Professions & Economy

Commodity Trading & Hauling: SCU Grids & Selling at TDDs

Buy, haul, and sell commodities — cargo grids and TDD sell loops.

Updated 2026-07-25

Open in AtlasReeve hub

Commodity Trading Overview

Unlike Covalex hauling contracts where profit is fixed and risk is zero, Commodity Trading requires you to invest your own capital (aUEC) to purchase market goods, transport them across the star system, and sell them for a profit margin at Trade & Development Division (TDD) terminals or planetary outposts.

Because profit margins depend heavily on market supply, demand fluctuation, and travel times, using external database tools is essential for planning profitable runs without flying blind.

Essential External Trading Tools

Because Star Citizen lacks an in-game global market browser, successful traders rely on community-driven intelligence platforms to track live prices, profit margins, and route optimization.

  • SC Trade Tools (sc-trade.tools)

    • Core Use: Route planning and trade optimization.
    • Key Features: Input your specific ship model and available SCU capacity to instantly filter out routes you cannot carry. Use the "Best Buyer" tool to find who pays the most for your cargo or mined ores, or use the "En Route" tool to find profitable quick stops along your travel path.

  • UEX Corp (uexcorp.space)

    • Core Use: Market analytics and economic tracking.
    • Key Features: Comprehensive database tracking commodity prices, global supply trends, and historical stock data across all planetary locations and orbital stations. Excellent for spotting high-margin commodity gaps and monitoring broader market shifts.

The Trading Workflow Loop

  1. Route Planning: Open SC Trade Tools or UEX Corp to check current profit margins per SCU, matching the route to your ship's cargo grid capacity and your available aUEC capital.
  2. Purchasing: Land at a mining facility, orbital station, or planetary outpost, access the commodity terminal, select your ship, and buy your goods.
  3. Freight Loading: Transfer purchased commodities onto your ship grid the warehouse elevators using a manual tractor-beam like maxlift. Ensure all crates lock securely to the grid.
  4. Safe Hauling: Transport the cargo while avoiding direct, predictable quantum paths between major hubs where interdiction risks are highest, This is called doglegging.
  5. Selling: Fly to a planetary landing zone (e.g., Area 18, Lorville, New Babbage, or Orison), store your ship, and head to the local Trade & Development Division (TDD) terminal to sell your inventory and collect your profits.
How to dogleg, credit: datdudeSlim of SC Reddit

Reddit Thread

Instead of going directly for your destination, select something else and jump half way there and then cancel QT by pressing B. Once you have cooled down jump to your final destination. This avoids pirates waiting to interdict you and your precious cargo.

Safe Hauling & Risk Mitigation

  • The 50% Capital Rule: Never invest more than half of your total net worth into a single cargo run. Always keep enough liquid aUEC to cover claim expedites and fuel.
  • Crowdsourced Data Variance: Remember that trading tools rely on player data submissions. Stock and prices shift frequently as other traders hit the same routes, so treat tool numbers as indicators rather than absolute guarantees.
  • Avoid Unmonitored Space: Trading at remote outposts outside CommArray coverage leaves you vulnerable to player ambushes without crime status penalties for attackers.

Essential Trading Keybinds & Controls
• Open mobiGlas (Journal / Wallet): F1
• Tractor Beam: Bringing a portable tractor beam like Maxlift is a must even if your ship has a tractor beam.