Starfield Credits Farming Guide 2026: Best Ways to Make Money Fast
Running low on credits in Starfield? This guide covers the money-making methods that actually work in 2026, from selling to the richest vendors and smuggling contraband to boarding ships and surveying planets, plus the skills that boost every sale. Updated October 2026.
Note: we have rewritten this guide. Earlier versions included income figures, an “Akila City duplication trick” and skill effects we could not verify.
How Vendor Credits Work
- Every vendor has a limited pool of credits. When it runs out, they cannot buy more from you.
- Vendor credits and item stock refill after about 48 in-game hours.
- The fastest way to reset is to sit in a chair or sleep in a bed near the vendor and wait.
- Trade Authority kiosks, found near the Ship Services Technician at most spaceports, let you sell straight from your ship’s cargo hold.
The Richest Vendors
| Vendor | Location | Credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zuri’s Essentials | The Key (Kryx system) | Up to 25,000 | Buys contraband; no scan when you dock |
| Centaurian Arsenal | Residential District, New Atlantis | 12,500 | |
| Trade Authority vendors | Major cities (New Atlantis, Cydonia, Akila City, Neon) | Around 11,000 | Buy contraband |
| Trade Authority kiosks | Spaceport landing zones | 5,000 | Sell straight from ship cargo |
For a step-by-step loop at The Key, see our guide to farming credits at The Key.
1. Loot Everything and Sell Smart
Weapons, spacesuits and other gear from enemy bases and ships are your steadiest income. Sell to the richest vendors first, and split big hauls across several vendors (or wait for credits to reset) so nothing goes unsold.
2. Smuggle Contraband
- Sell contraband without a scan at The Key, The Den or to Sati, the bartender at the Red Mile on Porrima III.
- Most other Trade Authority shops buy contraband too, but you usually have to pass a security scan when you land.
- A shielded cargo hold and a scan jammer improve your odds. Keeping contraband to a small share of your cargo helps.
- The Deception skill makes enemy contraband scans up to 50% less effective.
- If you are caught, you can bribe, fight or accept arrest, which means a fine and losing the contraband.
3. Board and Sell Ships
- Disable a ship’s engines using the Targeting Control Systems skill, board it and defeat the crew, then fly it to a spaceport.
- Stolen ships must be registered before you can sell them to a Ship Services Technician. Registration can be expensive, so compare the fee with the sale price first.
- Ships you earn from quests can be sold without registering.
Boarding also gets you the crew’s gear to sell. See our ship builds guide for a boarding setup.
4. Survey Planets
Fully survey planets, then sell the survey data to Vladimir Sall aboard The Eye in Alpha Centauri. Gas giants and asteroids can be surveyed from orbit for quick wins. See our planets guide.
5. Take Missions and Faction Quests
Mission boards in major cities and in The Lodge’s basement offer surveys, bounties, cargo runs and passenger transport, all of which pay credits and XP. Faction questlines for the UC Vanguard, Freestar Rangers, Ryujin Industries and the Crimson Fleet also pay well and reward gear you can use or sell.
6. Sell Outpost Resources
Once your outposts are producing more than you need, sell the surplus. The real value of outposts is saving money, though: you stop buying crafting materials.
7. Pickpocket (Theft Build)
The Theft skill (Social) unlocks pickpocketing and raises your success chance. At Rank 4 you can even take holstered weapons. Failed attempts earn you a bounty, so save first.
Best Skills for Making Credits
| Skill | Tree | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Commerce | Social | Buy up to 20% cheaper and sell for up to 25% more |
| Scavenging | Social | Extra credits, ammo and aid items from containers |
| Theft | Social | Pickpocketing, up to holstered weapons at Rank 4 |
| Negotiation | Social | Unlocks bribery in speech challenges, then makes it cheaper |
| Deception | Social | Weaker contraband scans |
| Payloads | Tech | Up to 50% more ship cargo |
| Targeting Control Systems | Tech | Disable ships so you can board them |
Avoid the Kid Stuff trait if money matters to you: it sends 2% of your credits to your parents every week. For a full money-making build, see our character builds guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to make money in Starfield?
Selling loot and contraband at The Key, where Zuri’s Essentials has up to 25,000 credits and there is no contraband scan, then waiting 48 hours for her credits to refill.
How long do vendors take to reset credits?
About one in-game day. Their item stock takes about two days.
Can you sell stolen ships in Starfield?
Yes, after you register them at a Ship Services Technician. Check that the registration fee is lower than the sale price.