All 16 cargo-hauling hulls ranked on a single 1–100 scale, grouped by pad class. Capacity is the dominant factor, but pad class determines which markets you can reach — a large freighter locked out of outposts is worth less than its tonnage implies. Jump range and enough shielding to survive an interdiction round out the scoring. Costs cover hull, A-rated fit, and engineering tier.
Trading is the act of moving goods for profit — and at scale it is the most reliable income in the game. The ship’s job is simple: carry as much as possible, to the right kind of station, and arrive in one piece.
Cargo capacity first — profit is tonnage × margin. Then pad class: a large pad locks you out of outposts, so medium haulers reach markets larges can’t. Then jump range for route length, and enough shield to survive the interdiction that will come on a profitable lane.
The 1–100 trading rating weighs, in order:
The scale is roster-relative. A medium scoring 82 is not “worse” than a large scoring 93 — it carries less but reaches markets the large never can. Compare within a class first, then decide whether you need pad reach or raw bulk.
The cost tables also list an approximate rebuy (~5% of insured value) — what you pay each time the ship is destroyed. It is the number that really governs how boldly you can fly.
This 1–100 rating is a roster-relative, fully-engineered editorial verdict — not a hidden formula. See the shared rating methodology for the full rubric and worked examples.
All 16 traders on one scale, best to worst, with maximum cargo as the headline figure. Per-class breakdowns and costs follow.
| Ship | Class | Max cargo | One-line verdict | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panther Clipper Mk II | Large | 1046 t | The ultimate hauler — nothing in the game carries more. | 98 |
| Imperial Cutter | Large | 794 t | The fast luxury freighter — capacity and speed in one hull. | 95 |
| Type-9 Heavy | Large | 790 t | The workhorse bulk hauler — the most cargo per credit. | 94 |
| Type-7 Transporter | Large | 310 t | The budget large hauler — a stepping stone to the Type-9. | 78 |
| Type-8 Transporter | Medium | 406 t | The medium-pad cargo champion — outpost trading’s answer. | 76 |
| Anaconda | Large | ~470 t | The armed freighter — no rank gate, tanky, but pricier than a Type-9. | 76 |
| Imperial Clipper | Large | 250 t | The speed-hauler — quick, but not capacious. | 74 |
| Corsair | Medium | ~318 t | The fast medium freighter — huge hold for a medium, quick and no rank. | 74 |
| Python | Medium | 294 t | The armed trader — less cargo, far more survivable. | 72 |
| Type-6 Transporter | Medium | 114 t | The classic first trading ship — where most careers begin. | 65 |
| Krait Mk II | Medium | ~230 t | The armed multirole hauler — a decent hold and the guns to defend it. | 64 |
| Krait Phantom | Medium | ~190 t | The long-range medium hauler — fast and far-jumping, lightly armed. | 62 |
| Asp Explorer | Medium | ~128 t | The explorer that moonlights as a hauler — cheap, nimble, modest hold. | 58 |
| Keelback | Medium | 98 t | A defended budget trader — low capacity, hard to pirate. | 52 |
| Cobra Mk III | Small | ~64 t | The nimble small hauler — more cargo and speed than a Hauler manages. | 48 |
| Hauler | Small | 26 t | The absolute entry hauler — data and small deliveries only. | 42 |
Read it in bands: 90–98 is an end-game bulk freighter; 76–89 is a serious working trader; 58–75 is a budget or starter hauler. The crucial split is pad class — the top three are all large-pad, so if you trade at outposts the Type-8 (76) is effectively your ceiling.
“Small” barely applies to trading — only the Hauler qualifies, and it is a courier, not a freighter. It exists here for completeness and for the earliest game, when even a few tonnes of profit matters and the rebuy is rounding error.
| Ship | Class | Max cargo | Pros & cons for trading | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobra Mk III | Small | ~64 t | More cargo and far more speed than a HaulerCheap, no rank, lands anywhereStill a small hold — deliveries, not bulk trade | 48 |
| Hauler | Small | 26 t | Nearly free, lands anywhere, and has a great jump rangeA tiny cargo hold — courier work, not bulk trade | 42 |
| Ship | Hull | A-rated fit | To engineer | ~Rebuy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobra Mk III | 208k | ~1.5M | materials · Moderate | ~75k |
| Hauler | 53k | ~907k | materials · Moderate | ~45k |
The Hauler (42) is the floor — nearly free, great jump, lands anywhere, but a hold so small it only suits data and small delivery missions. Outgrow it the moment you can afford a Type-6.
Medium pad is where serious trading meets market reach. A medium docks at the outposts that lock out every large freighter, so its slightly smaller hold is often worth more in practice than a Type-9’s bulk you can’t bring to half the galaxy’s stations.
| Ship | Class | Max cargo | Pros & cons for trading | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type-8 Transporter | Medium | 406 t | Best medium-pad cargo (~400 t) — docks where larges can’tCheap hull, simple to fit outSlow and a paper-thin tank | 76 |
| Corsair | Medium | ~318 t | ~318 t in a medium — near Type-8 cargo, far fasterNo rank gate; quick enough to dodge interdictionsPricey for a medium, and a thinner tank than the Python | 74 |
| Python | Medium | 294 t | A combat-capable trader that fights back when interdictedLands on a medium pad; genuinely tankyCarries far less than a dedicated freighter | 72 |
| Type-6 Transporter | Medium | 114 t | Cheap, nimble, and jumps well — the classic first traderSmall hold and a paper tank | 65 |
| Krait Mk II | Medium | ~230 t | Armed multirole that hauls — guns and a real shieldNo rank; doubles as a combat hullCargo drops to ~166 t once a trade shield is fitted | 64 |
| Krait Phantom | Medium | ~190 t | Fast, with the longest jump range of the medium haulersNo rank; ideal for rares and long loopsLightly armed and less cargo than the Krait Mk II | 62 |
| Asp Explorer | Medium | ~128 t | Cheap, nimble, jumps a long way — fine for raresModest hold and a thin tank — not a bulk trader | 58 |
| Keelback | Medium | 98 t | Cheap, and can mount a fighter bay for interdiction defenceTiny cargo hold and slow | 52 |
| Ship | Hull | A-rated fit | To engineer | ~Rebuy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type-8 Transporter | 38M | ~46M | materials · Heavy | ~2.3M |
| Corsair | 77M | ~90M | materials · Heavy | ~4.5M |
| Python | 57M | ~108M | materials · Heavy | ~5.4M |
| Type-6 Transporter | 1.0M | ~2.9M | materials · Heavy | ~146k |
| Krait Mk II | 45M | ~56M | materials · Heavy | ~2.8M |
| Krait Phantom | 36M | ~46M | materials · Heavy | ~2.3M |
| Asp Explorer | 6.1M | ~10M | materials · Heavy | ~500k |
| Keelback | 3.1M | ~5.2M | materials · Heavy | ~260k |
The Type-8 Transporter (76) is the medium-pad cargo champion — ~400 t that reaches anywhere. The Python (72) trades capacity for the ability to fight off interdictors. The Type-6 (65) is the beloved first trader, and the Keelback (52) is its defended cousin.
Large pad is pure bulk. These hulls carry the most cargo in the game, but a large pad locks you out of outposts — so you trade at the major stations and accept the lost market access in exchange for moving enormous tonnage per trip.
| Ship | Class | Max cargo | Pros & cons for trading | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panther Clipper Mk II | Large | 1046 t | The undisputed cargo king — over 1000 t in one holdSurprisingly tanky for a freighter; built only to haul~287M hull, glacial handling, and a large pad everywhere | 98 |
| Imperial Cutter | Large | 794 t | ~700 t of cargo with the speed and shield of a warshipThe elite trader — fast enough to shrug off interdictionsImperial Duke rank, ~209M hull, large pad only | 95 |
| Type-9 Heavy | Large | 790 t | Enormous ~790 t hold for a fraction of the Cutter’s priceCheap to buy and run; the classic bulk workhorseGlacial, near-defenceless, and a large pad | 94 |
| Type-7 Transporter | Large | 310 t | A cheap large-pad step up in capacity from the mediumsSlow, fragile, and needs a large pad for medium-ish cargo | 78 |
| Anaconda | Large | ~470 t | ~470 t with guns and shields enough to deter piratesNo rank gate, unlike the Cutter~142M hull hauls less than a cheaper Type-9; slow | 76 |
| Imperial Clipper | Large | 250 t | Very fast and stylish for a large-class haulerLarge pad, only modest cargo, and an Imperial rank gate | 74 |
| Ship | Hull | A-rated fit | To engineer | ~Rebuy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panther Clipper Mk II | 301M | ~525M | materials · Very heavy | ~26M |
| Imperial Cutter | 209M | ~432M | materials · Very heavy | ~22M |
| Type-9 Heavy | 77M | ~127M | materials · Very heavy | ~6.3M |
| Type-7 Transporter | 17M | ~24M | materials · Very heavy | ~1.2M |
| Anaconda | 142M | ~165M | materials · Very heavy | ~8.3M |
| Imperial Clipper | 22M | ~41M | materials · Very heavy | ~2.0M |
The Panther Clipper Mk II (98) is the cargo king — over 1000 t, but ~287M and glacial. The Imperial Cutter (95) is the smart end-game pick: nearly as much cargo with warship speed and shields. The Type-9 (94) is the value king — vast capacity for a fraction of the price, if you can defend or avoid trouble.
The right trader depends entirely on where you dock and what you can spend. Pick the description that fits you.
Cheap, nimble and jumps well — enough hold to feel real profit, cheap enough that a lost run never hurts. Every trading career starts here.
The most cargo you can bring to an outpost — ~400 t that docks where the big freighters can’t. The correct ship if your best markets are medium-pad.
Nearly Panther-class cargo with the speed and shields of a warship — it outruns interdictions instead of dying to them. The end-game trader of choice once you hit Duke.
A ~790 t hold for a tiny fraction of the Cutter’s price — unbeatable value if you trade safe lanes or accept the occasional rebuy.
A true combat hull that also hauls — tanky, medium-pad, and armed enough that interdictors regret it. Less cargo, far more peace of mind.
Over a thousand tonnes in a single hold — the most cargo any ship can carry. Slow and pricey, but unmatched for fleet-carrier logistics and bulk loops.
A trader’s engineering is light and cheap — you are not min-maxing a weapon platform, just stretching range and shaving a few risks. The tour is short and shared across every hull here.
| Module | Blueprint (G5) | Experimental | Engineer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame Shift Drive | Increased Range | Mass Manager | Felicity Farseer |
| Power Plant | Low Emissions | Thermal Spread | Hera Tani |
| Thrusters | Dirty Drives (or Clean) | Drag Drives | Felicity Farseer |
| Shield Generator | Reinforced (or Enhanced Low Power) | Hi-Cap / Lo-Draw | Lei Cheung |
| Power Distributor | Engine Focused | Stripped Down | The Dweller |
For a trader the big number is the hull and cargo racks, not engineering. Engineering costs materials, not credits, and a trader’s materials tier is light: just FSD range plus a defensive shield roll. The grind tier scales with hull size only because bigger ships have bigger (more numerous) modules to roll — Moderate for the mediums, Very heavy for a fully-rolled Cutter or Panther, but you rarely need to go that far on a hauler.
For the most cargo in the game, the Panther Clipper Mk II (98). For the best end-game balance of capacity, speed and safety, the Imperial Cutter (95). For the most profit per credit spent, the Type-9 Heavy (94). And if you trade at outposts, the Type-8 Transporter (76) is your real ceiling — the most cargo that still fits a medium pad.
Figures on this page are verified against the sources below.
