There are a ton of spaceships to get your hands on in Starfield, loads of very cool rides to buy and/or steal from your enemies. However, stealing stuff can be hazardous to your health at the best of times, and buying stuff, well...it costs money.
However, if you'd like a very nice ship for free at an early stage of the game, we know exactly where to find one. Let's have a gander.
Starfield: How To Get A Free Ship Early In The Game
Very early in the game, during "The Old Neighborhood" main campaign mission, you'll pick up a note entitled "Secret Outpost!" Read this note in your inventory and you'll be given a quest to go find The Mantis at their lair.
You can find the note in the Nova Galactic Staryard, it'll drop from an enemy there randomly, as well as randomly during The Old Neighborhood from one of the first enemies.
This is a fairly short quest that requires a little bit of shooting and the solving of one puzzle, the solution to which you can find here. Once you've blasted your way through it all you'll find yourself in the Mantis Lair, a sort of a big Batcave that's well worth exploring for some right nice loot.
Alongside a few guns and other bits and bobs, you'll also get your hands on the Mantis Suit and, more importantly, the Razorleaf ship, which is a bit of a belter.
In the early game it's difficult to afford these sorts of things, so make sure to nab that note in The Old Neighborhood Quest and immediately set off to complete this standout quest with one of the sweetest rewards in the game. Don't leave this particular side quest sitting in your log!