Starter Ships & Packs for Star Citizen: which one is the best in 2024?
Last updated on September 1st 2024
There is a lot to consider when picking the best starter ship & starter pack. So, I will split this guide into a few categories. The best starter ship or starter pack will differ based on your budget and play-style!
If you do not want to read any further, just want to have fun, explore the game and spend the least amount of money? Go for the $45 (excl. taxes) Mustang Alpha Game Package. If you are interested in a more nuanced list, read along!
Before going any further… Some important remarks.
Star citizen offers many professions, I will not pick starter ships for all the possible professions like salvage, refueling, etc. the reason is twofold: not all professions have starter ships and many professions are not ideal for beginners to get into either for budgetary or gameplay reasons.
In terms of budget, I will base myself on actual pricing. I always include links to the product page so you can view current prices. I do not consider any regular sales Star Citizen has. Any sales and price decreases could heaviliy influence your decision. I consider VAT exclusive prices.
I only consider ships that are available as a starter pack. A Starter Pack includes the Star Citizen game & your ship. Any ship that is not available in a starter pack, is not considered in this guide. Most stand-alone ships can be bought in-game!
Let’s get to the ships!
1. Best: All-around category
In this category the ship needs to be able to fulfill all roles to some degree and has to meet a few criteria:
- It needs a bed onboard (to allow logging in and out)
- It needs cargo capacity (to allow transport related gameplay)
- It needs decent weapon hardpoints (to allow combat gameplay)
- It needs a quantum drive (needed to jump to other planets)
- Overall the ship cannot lock you out of any major gamplay loops or missions (like pickup, transport, combat, FPS missions, etc.)
Cheapest option – Mustang Alpha
In this category we only have 2 options: the Aurora MR and Mustang Alpha. A game package for either costs $45 (excl. taxes).
Generally speaking, I always recommend the Mustang Alpha. It is the more fun ship. Just know, if you like a more relaxed vibe, prefer the design and/or like a few missiles to take down space ships, the Aurora MR is a great choice too!
Both ships are able to defend themselves with similar hardpoints, have similar utility in terms of cargo capacity, similar survivability in terms of shields, power plant, etc. The Mustang Alpha, however, does not have any missiles while the Aurora MR does.
Why does the Mustang win? For many players I have talked to, it is the more engaging and fun ship to play.
Overall best option – Avenger Titan
When not considering budget as a main factor, I will be looking at all available starter packages up to $125. In this category, we have two main contenders: the Avenger Titan and the Syulen.
Aside from preference in handling & flying, there are two key diferences between these two ships when considering the best option for general-purpose use.
- The look & design
- The cargo storage
The reason I pick the Avenger Titan over the Syulen is for the slightly larger and internal cargo storage on the Titan, compared to smaller and external (exposed) cargo storage on the Syulen. Since the ship has to be general-purpose, this is a key factor in my consideration. Hardpoints and amenities are similar for both ships.
If you look at subjective metrics, the Titan is a more “classic” space ship, while the Syulen is a unique and alien feeling ship.
Editor’s note: the Avenger Titan is my personal favorite starter ship.
2. Best: focus on ship-to-ship combat
In this category, I will make a destinction between types rather than budget. Since any ship package below $75 does not have a clear focus on ship-to-ship combat, I will not consider a split between budget options. If you look for the best $45 game package with the edge on ship-to-ship combat, go with the Aurora MR – it has missiles, the Mustang Alpha does not. While I still prefer the latter purely for the fun of flying it.
General-purpose with focus on combat – The Syulen
While the best overall starter ship is the Avenger Titan, I give the edge to The Syulen when considering a focus on space combat, while still being open for other purposes. There are no major differences to split them apart, but The Syulen has a better quantum range, has slightly better hull protection, slightly faster, etc.
Apart from combat, The Syulen allows you to:
- Do missions ranging from pick-up missions, transport missions, etc. It does not lock you out of main game loops.
- It has a bed to log out and spacious interior
- It has decent cargo capacity
The next category of ship “only military application”, will forego the above perks in favor of excelling at ship-to-ship combat.
Pure space combat focus – The Arrow
When only considering military capabilities as a starter ship, the winner is simple: The Arrow. For $90, if you intend to chase bounties throughout the galaxy, this is the best starter option for you. It has the best combination of hardpoints, agility, speed, etc.
Note: The Arrow has no bed and no cargo hold, just a cockpit. That means you will be locked out of doing certain missions like transport missions, pickup missions, etc. Nor can you log out in your ship. Therefore I would never recommend this to a new player, unless I know this player will only focus on ship-to-ship combat or just wants a super fun ship to fly!
How about the Hornet F7C? For $125, it is more expensive and has some better technical stats. However, if you optimize your loadout on both ships, you will not notice any significant difference between both ships. As an added bonus, The Arrow flies better in atmosphere and is more agile!
3. Best: focus on cargo running
Here I will keep it simple and recommend 1 ship – The Nomad for $95. It is the best all-around cargo-focussed starter ship.
- It is the newer, more up-to-date and fun version of the Freelancer MIS
- Can fit a ROC mining vehicle in its hangar
- Has a great cargo capacity
- Has a tractor beam
If you are on a tighter budget, for $75, the Avenger Titan will do fine. Just know the Titan has significantly less cargo space. Any of the $45 packages, the Aurora MR or Mustang Alpha will get you started too! However, for maximizing cargo space & the ability to trade volumes, The Nomad is the winner for this category!
4. Honorable mentions
I cannot finish this guide without mentioning the below 2 ships – the $125 Cutlass Black package and $275 Constellation Andromeda package. Considering the price, they cannot be winners in either of the above categories as a “starter ship”, they do fulfil a niche in case any readers have specific wants and needs.
Cutlass Black
Want to act and or feel like a pirate? This is the ship for you.
It is a great ship! Decent weapon hardpoints & missiles to defend itself. Good cargo hold and ramp to transport small vehicles or loot, a manned turret and co-pilot seat for a multi-crew experience, etc. It is the quintessential general-purpose pirate ship. From a price/value perspective, it is not better than any other ship on the list, therefore it did not win a specific category.
I recommend you to grind for this ship in-game and earn it, rather than buying it outright. That’s what I did and it is now one of my most used ships, even though I’m a lawful player.
Constellation Andromeda
Want to splurge and get the true multicrew experience with friends? This is the ship for you.
Even flying it solo, it can be outfitted with an almost excessive amount of firepower for its size. It can transport vehicles and hold a large amount of cargo. If you have 2-5 friends, there are enough roles, seats and turrets to fill that need. However, it is very pricy, at $275 for the game package. Therefore it is not considered a starter ship for the masses.
I recommend you to grind for this ship in-game and earn it, rather than buying it outright.