Commodity trading: the complete activity guide

📥 Download : the one-page guide · the quick sheet (mobile)

Buy a commodity where it is cheap and sell it where it is worth more, with your own cargo ship.

Trading follows the golden rule: buy low, sell high. You invest your own money in a cargo, haul it and pocket the difference. The bigger the hold, the bigger the margin per run, but the heavier the loss if the cargo is destroyed.

Prices and stocks move all the time. The Trading tab in Beacon OPS works out the best routes for your ship and budget, with prices refreshed every 30 minutes.

Open the tool in Beacon OPS

📋 At a glance

* Estimate based on player reports and recorded prices: check it in game, earnings vary with the patch, equipment and luck.

🔑 Requirements

• A ship with a cargo hold (SCU)
• Starting money to buy the cargo
• No reputation needed
• Access to commodity terminals (stations, cities, outposts)

🚀 Recommended ships

• Crusader Intrepid · Kit out ↗
• MISC Freelancer MAX · Kit out ↗
• Drake Caterpillar · Kit out ↗
• Crusader C2 Hercules Starlifter · Kit out ↗

🧰 Recommended equipment

• A cargo ship that fits your budget
• A full quantum tank
• Solid shields if you cross dangerous areas
• Beacon OPS open to compare prices

🧭 Steps

1. Pick a route : In Beacon OPS, Trading tab, pick your ship by manufacturer and model and enter your budget: the tool ranks routes by profit.
2. Check stocks : Look at price age and available stock at both the buying and selling point.
3. Buy : At the terminal, buy the commodity and have it delivered to your ship.
4. Load : Check the cargo is in the hold before taking off.
5. Fly safe : Quantum straight to the destination and avoid detours.
6. Sell : Sell at the destination terminal. If the price dropped, compare with another nearby buyer.

💡 Advanced tips

• Start with cheap commodities to limit risk
• Never put all your money into a single run
• Prefer routes inside a single system
• A round trip with cargo both ways doubles the margin
• Illegal goods pay more but draw the police

⚠️ Common mistakes

• Buying without checking the buyer’s stock
• Filling the hold with a product whose price just dropped
• Crossing a dangerous area with a valuable cargo
• Forgetting fuel costs

☠️ Risks

• Pirates and interdictions on busy routes
• Total cargo loss if the ship is destroyed
• Stock running out or prices changing during the trip
• Disconnects (30k) mid-route

💰 Profitability

Very good with enough capital. Hourly margin depends on hold size, route and how fresh the prices are.

Sources : uexcorp.space · timesaver.gg

❓ FAQ

Which ship to start trading?
A small affordable hauler like the Intrepid, then the Freelancer MAX and Caterpillar as your capital grows.

Where are the best prices?
In the Beacon OPS Trading tab: prices are refreshed every 30 minutes.

How is it different from cargo contracts?
In trading you buy the cargo with your money. In hauling the cargo belongs to the client: you are paid to deliver it.

What if a pirate stops me?
Quantum away as soon as you can. If you can’t, negotiating often costs less than the cargo.

📖 Read also : Star Citizen guide #16: trading, buy low and sell high

📚 All activities · Updated on 2026-11-01 · Star Citizen 4.10