If you’ve ever hauled a full cargo hold of rare activated indium back to a space station only to realize you don’t need more units, you’ve probably asked can you trade in No Man’s Sky. The good news is trading is one of the most rewarding parts of the game, whether you’re bartering with NPCs or swapping rare items with friends. I’ve spent hundreds of hours testing every trading method available, and this guide breaks down exactly what you can trade, how to do it safely, and how to get the most value out of every exchange. I’ll also cover common pitfalls to avoid so you don’t lose your hard-earned loot to scammers or silly mistakes.
Can You Trade in No Man’s Sky With Both NPCs and Other Players?
Yes, trading works for both non-player characters and real human players, though the rules for each type of exchange are a little different. NPC trading has been part of the game since its original launch, while player-to-player trading was added a few years later as part of a major multiplayer update. Both systems work seamlessly across all platforms, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility if you play with friends on different consoles.
With NPCs, you can trade almost any tradeable resource, ship, freighter, or tech upgrade you have in your inventory. You can’t trade nanites or Quicksilver directly with anyone, though, which is a common misconception among new players. I once tried to give a friend 10k nanites to help them upgrade their exosuit, only to find out there’s no way to transfer them, so I ended up gifting them a stack of high-value resources they could sell to a NPC instead. If you’re new to figuring out can you trade in No Man’s Sky with other people, start small by trading common upgrade modules with friends first before moving to high-value items.
Step-by-Step Guide to Safe Player Trading
Player trading is easy once you get the hang of it, but you have to follow a few basic steps to make sure the exchange goes smoothly. First, you and the other player need to be in the same exact location, either on a planetary surface, a space station landing pad, or inside the Space Anomaly. You can join a friend’s session directly from the main menu, or meet up with random players in public lobbies if you’re comfortable with that.
Once you’re standing next to each other, open your inventory, select the item you want to trade, and choose “Offer to Player” from the dropdown menu. The other player will get a pop-up notification asking them to accept or decline the offer, and the transfer only goes through once they hit confirm. There’s no built-in barter system for simultaneous trades, so you have to trust the other person to hold up their end of the deal if you’re exchanging items.
To avoid getting scammed, follow these simple safety rules for every player trade:
- Never accept a trade offer from a random player you don’t know unless you’ve verified the item they’re offering is worth your loot first
- Avoid trading high-value items like S-class ships in public lobbies, as scammers may try to bait you into giving them your ship for free
- Always double-check the trade confirmation screen before hitting accept, to make sure you’re not giving away the wrong item
- If you’re trading with a stranger, use a trusted middleman from the official No Man’s Sky community if possible
How to Maximize Profit From NPC Trading
If you don’t like playing with other people, NPC trading is still one of the fastest ways to earn millions of units in the game with minimal effort. The core rule for NPC trading is buy low in one system and sell high in another, since every star system has a unique economy that changes the value of different items. For example, manufacturing systems sell tech components like fusion generators for far less than their market value, while scientific systems will pay a 30-50% premium for those same parts.
You can check a system’s economy type by looking at the galaxy map before you warp in, and using an economy scanner upgrade for your ship will show you exactly which items are in high demand in any system, so you don’t have to guess. You can unlock the economy scanner blueprint from the Space Anomaly technology vendor for a small amount of nanites, and it’s one of the most useful upgrades you can install if you plan to trade regularly.
Last month I spent 2 hours farming 500 units of storm crystals on a radioactive planet, then sold them all in a trading system for 12 million units, which was enough to buy my first S-class freighter. You can get even better prices if you raise your standing with the system’s dominant alien race, so do a few side missions for them if you plan to trade there often. Even a 10% price boost adds up fast when you’re trading full cargo holds of high-value resources.
What Items Are Worth Trading for Maximum Value?
Not all items are worth trading, so it’s smart to focus on high-value goods that give you the most return on your time investment. For NPC trading, the most profitable items are rare resources like activated indium, storm crystals, and gravitino balls, as well as crafted high-tech items like fusion igniters and stasis devices. These items sell for hundreds of thousands of units each, so even a single cargo hold full can make you a millionaire in one trip.
For player trading, Quicksilver exclusive items are the most sought-after player trade goods, because you can only earn Quicksilver by doing weekly community missions. Many players are willing to trade millions of units worth of resources for rare Quicksilver base decorations, exosuit customizations, or exotic ship upgrades that they don’t have time to grind for. S-class ship and multi-tool upgrades are also extremely popular, since they’re random drops and many players struggle to find the exact upgrades they want.
You should avoid trading common resources like carbon, iron, or oxygen, since they’re worth almost nothing and you can find them almost anywhere in the galaxy. If you’re a new player, don’t waste time trading low-value items to save up for your first ship. Focus on farming a few stacks of a high-value resource first, then sell them to a NPC to build up your capital before you start exploring player trades.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you trade in No Man’s Sky is a resounding yes, and it’s one of the best ways to get the exact items, ships or units you need without grinding for hours on end. Whether you prefer bartering with NPCs for passive profit or swapping rare loot with your friends, there’s a trading method that fits every playstyle. Just remember to follow the safety tips for player trades, and always do your research on item values before you agree to any exchange. Next time you’re sitting on a pile of rare resources, don’t just sell them to the first NPC you see – see if another player might have something you want even more to trade for.
