game right now.

Spike Rush

Spike Rush is quick fun, lasting 8-12 minutes. XP here is simple: 1,000 XP per match, no extras. So, how much XP does spike rush give Valorant? Always 1,000, which is about 85-120 XP per minute. It’s steady, reliable, and good if you just want to relax while still earning progress.

Deathmatch

Deathmatch is all about aim practice, lasting 6-9 minutes. XP is flat, regardless of kills. So, how much XP do you get from deathmatch Valorant? Each game gives 900 XP, equal to 100-150 XP per minute. It’s not as rewarding overall as Swiftplay, but it’s great when you need quick XP or you’re warming up before ranked.

Team Deathmatch

This newer mode lasts 8-10 minutes and pays a flat 1,000 XP. That’s 100-125 XP per minute. It’s a nice balance between efficiency and fun, especially if you don’t want the pressure of round-based modes.

Escalation

Escalation runs 7-9 minutes. Every match gives 800 XP, with a 200 XP bonus for winning. That means 800-1,000 XP per game, or 100-140 XP per minute. If your team wins often, Escalation is surprisingly solid for farming.

Snowball Fight

The seasonal Snowball Fight lasts about 7-9 minutes and pays 750 XP, with 150 XP more for a win. That comes out to 750-900 XP, which is 90-120 XP per minute. It’s fun but not the most efficient if your only goal is XP.

XP Efficiency Ranking

If you care about speed, here’s how the modes stack up in terms of XP per minute:

Swiftplay clearly leads the pack for efficiency. Deathmatch and Escalation are strong options when you want something quick, while Unrated and Competitive are best for raw totals if you’ve got the time.

Tips to Farm XP Faster

• Do your daily and weekly missions first - they stack huge bonuses on top of match XP.
• Spam Swiftplay - it’s the fastest grind mode, no contest.
• Mix in Deathmatch - quick XP plus warmup for your aim.
• Play ranked if you care about progress - Competitive and Premier are slower for XP, but you climb at the same time.
• Switch it up - Spike Rush, Escalation, and TDM keep things fresh without killing your efficiency.