K/D is just kills over deaths; KDA counts assists too
Both are ratios per death, so a value of 2 means two kills for every time you go down. K/D measures pure fragging; KDA credits the assists that matter in team games. 30 kills and 25 deaths is a K/D of 1.20. Add 15 assists and the KDA is 45 ÷ 25 = 1.80.
What the number means
| K/D | Tier | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1.0 | Below average | More deaths than kills |
| 1.0 – 1.2 | Average | Roughly even, the typical player |
| 1.2 – 1.5 | Good | Clearly ahead of the pack |
| 1.5 – 2.0 | Very good | Consistently winning fights |
| 2.0 and up | Elite | Rare, even in ranked lobbies |
These bands assume a fast shooter. In tactical games with fewer engagements per round (Valorant, Counter-Strike 2), 1.2 already counts as good and even pros rarely clear 1.5 across a full match.
Why the average player sits near 1.0
- Every kill is a death. Across all players online the kills and deaths are the same total, so the overall average K/D is always exactly 1.0. Half of players land above it, half below.
- Don\'t compare across games. A 1.5 in Call of Duty is not the same feat as a 1.5 in Valorant. Round length, time-to-kill and how many kills a match offers all differ.
- Low K/D isn\'t always weak play. A support or anchor role can carry a team with map control and assists while sitting under 1.0. Check KDA and the win rate, not just the raw ratio.
Common questions
What is a good K/D ratio?
Around 1.0 is average, since every kill is someone else's death and the whole player base averages out to exactly 1. Above 1.2 is good and above 1.5 is clearly above average. The bar shifts by game: 1.2 is strong in a tactical shooter like Valorant, while arcade shooters like Call of Duty run higher.
What is the difference between K/D and KDA?
K/D is kills divided by deaths. KDA adds assists to the top: (kills plus assists) divided by deaths. KDA rewards team play, so support players who set up kills without landing the final shot look better under KDA than under raw K/D.
What happens to K/D when you have zero deaths?
Dividing by zero has no value, so a round with kills and no deaths is usually shown as a perfect or undefeated score rather than a number. Over a full season the figure settles once you take some deaths.
