Starfield Where To Sell Survey Data Best Vendors And Locations

Posted on 13 October 2026 | 38
News

Surveying uncharted worlds in Starfield offers spacefarers a rewarding way to explore the cosmos while building up a healthy reserve of credits. Completing a full planetary survey generates digital data slates in your inventory that can be traded to specific buyers throughout the Settled Systems. Knowing which vendors offer the highest payout ensures you never settle for lower profits on your hard-earned planetary research.

Selling to Vladimir Sall on The Eye

The premier buyer for general survey data in Starfield is Vladimir Sall, located on The Eye orbital station above Jemison. Vladimir offers the highest baseline payout for survey slates regardless of the planet's atmospheric conditions or inhabitability.

To offload your research to Vladimir, dock with The Eye and select the specific dialogue option regarding survey data. He maintains a substantial credit pool, making him ideal for selling multiple expensive planet surveys in a single visit.

Selling Habitable Planet Data to Phil Hill

For surveys covering habitable worlds, Phil Hill represents another specialized buyer worth seeking out. Found at the Broken Spear bar in Cydonia on Mars, Phil works on behalf of the League of Independent Settlers.

Phil pays top credit rates specifically for data slates belonging to planets capable of supporting human life. However, he will outright reject survey data gathered from harsh, airless, or uninhabitable celestial bodies.

Trade Authority Vendors and Kiosks

When traveling to remote systems without fast access to Vladimir or Phil, players can sell survey data at Trade Authority kiosks and merchants. These vendors are located across major settlements including New Atlantis, Akila City, Neon, and Cydonia.

While convenient, Trade Authority merchants generally purchase survey slates at significantly discounted rates compared to specialized buyers. It is often better to hold onto your survey slates until you can dock at The Eye. You can read more about game guides and resources on during your galactic journey.

How to Maximize Profits from Survey Data

To maximize the credits received from planetary data, investing points into the Commerce skill lowers vendor price margins across all transactions. Higher skill ranks allow you to earn substantially more credits for every fully scanned solar system.

Additionally, prioritizing science skills like Astrophysics speeds up the scanning process before ever setting foot on a surface. Scanning all flora, fauna, and traits completes the survey note required for sale.