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Gold Hoarders is the best all-around Trading Company for most crews, thanks to its immediately understandable treasure-hunting loop and broad fit for exploration. Order of Souls is the strongest pick for combat, Reaper’s Bones suits pirates who want PvP conflict, and Athena’s Fortune is a prestigious late-game goal. Merchant Alliance and Hunter’s Call are rewarding specialties for players who prefer deliveries or a more relaxed, self-directed pace.
This is a ranking by accessibility, variety, progression and play style—not by gold per hour, reputation speed or player popularity. The order changes if you already know which activities you enjoy.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One | $38.87 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Sea of Thieves Xbox One (Renewed) | $30.14 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41RiuntPiNL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Sea of Thieves: Standard Edition – Xbox One [Digital Code] | $35.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Sea of Thieves - Xbox One/PC - Full Game - Key Card | $57.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Sea of Thieves Xbox One | $76.41 | Buy on Amazon |
What are the six Trading Companies in Sea of Thieves?
Rare’s Trading Companies overview lists six core companies: Gold Hoarders, Order of Souls, Merchant Alliance, Reaper’s Bones, Hunter’s Call and Athena’s Fortune. Their voyages and loot give crews different ways to spend a session, from recovering treasure to delivering cargo or hunting other pirates.
Completing voyages or selling loot builds reputation and ranks, which unlock voyages and cosmetics. The Quest Table, introduced in Season 11, lets crews choose a Company and voyage type; Company-themed Raid Voyages and Distinctions also arrived in that update. Those are Season 11 update notes, not a claim that every company has an identical progression path today. The game’s Season 21 launch announcement, dated 17 September 2026, focuses on live events and Custom Seas rather than adding another company.
#1 Best Overall
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare’s irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot. Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Xbox One Console exclusive
- Battery: no battery used;Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Crude humor, use of alcohol, violence
Every Trading Company, ranked
1. Gold Hoarders — best all-around starting point
Gold Hoarders are the easiest company to understand at a glance: find treasure, recover it and turn it in. Maps and chests naturally complement exploration, so the loop fits a wide range of crews and session lengths without requiring a narrow specialty. Rare describes the company as guarding the keys to treasure chests on its official company overview.
Choose Gold Hoarders if you want a straightforward goal that keeps a crew moving around the world. Its broad appeal—not a measured claim that it earns the most—is what puts it first.
Rank #2
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
2. Order of Souls — best combat-and-bounty loop
Order of Souls gives combat-focused crews a clear task: hunt skeletons and sell their skulls. It has a strong identity and purposeful fights without making PvP against other crews the central requirement. That makes it a good fit if you want a more action-oriented voyage but do not want to seek out other players.
3. Reaper’s Bones — best for crews seeking conflict
Reaper’s Bones accepts a broad range of valuables and particularly values broken Emissary Flags. Its official framing centers on taking loot from other pirates, which makes it the most direct choice for crews who want the threat of player encounters to be part of the adventure. The Ships of Fortune overview explains that Emissaries earn more as their Emissary Grade rises through typical Company duties; flying a flag also makes a crew more exposed to opposition.
Rank #3
- Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right.
- Whether you’re voyaging as a group or sailing solo, you’re bound to encounter other crews in this shared-world adventure – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?
Pick Reaper’s Bones for high-stakes, flexible piracy, not for a quiet voyage. The added exposure is a core trade-off, not an incidental drawback.
4. Athena’s Fortune — best prestigious late-game goal
Athena’s Fortune is an elite company tied to Pirate Legends and Legendary Voyages. Its access requirement makes it less useful as a first company to focus on, but gives it an aspirational role for players building toward endgame progression. Rare’s Become a Legend page says Pirate Legend requires rank 50 in any three Trading Companies.
5. Merchant Alliance — best for deliveries and trading
The Merchant Alliance focuses on moving goods: cargo deliveries, sourced commodities, animals and delicate cargo. That makes it a good change of pace for players who like planning a route and completing a delivery rather than following a treasure map or seeking a fight. Its work can feel less immediately adventurous than treasure recovery or combat, which is why it ranks below the more broadly compelling loops.
6. Hunter’s Call — best distinctive niche, least universal fit
Hunter’s Call offers fishing, hunting and cooking for crews who prefer a slower, self-directed activity. It is more than the Seapost fishing faction some older descriptions suggest: Season 15 added Outpost stations, new wildlife, Fishing and Raid Voyages, company loot, Distinctions and Emissary access, according to Rare’s Season 15 overview. Those additions broaden its options, but its specialized pace remains a less universal fit than treasure hunting or combat.
Best Value
- A shared-world adventure game by acclaimed UK developer Rare Ltd. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately)
- Live the essential pirate life in a world rich with Rare's irreverent charm. Sail and fight together, hunt treasure and create your own legends!
- A fantastical world of unspoiled islands, mythical monsters and mouth-watering loot
- Total freedom to decide how you approach the world and its players
- Available on the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PCs. Supports Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform play** (**Play on one device at a time. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10).The Hungering Deep, the first major Sea of Thieves content update landing May 2018, brings with it an exciting new threat to the Sea of Thieves world. Work together with other crews on a completely new adventure with gameplay enhancements and unique rewards.The May kick-off of the Sea of Thieves weekly events programme also introduces fun new ways to play with weekly events and rewards.
How to choose the right company for your crew
- Want an easy-to-read goal and exploration? Start with Gold Hoarders.
- Prefer fighting enemies to hunting other players? Try Order of Souls.
- Want PvP tension and are willing to be more exposed? Choose Reaper’s Bones.
- Building toward Pirate Legend and late-game voyages? Treat Athena’s Fortune as a goal; first reach rank 50 with any three companies.
- Enjoy route planning and cargo objectives? Work with the Merchant Alliance.
- Prefer fishing, hunting and cooking at your own pace? Hunter’s Call is the specialist option.
You do not have to commit permanently to one faction. Selling loot and completing voyages builds reputation with companies, so crews can shift focus as their goals or mood change. If you want an optional risk/reward layer, the Emissary system increases rewards with grade while raising the chance of opposition, a trade-off especially relevant to Reaper’s Bones.
Guilds and the Sovereigns are not extra companies in this ranking
Guilds are player-created groups with shared reputation and Guild Emissary features, not a seventh Trading Company in the official six-company overview. Rare describes them on its Season Ten page. The Sovereigns, meanwhile, provide a place to sell company loot; Season Nine’s official update page also discusses Hunter’s Call items. Neither changes the scope of this company-by-company ranking.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
