7 Best ships in Starfield: Cargo, combat, & more

Starfield has many ship choices for players to try out. However, it’s important to know which ones are the most ideal for combat as well as for flying cargo throughout the galaxy, so here are our overall picks.

Your journey begins with a basic ship that might not be up to par for all your needs, but Starfield provides several ways to upgrade to a more capable vessel.

Even though the most amazing ships are creations from the fan community – including X-Wings and Star Destroyers – not everyone has the capabilities to do the same, so their best options end up being the ones they can buy, steal, or be given.

Some ships will excel at combat, others at hauling cargo, and some fall somewhere in between. This list of the best ships in Starfield will have some from each category so you’re sure to find something that fits your moment-to-moment needs in the game.

Contents

• Best ships in Starfield for cargo hauling
  • Shieldbreaker
  • Silent Runner
  • Stronghold
• Best ships in Starfield for combat
  • Razorleaf
  • Abyss Trekker
• Best hybrid ships in Starfield
  • Star Eagle
  • Crimson Fleet Wight

Best ships in Starfield 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, you can’t do much better than these ships.

We’ve picked them based on their carrying capacity and durability. Both will be important for hauling your take and keeping it safe from some of Starfield’s more nefarious denizens.

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.

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. It 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 a great specialist ship for single-system hauling and heavy transport.

The Silent Runner can be purchased at Hopetown HQ for 390,000 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, you should 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 ships in Starfield 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. We’ve hand-picked some ships that will turn you into the scourge of the star systems.

These options have been selected primarily for their firepower. Although, our first pick has something even better than guns for keeping you alive out there.

Razorleaf

The Razorleaf is a fantastic ship for combat encounters thanks to its ridiculous speed and maneuverability and great base weapons that are easily upgraded. To top that off, it has a unique ability that causes would-be bandits to flee at the sight of it.

Now you’re probably asking why you would want enemies to run away from your combat ship. Well, the speed of the Razorleaf allows you to hunt them down while they’re on the back foot for easy encounters.

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 but you’ll have to look for those spoilers yourself.

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 ships in Starfield

Sometimes you can be indecisive and we get it. Maybe it’s not even that. Maybe you just don’t want to have to choose between decent combat effectiveness and enough room for your spoils.

Good news. We’ve rounded up the two best ships in Staerfield that can do it all so that you’re not having to swap vessels all the time. Each has decent base stats across the board with room for improvement via easy upgrades.

Star Eagle

The Star Eagle might be one of the most evenly-rounded ships in the game and you can snag it pretty early on too. With proper upgrades at regular intervals, it can last you a long time in your Starfield playthrough.

It boasts fantastic durability, firepower, Cargo Capacity, and crew size meaning you can heavily buff its performance with a few specialist crew members. Its jump capabilities are a little lacking to start with but it will easily carry you through the early and mid-game.

You can get the Star Eagle for free by completing the Freestar Rangers faction questline. The dedication is definitely worth it.

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.

Those are the best ships in Starfield. For more game content, check out our other guides:

How to dock ship | How to customize ship | How to assign your crew | How to fast travel | Starfield all main story missions