Should I Buy Star Citizen?
You just played it for free. Now you're wondering if it's worth the money. Here's the unfiltered answer — pros, cons, what state the game is actually in, and who it's genuinely for.
The quick answer
If you had a good time during Free Fly — buy a starter package. Don't go above ~$65. Give it 20 hours before judging it against finished games.
If Free Fly left you cold — don't buy. The paid game is the same game, minus the event ships. Nothing has changed about whether it clicks for you.
If you weren't sure — wait for the next Free Fly. IAE in November is coming, and it's usually the bigger of the two annual events.
What a Game Package actually includes
The minimum purchase is called a Game Package. Starter packages run roughly $45–$65 USD. Here's what that gets you:
- A starter ship
Aurora MR, Avenger Titan, or Mustang Alpha depending on the package. All are capable solo ships. Any ship in the game can be rented in-game with UEC — you don't need to buy additional ships.
- Access to everything in the live game
All star systems, all gameplay loops, all future patches. There is no DLC. Content that ships after you buy is included.
- No subscription
Star Citizen has no monthly fee. You pay once.
- 1,000 aUEC — plus 50,000 UEC if you use a referral code
aUEC is the alpha test currency that wipes between patches. UEC is the permanent in-game currency that carries forward forever. Paste a referral code at signup and you receive 50,000 UEC on top of the starter aUEC — enough for rentals, gear, and ammo from day one.
- Squadron 42 — check your package
The single-player campaign is not included in every starter. Look for the "Squadron 42 combo" package if you want both. It's not required to play Star Citizen.
The honest state of the game in 2026
Star Citizen is in alpha. That word means something real here — not “early access with a PR problem” but a genuinely unfinished product with missing features and rough edges. That said:
What works well
- ✓ Two full star systems (Stanton + Pyro)
- ✓ Space flight and ship combat
- ✓ Mining, cargo trading, bounty hunting, salvage
- ✓ On-foot FPS in stations and bunkers
- ✓ Server meshing — the universe is technically persistent
- ✓ It looks extraordinary
- ✓ Multi-crew gameplay with friends
What's still rough
- – Crashes and server resets happen
- – Some missions are broken at any given patch
- – Performance varies significantly by hardware
- – The new-player experience has gaps
- – Some purchased ships are not yet flight ready
- – Economy balance changes between patches
- – UI/UX is inconsistent across systems
Who Star Citizen is for
You'll love it if you…
- → Enjoy open-world sandboxes with minimal hand-holding
- → Like the feeling of piloting a real spacecraft — controls, physics, fuel
- → Have friends to play with (multi-crew is where it shines)
- → Can tolerate alpha-level jank in exchange for ambition
- → Enjoy emergent stories — the best moments aren't scripted
- → Had any fun during Free Fly and want more of it
You should wait if you…
- – Bounced hard during Free Fly — the paid game is the same experience
- – Need a polished, finished product to enjoy it
- – Play mostly solo and prefer structured progression
- – Are on a tight budget — $45 is real money if you're not sure
- – Want competitive balance — this is not an esport
- – Get frustrated by bugs and instability
How to buy without overspending
This is the most important advice on this page: buy a starter package and stop there. The single most common regret in the SC community is buying a large ship too early. You can earn ships in-game with UEC and try every profession before committing real money.
| Package | Price | Starter Ship | SQ42? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter (Aurora / Mustang) | ~$45 | Aurora MR or Mustang Alpha | No |
| Avenger Titan Starter | ~$55 | Avenger Titan (recommended) | No |
| Combo (game + SQ42) | ~$65 | Aurora or Avenger Titan | Yes |
Prices vary by sale. CIG runs sales around Invictus/DefenseCon and IAE. Never pay above these ranges for a starter.
One thing to do before you click buy
If you've decided to buy, there's one step that costs nothing and gives you real value: use a referral code when you create your account.
Paste STAR-GCQJ-N6NC into the Referral Code field on the RSI signup form. Your account gets credited with 50,000 UEC — in-game currency worth roughly $5 — the moment you log in. It's available even for free accounts; you don't need to buy anything to claim it.
Still on the fence?