I still remember my first 10 hours in No Man's Sky, fumbling around a radioactive starter planet, panicking because I didn't have enough units to fix my broken launch thruster. I wasted hours selling low-value iron ferrite and di-hydrogen just to scrape by, until a random traveler I met in a space station dropped a few quick tips that changed my whole playthrough. If you're stuck wondering how to get units in No Man's Sky without grinding for hours on end, these player-tested methods work for every play style and progression level.
How to Get Units in No Man's Sky for Total New Players (First 10 Hours)
If you haven't even left your first system yet, you don't need fancy farms or high-tier ships to make solid units fast. The best methods for new players require zero setup and use resources you're already collecting as you explore. First, make scanning every new creature, plant, and mineral you find a habit. A full planetary scan bonus can net you 250,000 units or more per planet, and upgraded multi-tool scanners can double that payout. You can get a free scanner upgrade from the first space station technician you talk to, so don't skip that dialogue.
Another easy win for new players is collecting Salvaged Data from buried technology modules. You'll find these glowing orange capsules dotted across every planet, and while you'll need some for unlocking building blueprints, any extra you find sells for 52,000 units a pop. I made my first million units before leaving my starter system just by selling extra Salvaged Data and rare storm crystals I found during extreme weather events. Just don't sell all your Salvaged Data early on -- you'll need at least 50 pieces to unlock basic farming blueprints later.
You can also pick up small side quests from NPCs in space stations and settlements. Most delivery quests pay 50,000 to 200,000 units for a 10-minute trip to a nearby planet, and many throw in extra upgrade modules as a bonus. Skip the combat-focused quests early on, though, as you probably don't have a strong enough weapon or ship to take on pirates without dying.
Mid-Game Unit Farming Methods That Require Minimal Effort
Once you have a basic base, a few million units saved up, and access to at least three neighboring star systems, you can start setting up passive income streams that make units even when you're off exploring other parts of the galaxy. I tested 12 different popular mid-game farming methods last year, and these three stood out for their low effort and high consistent payout:
- Set up a small Activated Indium mine on an extreme S-class planet: A single mine with 10 extractors and 20 storage silos can net you 2 million units every hour you're online, with zero extra work after setup. You'll only need to empty the storage silos every few hours and sell the haul at a nearby space station.
- Run short trade routes between 2-3 neighboring systems: Pick systems with opposing economic types (e.g. mining vs. technology) to get 30-50% profit on every load of goods you carry. Look for goods marked "high supply" in one system, then sell them at a system where they're marked "high demand" for the biggest returns.
- Complete dispatched frigate missions: Once you have a freighter, send your lowest-ranked frigates on safe, 1-hour trade missions for consistent passive unit gains even when you're exploring other planets. You don't need high-tier frigates for these low-risk missions, and you'll often get extra rare resources as a bonus payout.
You can also plant small crops of NipNip Buds at your base if you want another low-effort income stream. NipNip Buds take about four hours to grow, and a full harvest of 40 plants sells for roughly 1.2 million units. They don't require any special conditions to grow, so you can plant them inside your base even on extreme weather planets. Just don't get caught selling NipNip Buds in regulated systems, as some NPCs will charge you a fine for trading controlled goods.
That means you don't have to spend hours grinding resources to make units in the mid-game. Even 30 minutes of setup for an Activated Indium mine will pay for itself in less than two hours of regular play.
Endgame Unit Strategies for Making 10+ Million Units Per Hour
Once you've unlocked all core blueprints, have an S-class freighter, and access to endgame resources, you can start pulling in massive unit payouts with methods that fit both active and passive play styles. The highest-payout passive method by far is crafting Stasis Devices, a high-tier crafted good that sells for 15.6 million units each. You'll need a fairly large farm to grow all the required ingredients, but once you have the supply chain set up, you can make 3-4 Stasis Devices per hour with almost no active work.
If you prefer active play instead of farming, you can hunt pirate fleets and raid abandoned freighters for high-value loot. A single S-class pirate freighter drop can have up to 5 million units worth of rare goods and upgrade modules, and you'll also get extra units for turning in pirate bounties at space stations. You will need an S-class combat ship with high damage output to take on larger pirate fleets, but the payout is well worth the investment if you don't enjoy base building.
Another underrated endgame method is scanning for exotic creatures and planets. You can sell rare creature scan data to the Nexus for 200,000 units per entry, and discovering a new S-class exotic planet can net you a 1 million unit bonus from the Exploration Guild. I've made 20 million units in a single afternoon just jumping between uncharted systems and scanning everything I find, no combat or crafting required.
Just keep in mind that the highest-payout methods usually have a steep upfront cost. You'll need to spend at least 50 million units to set up a full Stasis Device farm, and a good S-class combat ship can cost 30 million units or more. Don't rush into these methods until you have a solid buffer of savings to cover the setup costs.
Common Mistakes That Slow Down Your Unit Earning Potential
After playing No Man's Sky for over 300 hours, I've made almost every mistake you can make when it comes to earning units, and these are the most common ones that cost players millions of units unnecessarily. First, don't sell rare crafting materials for quick cash. Items like Void Eggs, Gravitational Balls, and Living Pearls might seem like easy quick cash early on, but you'll need them later for high-tier crafting and quest lines, and you'll waste hours trying to collect them again.
Second, don't ignore trade bonuses from your freighter and squadron. A fully upgraded freighter trade module can give you a 30% bonus on all sales, and having trade-focused pilots in your squadron can add another 15% bonus. That extra 45% adds up fast when you're selling 10 million units worth of goods at a time. I used to skip upgrading my freighter's trade modules, and I calculated I lost out on almost 40 million units of extra profit before I finally installed them.
Third, don't waste units upgrading low-tier ships and tools. That C-class fighter you got early on might feel like a good investment, but you'll replace it within 20 hours of play, and all the units you spent upgrading its slots will be wasted. Save your upgrade modules for S-class gear that you'll keep for the entire playthrough.
Finally, don't force yourself to use a farming method you hate. If you hate base building, don't waste time setting up a massive Stasis Device farm just because it's the meta highest-payout method. You'll earn more units in the long run by using a method you enjoy, even if it has a slightly lower hourly payout.
At the end of the day, No Man's Sky is about exploring at your own pace, and you don't have to grind for hours to afford the gear or ships you want. If you've been stressing over how to get units in No Man's Sky, pick one or two methods that fit your play style, and adjust as you progress. I still switch between trade runs, pirate hunting, and casual scanning depending on my mood, and I never have to worry about running out of units for upgrades or new ships. The best part? All these methods work with the latest game updates, so you don't have to worry about them being patched out anytime soon.
