Making Money

This page serves as a central hub for information about earning ISK (Interstellar Kredits), the primary in-game currency of EVE Online. There are many different ways to make ISK, ranging from combat to industry, exploration, trade, and beyond. This page provides an overview of key income sources, tools, and general guidance for players seeking to improve their financial position in-game.

Overview

EVE Online offers a wide variety of opportunities for players to earn ISK. Income activities vary significantly in terms of required skills, starting capital, time investment, and risk. Some methods are relatively passive and low-risk, while others are high-effort but potentially more profitable. Most players earn ISK through a combination of activities depending on their interests, available time, and in-game goals.

Major Income Sources

Below are the broad categories of ISK-making activities in EVE Online:

• Missions – Earning ISK through PVE combat missions from NPC agents.
• Exploration – Scanning down cosmic signatures to find relic/data sites, wormholes, or combat anomalies.
• Mining – Harvesting ore, gas, or ice for sale or industry use.
• Industry – Manufacturing items from raw materials, including ships, modules, and ammunition.
• Planetary Industry – Passive income generation from planetary colonies.
• Trade – Buying and selling items for profit via regional and inter-regional markets.
• Hauling – Transporting goods between locations for personal or contracted payment.
• Abyssal Deadspace – High-risk, high-reward PVE activity for up to 3 pilots with time-limited arenas.
• Incursions – Group PVE content involving the defeat of Sansha Nation forces for significant rewards.
• Ratting – Combat-focused income from killing NPC pirates, often in nullsec or anomalies.
• PvP – Income gained from looting player wrecks or ransoming player assets (e.g. in wormholes).
• DED Sites and Escalations – Special high-value combat sites with potential rare loot.

Starting Out

New players may wish to begin with activities that have low skill and ship requirements:

• Level 1–2 missions
• Highsec combat or data/relic exploration
• Venture mining in asteroid belts
• Career Agent missions (tutorial chains)
• Distribution missions (low-risk hauling)

These provide early ISK while introducing key game mechanics, but they are low ISK making activities. So you should move on from these once you have the skills and experience.

Skill and Capital Requirements

Different income sources have varying entry barriers:

• Low Skill / Low Capital: Highsec mining, level 1 missions, data sites, courier contracts
• Medium Skill / Medium Capital: Abyssal sites, relic sites in nullsec, level 3–4 missions, small-scale trading
• High Skill / High Capital: Incursions, industry chains, nullsec ratting, T2 manufacturing, large-scale hauling

While some methods are relatively passive (e.g. Planetary Industry), others may require frequent interaction or participation in fleets.

Risk vs Reward

Generally, activities in more dangerous space (lowsec, nullsec, wormholes) offer higher potential profits, but also come with increased risk of PvP and ship loss. Many income sources also vary over time depending on market conditions and game changes.

Tools and Resources

The following tools and sites can assist with income generation:

• Janice – Estimate the value of loot or inventory
• Eve Tycoon – Trade and industry profitability tracking