Cutlass Black vs Freelancer MAX: Flexibility or Freight Space?
A versatile Drake workhorse meets the cargo-focused Freelancer: which one suits the jobs you actually enjoy?
A Cutlass Black can tempt almost anyone who wants one ship for a mixed night in Star Citizen. It has a cargo hold, a gunner’s position, pilot weapons and a tractor beam, wrapped in unmistakably Drake bodywork. The Freelancer MAX makes a more specific offer: keep a crew-capable ship, but devote far more of it to carrying freight.
This comparison concerns the Freelancer MAX, not the standard Freelancer. The MAX’s 120 SCU hold is the reason to put it beside the Cutlass Black’s 46 SCU. If cargo has become your main occupation, that difference can be more valuable than another small improvement to a ship you already like.
The MAX earns its name in the hold
The MAX carries 74 SCU more than the Cutlass Black: a little over two and a half times its nominal capacity. Its wider cargo-focused hull is designed to accommodate freight and equipment, with vehicle carriage also part of its role. Exact vehicle fit still depends on dimensions and clearance; a total SCU figure does not describe the shape of a ramp or doorway.
For a dedicated hauler, that extra space can keep more jobs within reach. For someone who takes a delivery between other activities, it may simply be space they seldom use. The MAX is most convincing when the cargo itself is the reason you are leaving the hangar.
| Details | Cutlass Black | Freelancer MAX |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo | 46 SCU | 120 SCU |
| Listed crew | 3 | 4 |
| Length × width × height | 37.5 × 26.5 × 11.5 m | 38 × 34 × 9.5 m |
| Pilot guns | 4 × Size 3 | 2 dual Size 3 mounts |
| Gunner position | Manned turret | Manned turret |
| Tractor beam listed | Size 1 remote | None |
| Status | Flight ready | Flight ready |
Drake leaves more room for a change of plan
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The Cutlass Black’s mix of 46 SCU, four pilot-controlled Size 3 guns and a manned turret is easy to understand. A friend can contribute from the turret while the pilot flies, and its remote tractor mount gives it another useful tool for moving cargo. The ship’s three-person crew listing describes its accommodation and operating positions; it is not a claim that three people are compulsory for every outing.
That flexibility is the Cutlass’s strongest argument. You might head out intending to move cargo and finish the evening supporting friends instead. It does not carry the MAX’s load, but a mixed-use ship does not have to win a freight comparison to be the better fit for its owner.
Taking a friend, or taking a larger load?
The MAX has quarters for up to four and a manned turret, so choosing freight does not mean choosing a solitary cockpit. Its two dual Size 3 gun mounts also give the pilot four guns. Those mount descriptions are easy to misread: two dual mounts should not be mistaken for only two weapons.
Both ships can make room for company. The more useful distinction is what the group intends to do together. A crew that enjoys transport work has a clear reason to favour the MAX’s hold. A crew whose plans regularly move between freight and combat has a clear reason to favour the Cutlass’s general-purpose arrangement.
Neither conclusion depends on pretending that a cargo ship is a dedicated fighter. A turret is helpful, but it does not erase the responsibilities of carrying freight or turn every fight into a good idea.
Our choice for each kind of pilot
- Freight first: the Freelancer MAX offers the more compelling step up in capacity while retaining an enclosed interior and room for friends.
- A varied session: the Cutlass Black is the more natural choice when cargo is one part of your game rather than the whole plan.
- Already happy with a Cutlass: move to the MAX because you need the freight space. Do not expect a larger hold to improve the parts of the game that never use it.