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Part of: Idle Planet Miner beginner guide — first galaxy sale, Mothership rooms, beams, pink asteroids and time warps.

Idle Planet Miner: When to Sell Your Galaxy After the First One

Player question: I have already sold my first galaxy. How often should I sell from now on, and should I keep selling at 12.5M or wait for 100M, 1B or more? (The first sale itself is covered in the beginner guide.)

I like these games and play them myself. Complete guides are hard to find online, so while playing I collect community experience from Reddit, add a little of my own notes, and put this site together—hoping it helps. Thank you.

Quick answer

Recommendation For the most credits, keep selling short galaxies, and raise your sell point as your Mothership gets stronger. Time how long you take to reach 10M, 100M and 1B galaxy value, and sell at the milestone that gives the most credits per minute, or simply sell when progress slows down[1][2][3].

Community Knowledge Most players who discuss the maths agree that shorter galaxies earn more credits per hour, because each tenfold jump in galaxy value adds only a modest number of credits[2][3][4]. Early on that means selling around 10M to 12.5M; once that takes only minutes, players move up to 100M, 1B and beyond[1][2].

Community Knowledge Long galaxies are a fair choice if short loops burn you out. Reported play habits are split roughly in half between selling daily or faster and running a few long galaxies a week around challenges and tournaments, accepting fewer credits in exchange[1][2].

Why do short galaxies earn more credits?

Community Knowledge Credits from a sale grow far more slowly than galaxy value. Each tenfold increase in value adds roughly another 20 to 30 credits[3]. A payout table shared in the same discussion fits that rule: about 10 credits at 10M, 30 at 100M, 60 at 1B and 213 at 1T. Ten times the value bought three times the credits at first, then only twice as many[3].

Recommendation What that means in practice: with payouts like these, one sale at 100M is worth about the same as three sales at 10M. Waiting for 100M only pays off if the climb from zero to 100M takes less time than three separate runs to 10M. Early in the game it usually takes much longer, because growth stalls well before the next threshold[1][3].

Version-sensitive The exact numbers depend on your account. Players report different payouts for the same galaxy value, so compare the ratio between milestones rather than copying anyone's totals[1][3].

Community Knowledge The second reason is compounding. Credits buy Mothership room upgrades straight away, and those make every following galaxy faster, so each run is a little quicker than the last[3][4]. This is also why players stress that the galaxy itself is not the goal: the permanent upgrades are[3].

When should you move past 12.5M?

Community Knowledge None of the players in these threads argues for selling at 12.5M forever. The widely shared view is that the best sell point moves up with your progress. Selling around 10M to 12.5M is the most efficient choice while you are still slow, and it takes a good while before 100M or 1B earns more per hour[1][2]. Once your Mothership lets you reach 12.5M in a few minutes, players start reaching for much higher values[1][2].

Community Knowledge At the middle stage, a common target is 100M, reached in about two hours, with a longer galaxy left running overnight now and then[1][2].

Recommendation A simple way to find your own sell point:

  1. Time your milestones. On a normal galaxy, note how many minutes it takes to reach 10M, 100M and 1B[1].
  2. Work out credits per minute for each milestone, using the credits you actually receive at each one, and sell at the best one[1].
  3. Watch for the slowdown. If the next step needs a long grind, such as crafting for hours to open the next telescope, that is usually the moment to sell rather than push on[1][3].
  4. Re-time after big upgrades. Room upgrades shorten the early climb, which moves your best milestone upward[1][2].

The other way to play: fewer, longer galaxies

Community Knowledge The maths favours short galaxies, but how people actually play is split close to evenly. About half of the players who describe their routine sell daily or faster. The other half run only a few galaxies a week, usually one per challenge plus one for the weekly tournament, often called the 3-2-1 routine[1][2][4]. Their main reasons are burnout and real life: frequent restarts got tiring, or they simply cannot check the game that often[1][2][4].

Community Knowledge A small minority goes further and says deep galaxies can match or beat quick sells on credits, once a galaxy runs long enough to build a sustainable crafting chain and is left to ride[2]. Most players disagree on the numbers, but long galaxies do let you leave smelting and crafting running overnight or while you are busy[1][2].

Recommendation When a long galaxy makes sense: for challenges and tournaments, which run up to 24 and 48 hours, players agree you will play longer anyway[2][4]. Outside events, a middle path some players use is to alternate: do quick runs until you can afford a meaningful upgrade, then enjoy one longer galaxy, and repeat[1][4].

Should you double the sale with Dark Matter?

Community Knowledge Doubling a sale costs 100 Dark Matter[3]. In these threads, more players report doubling their sales than advise against it[1][3]. The players who advise against it say Dark Matter is badly needed for managers, manager slots and modules[3][4]. The beginner guide covers where to spend Dark Matter first.

Quick checks before you sell

← Back to Idle Planet Miner beginner guide · Related: Credit Spending & Mothership Rooms

Community sources

  1. How soon do you sell your galaxy? (opens Reddit) — Community discussion on sell milestones, timing your own runs, and short versus long galaxies.

    u/gymmerchant: “time how long it takes you to get to milestones (10M, 100M, 1B) and from there calculate your credits per minute.” — comment p53x8g4

    u/gymmerchant: “Personally I find that getting to p16 is easy but crafting circuits for next telescope is tedious so I sell at 100M or 1B sometimes.” — comment p53x8g4

    u/StudyLegitimate2550: “Early stages selling at 12.5M is the most credits/hour but indeed quite repetitive. It takes quite some time before 100M or 1B becomes more credits/hour” — comment p4zggfr

    u/RubPuzzleheaded7919: “At lower levels, you need to hit at least 10 million. Selling then or at around 12.5 million is the most efficient way to earn credits.” — comment p51c3eg

    u/RubPuzzleheaded7919: “To maximize credits, you'll want to sell more often” — comment p51c3eg

    u/Aggravating-Pilot583: “Selling at 12.5 is best for time investment to reward.” — comment p50mesu

    u/Aggravating-Pilot583: “I agree though that’s boring as hell. I did that for a little while and I burned myself out” — comment p50mesu

    u/AelixD: “I sell when I need to start a new challenge or tournament. I’ve seem the 12.5 million mark, and it probably is best time/reward point, but sounds tedious.” — comment p4yjekj

    u/Flat-Strain7538: “Those come fastest when I sell at 100M (2 hr), but I’ll let one of those grow overnight to become 1B the next morning.” — comment p4z4x4y

    u/M1sterM0g: “i stopped doing the 12.6 sell and sell at 100 now. takes me about 2 hours but the last half of that is idle crafting so much less constant micromanaging crafters., plus i get 51 vs 19x3 credits so its only a slight downtick.” — comment p5f6kd2

    u/cyberllama: “These days, I only sell a couple of times a week. I take the 'idle' part really seriously :) Early days, I used to have an hour or so selling at 10 mil and then build up as much as I could to leave it smelting and crafting overnight.” — comment p51iad3

    u/TheOneWes: “I like to build up a Galaxy and then sell it making sure I get double credits” — comment p4yt79y

    u/TheOneWes: “because it doesn't take very long once you get decently upgraded to get to 10 million I'll sit there and do that for a little while until I get tired of it and then enjoy my new upgrade bye building up a Galaxy again” — comment p4yt79y

    u/Otherwise-Yak-3773: “If its for farming credits then I have checked which 10^x threshold would yield highest credit/hour” — comment p4zwv3z

    u/Skyler_2000: “I use the double-credit boost—even though many people rightly say it’s not worth it—because it definitely makes more sense for long galaxies with high credit yields.” — comment p53g9zs

  2. How long do you run on average before you sell? (opens Reddit) — Community discussion on run length, the 3-2-1 routine, and the credit curve.

    u/stumblerman: “I usually go for about 30 mins per galaxy. I could make more credits by doing 7 minute runs, but it does become pretty monotonous after a while.” — original post 1w32b6q

    u/Adventurous_Steak837: “3 galaxies a week 2 challenges and 1 tournament.” — comment p6x1l5r

    u/SilverSneakers: “If playing too much burns you out, then it’s safer to sell less often. The unfortunate design of the game and the credits curve however favors shorter galaxies. Especially as you get stronger.” — comment p6xbl4j

    u/brandonct: “the credit drop off for long galaxies is just too brutal to make them worth it.” — comment p6x5gyu

    u/Striker_AC44: “I did that until I got my 12.5 M time down to 4 minutes (hell of a grind).” — comment p77jj6u

    u/Obeezie: “In the span in the week which is close to 3 days I can make more credits getting really deep in then if I was to sell quickly.” — comment p6xfx78

    u/shockingchris: “I'd rather get to a set of crafts that is sustainable (like Glass, Lens, Laser) and let it ride” — comment p6zw604

    u/Htennn: “I use to sell more often, but it got tiring to quickly.” — comment p6x4n9a

    u/Freyas_Follower: “I sell twice a week because i work so much. I let it run for hours at a time” — comment p709igc

    u/DefinitelyNotATheist: “tourney is 2 days” — comment p6x1u0s

    u/DefinitelyNotATheist: “to debris for an overnight galaxy to get t24 when i wake up” — comment p6x1u0s

    u/rahomka: “I try to finish my challenge fast though (currently that's getting 7 stars) instead of letting it run full 24 hours.” — comment p7bbnz6

  3. Selling your galaxy (opens Reddit) — A second-galaxy player asks why selling matters; replies explain diminishing credit returns and Mothership upgrades.

    u/Lauraaaa1: “10m is 10 100m is only 30, so x10 value for x3 credits 1b is only 60, so x10 value for x2 credits. 1t is only 213, so x1000 value for x3.55 credits” — comment pcm4wgw

    u/Fontaigne: “You get another 20-30 points for every 10x value.” — comment pcnpna4

    u/Striker_AC44: “The time it takes you to restart and get back to your "galaxy slow down point" (the point where you really stop making meaningful progress) is usually less than the time it takes to make it to the "next threshold".” — comment pcmj91r

    u/M1sterM0g: “the galaxy isnt important, its the ship upgrades that are.” — comment pcncdqq

    u/sebkraj: “A good rule of thumb is to sell once it slows down. Like if you need to farm for 6 hours just to open up next telescope for example then you should probably sell.” — comment pcvf3xo

    u/Is_it_really_though: “I wait til I've got 100 dark matter to double my credits when selling.” — comment pcw054i

    u/Lauraaaa1: “spending 100 DM on doubling credits is the absolute worst you can do, you need so, so, so much DM for modules, managers(only buy the 500DM managers!)” — comment pcyda5i

  4. Credits as a new player? 1 long play or man shorts? (opens Reddit) — A newer player compares one long run with several short ones; replies explain why short runs still win on credits.

    u/tedlassoloverz: “for credits, shorter is usually better. keep the longer runs for challenges and tournaments” — comment p19gm5v

    u/FortColors: “1) money makes credits slower the bigger scale you get” — comment p1avai4

    u/FortColors: “2) you can invest credits to make yourself stronger immediately. if your first short run takes 2.5 hours then maybe the third run takes 2.4 hours etc” — comment p1avai4

    u/brzooz: “it takes 48h for tournament and 24h for challenge” — comment p19gvlk

    u/nithrean: “Others do a few galaxies a week, one for tournament, two for the medal thing that comes up. It is a good way to play.” — comment p19ieat

    u/rotten_tbag: “I like to do quick runs till I get a decent upgrade then do a long run and repeat until it’s time for a challenge or tournament” — comment p2ap6mj

    u/kpick210: “Don’t ever pay to double, keep expanding your manager slots.” — comment p1h5ke4

Evidence: public r/IdlePlanetMiner threads, each post and comment id checked against the Arctic Shift archive. Claim classes defined on this site: Observed Game Fact, Community Knowledge, Recommendation, Version-sensitive. Used on this page: Community Knowledge, Recommendation, Version-sensitive.