Starfield: How to Earn Credits Quickly

There are only a few constants in the universe, but the economy is definitely one of them. Starfield follows in the footsteps of many of its space sci-fi predecessors and labels its currency as "Credits." As expected, there are numerous ways to earn credits in the game.

Despite all the credits you will earn, you will undoubtedly spend almost as many. Starfield is filled with opportunities to spend your money, whether it's on expensive weapons and space suits, top-notch ships and high-rise apartments, or even on medikits that quickly add up. Here's how you can ensure that your income exceeds these mandatory expenses.

Loot Cleverly

In Starfield, you will collect many things. Anyone who has played games from Bethesda Game Studios since Morrowind won't find this groundbreaking. However, you should be careful about what you collect because time is money, and Starfield's maximum carrying weight restrictions can be quite limiting.

Therefore, we recommend a golden rule to maximize your credit earnings when you're back in a store: If something weighs more than two kilograms, don't take it unless it's worth at least 1200 credits. And if it looks like complete junk, ignore it because most likely it is. In short, don't pick up cups and cans. But also, don't reach for that 8.5-kilogram spacesuit if you think it's being sold for an unimpressive amount, as it takes up space that could be used for more valuable things.

Remember to use your companion as a pack mule, and the cargo hold of your ship is great too. However, in both cases, there is limited space, so be frugal - it's worth it!

Commence With Commerce

The skill tree in Starfield is extensive. If there is one downside, it's the fact that so many of these skills are so good, and you can only invest one skill point per level. It can be a challenge to decide what is most important. Although we would recommend a few things in advance - for example, a level in "Booster Pack" and a weapon of choice are a good idea - you should invest in the "Commerce" skill early on.

Commerce is one of the simplest skills in Starfield. Each rank increases the selling price of items while simultaneously reducing the price of new items. No complications, no deviations. But think about how much you sell each time you return to civilization. Really think about it. By investing in commerce early on, you can potentially accumulate millions of credits over time.

It's Only A Crime If You're Caught

If you don't know how to handle it, you'll experience it multiple times throughout the game: You complete a mission, collect all the goods after scouring a base populated by thugs, and suddenly your eyes fall on something worth tens of thousands of credits - only to flinch when you realize the reason: it's contraband.

If you have contraband aboard your ship and fly into many star systems, you risk getting caught during inspections. Naturally, the goods will be confiscated, meaning you won't receive a single cent for them. However, with some quick tricks, you can get these illegal goods to where they need to go and come out as a big winner in the end - much richer than you would have been otherwise. We have a comprehensive guide on this - follow the author's advice to the letter!

Be Your Own Empire

While it will take some time to get everything up and running, the best way to earn credits consistently in Starfield is by constructing outposts to extract high-quality and highly sellable resources. You can take on contracts to deliver massive amounts of ores to places like the Deimos Shipyards in the Sol system.

The time required for this task only increases as you wait for the mining operation to bear fruit. Assign crew members with skills related to outposts to speed up the process. As you build a progressively stronger outpost and then several more outposts, you will eventually be swimming in so many credits that you won't know what to do with them.