Best ships in Starfield for cargo, combat & more

Starfield has many ships to fly and it’s important to know which ones are the best for different purposes. From combat to hauling cargo, and getting through the early game, there’s a lot to keep in mind when selecting one.

Whether it’s your picking your weapons or choosing a house, there’s a lot to think about in Starfield, and your Ship is no exception. There are some amazing community-created ones but some players’ best options are what they can buy, steal, or get for free in the RPG.

If you’re curious about what ship is ideal in certain situations, we’ve got you covered below.

Best ships in Starfield

Before we go into more detail, here’s a list of the ships we’d most recommend in the space RPG:

• Razorleaf
• Silent Runner
• Abyss Trekker
• Crimson Fleet Wight
• Starborn Guardian

Best ship for early game

Razorleaf

The Razorleaf is a fantastic ship to survive early-game space combat encounters. It’s got ridiculous speed and maneuverability, and great base weapons that are easily upgraded. To top that off, its unique ability causes would-be bandits to flee at the sight of it.

It does have an incredibly low Cargo Capacity unfortunately but it comes with Cargo Shielding which means that your ill-gotten gains won’t draw attention. You can get the Razorleaf by completing the ‘Secret Outpost’ quest.

Best ships for cargo hauling

If you’re interested in living the life of a space trucker, or you have sticky fingers and want to carry off as much loot as possible these are ideal choices:

Silent Runner

No ship in Starfield has a higher Cargo Capacity than the Silent Runner. A massive 6080 means you’ll be able to load up on tons of heavy and valuable resources. This makes it ideal for outpost building and Credit farming.

Unfortunately, that’s where the praise for the Silent Runner begins and ends. It’s a little slow, has limited fuel capacity, and is not at all intimidating in combat. Despite that, it’s still a great specialist ship for single-system hauling and heavy transport.

The Silent Runner can be purchased at Hopetown HQ for 390,000 Credits.

Shieldbreaker

The Shieldbreaker is a Class B Crimson Fleet ship so you’ll need to upgrade your Piloting skill and get cosy with them. Shouldn’t be too much of an issue given that space piracy is a fantastic way of acquiring loot.

Luckily enough, the Shieldbreaker has a great starting Cargo Capacity for just such occasions. Its sturdiness, high fuel, and crew capacity are a big plus and it has heaps of internal space for easy combat if you’re boarded.

If you want to get your hands on the Shieldbreaker, you can purchase it at the Crimson Fleet Headquarters. It’ll set you back around 250,000 Credits.

Stronghold

As its name says, the Stronghold is a very powerful vessel used mostly for cargo because of its capacity, but moreover due to its immense fuel tanks.

These, teamed up with its beefy shields will let you travel through the furthest corners of the galaxy. However, we’d advise you to upgrade the ship yourself with a shielded cargo hold for your contraband.

You can purchase this huge vessel from the Akila Shipyard in the Cheyenne System for 380,097 Credits.

Best ship for combat

If you’re not fussed about looting or just want a break from the monotony, Starfield’s ship combat is a great way to do it, and this is the Ship we’d recommend for it:

Abyss Trekker

The Abyss Trekker is hands-down the best ship in Starfield for combat. Its overwhelming firepower can safely put down almost anything you come into contact with in seconds. It’s a fantastic end-game ship but you’ll be waiting a while for it.

Aside from its low Cargo Capacity, it has a few other weaknesses. Its killer jump distance means you can tour this bad boy all over the galaxy, wrecking anything in your path.

The Abyss Trekker can be purchased on Paradiso for a hefty 365,000 Credits. It’s a little on the expensive side but still cheaper than anything you can put together that boasts this much devastation.

Best hybrid ship in Starfield

Sometimes having a ship that works in multiple situations is essential. It’s all well and good hauling cargo before you get attacked and can’t defend yourself after all.

A hybrid ship is perfect if you need a jack-of-all-trades type vehicle, and this is our recommendation:

Crimson Fleet Wight

The Wight is the best Crimson Fleet ship by a lightyear. You will have to be a member of the Crimson Fleet to purchase it so be wary of that. If you’re willing to commit to a life of piracy, this is a pretty impressive reward.

It has fantastic shielding and hull protection along with decent Cargo Capacity and weaponry. Its fuel range and jump capacity also make it perfect for sustained space-faring. Its only real let-down is some mobility but it’s certainly not the slowest ship in Starfield.

If you’re a member of the Crimson Fleet, you can purchase the Wight for 300,000 Credits on The Key.

Best Free ships

Saving some Credits by securing a Ship for free is always handy, and out of all the free options in Starfield, these are the real standouts:

Star Eagle

Out of all the free ships in the RPG, the Star Eagle is extremely well-balanced. It comes with a solid amount of cargo space, and good combat capabilities thanks to powerful missiles. It’s an ideal choice for anyone who’s keen to gather up resources, or haul cargo around.

As an added bonus it can also hold up to 5 crew members at a time.

You can get the Star Eagle by completing the Freestar Rangers quests on Akila.

Starborn Guardian

The Starborn Guardian is undoubtedly the best free ship in Starfield but you’ll have to complete a playthrough and enter New Game Plus to get it. Once you’ve entered NG+, you’ll find yourself on board this impressive vessel.

It can carry a crew of 5 and has excellent cargo storage. To top it all off, every time you complete a New Game Plus run-through, you’ll unlock even more powerful versions of the Starborn Guardian. So if you want the best possible version, you’ll have to complete the game six times in total.

Those are our picks for the best Starfield ships! If you’re just diving into the Shattered Space DLC, check out our quest guides for The Duel, What Remains, Conflict of Conviction, and Zealous Overreach.