No Man’s Sky: 10 Best Ways to Make Money Fast

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One of the most exciting parts of No Man’s Sky is discovering new ways to build your fortune among the stars. But let’s be honest — nothing is worse than finding that perfect exotic starship and realizing you can’t afford it. That ends now. With the Voyagers Update, the economy of No Man’s Sky feels more alive than ever, and there are plenty of opportunities to get rich while still having fun.

Here are the 10 best methods to earn Units and Nanites quickly and easily, whether you’re just starting out or already a seasoned explorer.

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1. Buried Salvage Data and Looting Machines

At the very start of your journey in No Man’s Sky, you’ll need a few million Units for the basics. One of the simplest methods is searching for Buried Salvage Data. Not only do you need these to unlock essential blueprints, but they also sell for good money.

Along the way, loot damaged machinery near salvage sites. These often reward you with Nanites or upgrades. With just a few stacks, you can earn up to 8 million Units early on — a great kickstart for any explorer.

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2. Scanner Module Exploit

If you want steady income while exploring in No Man’s Sky, head to a space station and check the multi-tool vendor. Sometimes, they sell S-Class Scanner Modules. Buy three of them, save, reload, and purchase again — repeat until you have a full set.

Install these upgrades, and every time you scan a creature, you’ll earn massive rewards. Rare creatures can net you up to half a million Units per scan. Don’t forget: once you’ve scanned everything on a planet, upload your discoveries for even more Nanites.

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3. Ancient Bones

Find a planet described as having Ancient Bones, and you’ve struck gold. Use your visor to locate yellow markers, dig, and collect valuable fossils. Each one sells for around 72,000 Units, and some can be combined into complete skeletons using the Fossil Display blueprint from the Anomaly.

Complete skeletons sell for even more, and you can trade extras at the Fossil Collector on space stations. Just watch out for the Disturbed Eye enemies while digging — unless you’re ready for a fight.

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4. Salvageable Scrap

Planets with “Salvageable Scrap” in their description are another goldmine. Use your visor to locate sites, dig up the scrap, and collect the item at the center. Each one can be blue, purple, or even gold, with values ranging widely.

⚠️ Be prepared: looting scrap triggers Sentinel attacks. Either fight them, save and reload, or simply escape. The real jackpot is the chance to get Sentinel Boundary Maps, which will become vital later.

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5. Cargo Pod Piracy

Sometimes crime really does pay. Install the Starship Scanner blueprint from the Anomaly, then head into pirate systems. Target freighters, shoot their cargo pods, and scoop up the loot.

Bring plenty of sodium to recharge shields and keep enough inventory space for your haul. The only penalty is losing faction standing with the local race — but you can easily regain it by buying and gifting their relics.

Sell your stolen goods in “Trading” systems, where prices are boosted.

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6. Storm Crystals with the Minotaur

This method is both fun and lucrative. Buy the Minotaur Exocraft blueprint at the Anomaly, then gather Paraffinium from NPC pilots at space stations. Next, find a planet with Activated elements like Activated Copper — these worlds have extreme weather.

Equip your Minotaur and wait for a storm. Use your visor to spot Storm Crystals, then collect them safely inside the mech. Ten crystals sell for 2 million Units, and farming storms can make you rich fast.

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7. Gravitino Balls on Dissonant Worlds

Gravitino Balls are valuable but usually guarded by Sentinels. That’s where the Sentinel Boundary Map comes in.

Head to a Dissonant System, use the map to disable Sentinels at a planetary pillar, and then freely collect Gravitino Balls scattered across the surface. A single stack can sell for 500,000 Units, and there’s no need to wait for storms.

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8. Hunting Crashed Ships

One of the oldest money-making tricks still works — with a twist. Use the Minotaur Scanner or Distress Signal Maps from the Cartographer to locate crash sites. On Dead Planets, these are guaranteed to be ships.

Claim them, repair minimal parts, and scrap them at a space station. Even low-class ships can bring millions. In one run, 11 scrapped ships brought in 44–67 million Units plus thousands of Nanites.

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9. Sentinel Ships

The new star of the economy: Sentinel Ships. Here’s how it works:

• Find a Dissonant System with three-star economy.
• Disable Sentinels using a Boundary Map.
• Farm Dissonance Resonators for Inverted Mirrors and Radiant Shards.
• Use an Echo Locator to track down a Harmonic Camp.
• Solve the glyph puzzles, get a Harmonic Brain, and claim your free Sentinel Ship.

Repeat this process and scrap the ships. Class C can fetch 18–20 million, Class B up to 30 million, and Class A as high as 44 million Units. Farming multiple Sentinel Ships can bring in hundreds of millions.

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10. The Kindness of Strangers

Finally, the most surprising method: other players. Sometimes, just hanging around the Anomaly is enough. Disable and re-enable multiplayer if it seems empty, and eventually, veterans will show up.

Many experienced players drop items worth billions just to help newcomers. You can even use the “Need Resources” emote to signal for help. It’s not guaranteed, but when it happens, it’s the fastest way to wealth.

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Which Method Is Best?

The truth is, there’s no single “best” way. Each method shines at different stages:

• Early game → Salvage Data and S-Class Scanner modules.
• Mid-game → Ancient Bones, Scrap, and Storm Crystals.
• Late game → Crashed Ships and Sentinel Ship farming.
• Anytime → Multiplayer generosity.

No matter which you choose, the key is having fun while exploring the infinite universe.

So grab your multi-tool, scan that creature, and start building the fortune that will carry you to your dream ship.

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