The 7 Best Ships in Starfield

Investing in your next ship is no small endeavor in Starfield. Each one costs a hefty amount of credits, not to mention the time and effort poured into leveling up your pilot skill to fly certain ship classes. No one wants to buy a whole ship only to realize on the first test drive that it isn’t really your style.

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. The “best” ship in Starfield for you will depend on a couple of things, but most importantly on how you prefer to play. If you yearn for space combat or plan on hijacking ships often, you’ll want a battle-ready ship. On the flip side, if exploration and crafting is more your thing, what you’ll want is a lot of cargo capacity.

No matter what you’re looking for in a ship, this list has the best of what Starfield has to offer for every playstyle. These are seven of the best ships you can get in Starfield.

Razorleaf – Baby’s First Battleship

It can be tough to find a good ship in Starfield early-game when you don’t have a lot of credits or piloting skill. Luckily for you, the Razorleaf is free to those who are willing to put in the extra effort. This ship is unlocked at the end of the Mantis side questline, and because it’s Class A, you can drive it right off the lot (so to speak).

While the Razorleaf doesn’t have a ton of capacity for cargo or crew, it has one of the best weapon sets for a ship of its class. Plus, it only has a mass of 584, making it very easily manueverable. Perfect for hijacking lower-level ships to start building yourself a small fortune. Is the Razorleaf the best ship in Starfield? Probably not, but you can’t beat free.

Aegis – Ready to Pack a Punch

When you’ve leveled up your piloting skill and are ready for the next step up, the Aegis is here waiting for you. Better weapons, better shields, and better fuel capacity, all without sacrificing the lightweight that the Razorleaf provides.

However, while the Aegis has more to offer with crew capacity, allowing you to bring up to five crewmembers along, it’s cargo is on the teeny side. Still, if you’ve gotten your piloting skill up to Level 3 and are in the market for an upgrade, you can’t go wrong with the Aegis.

Abyss Trekker – Warship of Your Dreams

• Class: C
• Cost: 347,230 Credits
• Where to Buy: Paradiso

It’s slower, sure, but the Abyss Trekker has got everything you need for intergalatic battle. Ballistic weapons? Check. Strong hull? Check. Powerful shields? Yep!

Not to mention, you can fit up to six crewmembers on this baby, and adding their skills onto the Abyss Trekker just gives you that much more potential to grow this into the ship of your dreams. It even has a med bay and a lounge area for your companions to take advantage of.

Narwhal – Well-Rounded Cargo Ship

• Class C
• Cost: 432,620 Credits
• Where to Buy: Neon

This ship might be as slow as the fanastical aquatic creature it gets it’s name from, but much like a real narwhal, you won’t want to mess with it. The Narwhal has powerful ballistic weapons and automatic turrets that are especially great for defensive manuevers.

Where the Narwhal really shines, however, is in its cargo and crew capacity. Fitting up to seven crewmembers and a cargo limit of 1760, this is a great ship for the space explorers out there.

Silent Runner – Ready for a Smuggling Run

• Class C
• Cost: 370,633 Credits
• Where to Buy: HopeTech

If what you’re looking for in a ship is something that’s beefy, holds tons of cargo, and has a grav drive capable of quick getaway, then it’s time to consider saving up for the Silent Runner.

This ship has one of the largest cargo capacities in Starfield, perfect if you tend to find yourself doing more crafting than fighting. In case you do find yourself in a sticky situation, the Silent Runner’s shields will not disappoint. You’re guarenteed to feel pretty safe flying around in this thing.

Stronghold – A Bastion in the Skies

This thing resembles a stationary space station more than it does a spaceship, but don’t let the exterior fool you. The Stronghold has a grav drive that packs a punch, and shields even stronger than the Silent Runner.

It’s cargo capacity isn’t quite as generous as some other ships, but it allows six crewmembers on board, which is a solid plus. The biggest drawback for the Stronghold is that its big cargo hold is not shielded, so if you’re angling to hijack some ships and snag some contraband, consider upgrading the cargo before you go stashing any stolen goods.

Dragonfire II – Two is Better Than One

The Dragonfire’s older brother is a great ship for your if you want fantastic cargo capacity without sacrificing on ballistic firepower. The Dragonfire II will hold up in a fight, with 850 shields and a pretty tough hull.

The trade off here is that the Dragonfire II is a bit on the slower side, only capable of jumping twenty-six lightyears. Considering it can also fit up to seven crew though, we think this is a worthy compromise for any space adventurer looking for a “best of both worlds” type of ship.

There you have it! These are just some of the best ships in Starfield, but a smart buyer always weighs all of their options. If none of these beauts caught your eye, swing on by our All Ships in Starfield guide! There you can find all the ships in Starfield, plus a handy list of every ship you can get for free. Not too shabby huh?

Shailyn Cotten is a Freelance Writer for IGN. When she’s not writing guides, you can find her gobbling up Legend of Zelda lore, writing cozy fantasy novels, or live-streaming on Twitch. You can find her on Twitter at @ShaiCotten.