Arc Raiders Best Budget Loadout Guide

Best Budget-Friendly Loadout for Arc Raiders

Updated: December 18, 2025

Introduction – Who This Budget Loadout Is For

Not every Arc Raider enters the field with a fully min-maxed, endgame weapon setup. Many players struggle through their first few raids, lose gear repeatedly, or simply want a cheap, low-risk loadout that lets them stay competitive without spending rare materials or top-tier components. For beginners—or anyone caught in a cycle of bad luck—high-cost loadouts often lead to frustration, especially when losing everything on a single death.

This guide focuses on the best budget-friendly loadout in Arc Raiders: a setup that is cheap to craft, easy to assemble, and reliable enough to get you through early encounters without feeling severely underpowered. While these items won’t match the performance of the top-tier arsenal, they provide enough value, stability, and comfort to keep you alive and able to secure loot—even after consecutive failed raids or low-gear restarts.

Budget gear in Arc Raiders plays a crucial role for:

• New players still learning the game
• Raiders who recently wiped and lost their main loadouts
• Players who want a safe, low-commitment setup
• Anyone aiming to loot quickly and extract without prolonged combat

The items recommended in this guide prioritize accessibility, low crafting cost, consistent performance, and minimal risk if you lose them. They are chosen because they help you stabilize your progression, rebuild your stash, and avoid the feeling of being completely outmatched. Before we continue, it’s important to clarify that this budget loadout is not designed for extended raids or aggressive PvP engagements. With low-cost gear, your main focus should be looting efficiently, staying mobile, avoiding unnecessary risks, and extracting early. Players running budget setups typically aim to gather resources, farm easy targets, and safely exit rather than challenge heavily armed opponents.

Core of the Loadout

When putting together a budget-friendly loadout in Arc Raiders, the biggest impact always comes from the weapons you choose. Consumables, shields, and containers are important, but their exact selection depends heavily on availability, personal preference, and how much risk you’re willing to take on each run. Weapons, however, define your ability to defend yourself, secure loot, and survive unpredictable encounters.

For this guide, we recommend a two-weapon combination that delivers exceptional performance for the cost, is extremely easy to craft and upgrade, and works reliably in both PvE and PvP—Il Toro and Ferro.

1. Il Toro – Your Close-Combat Workhorse - Il Toro is one of the best low-budget close-range weapons in Arc Raiders. It has strong stopping power, excellent ease of use, and remains effective even without high-tier attachments. Its cheap crafting cost and simple upgrade path make it ideal for players who are rebuilding their stash or entering raids with minimal resources.
2. Ferro – Affordable, High-Range Versatility - Ferro fills the mid- to long-range role perfectly. It’s accurate, stable, and performs well in both PvE clearing and emergency PvP situations. Together with Il Toro, Ferro gives you a complete engagement spectrum—close-quarters defense and reliable reach for safely picking off threats. It’s also one of the cheapest weapons to upgrade, offering great value early on.
3. Stitcher – Great, but More PvP-Oriented - Stitcher is another standout weapon, but it leans more toward PvP-focused players. Its damage profile and handling make it extremely strong in the right hands, but it’s slightly less forgiving for beginners or players who prefer avoiding combat. Still, it’s a fantastic option if you want to experiment with a more aggressive playstyle.
4. Kettle – A Solid, Cheap Mid-Tier Alternative - Kettle sits nicely in the middle as a budget-friendly, mid-tier weapon that offers dependable performance. It’s easy to craft, has cheap upgrades, and works well for players who want something reliable without committing to a PvP-heavy setup.

Below, you will find four weapon containers with the detailed breakdown of each recommended gun.

Battle Rifle Common

Ferro

A reliable mid- to long-range battle rifle known for stability and consistent performance.

Weapon Stats

Ammo:Heavy Ammo

Magazine Size:1

Firing Mode:Break-Action

Armor Pen.:Strong

Damage:40

Fire Rate:6.6

Headshot Mlt.:2.5×

Range:53.1

Stability:72.8

Agility:32.1

Stealth:8

Weight:8.0

Shotgun Uncommon

Il Toro

A powerful close-range shotgun favored for its burst damage and easy crafting path.

Weapon Stats

Ammo:Shotgun Ammo

Magazine Size:5/6/7/8

Firing Mode:Pump-Action

Armor Pen.:Weak

Damage:67.5

Fire Rate:14.3

Headshot Mlt.:1.0×

Range:20

Stability:80.6

Agility:61.1

Stealth:18

Weight:8.0

SMG Common

Stitcher

A fast-firing SMG ideal for close-quarters PvP, offering strong burst potential.

Weapon Stats 

Ammo:Light Ammo

Magazine Size:20

Firing Mode:Full Auto

Armor Pen.:Very Weak

Damage:7

Fire Rate:45.3

Headshot Mlt.:1.0×

Range:42.1

Stability:45.3

Agility:73.8

Stealth:19

Weight:5.0

Assault Rifle Common

Kettle

A dependable mid-tier assault rifle with cheap upgrades and balanced performance.

Weapon Stats

Ammo:Light Ammo

Magazine Size:20

Firing Mode:Semi-Auto

Armor Pen.:Medium

Damage:10

Fire Rate:28

Headshot Mlt.:1.0×

Range:42.8

Stability:69.8

Agility:58.5

Stealth:26

Weight:7.0

Other Recommended Items

To support this loadout, you only need a lightweight, reliable set of consumables and defensive tools. Since our goal is fast looting and early extraction, we prioritize mobility, survivability, and utility over raw combat strength.

1. Looting MK I (Recommended) - Cheap, effective, and perfect for low-budget runs. Since the goal is to loot and leave, this provides extra inventory value with minimal investment.
2. Combat MK I (Alternative) - Use this if you anticipate PvP or expect to encounter tougher enemies. Helpful for players who replace Il Toro or Ferro with more combat-focused builds.
3. Light Shield - Our recommended option—light, fast to recharge, and perfect for quick getaways. Medium shields are a valid choice but cost more and slow you down slightly.
4. Shield Rechargers - Bring one or two depending on your budget and expected raid length. Cheap, flexible, and lifesaving when things go wrong.
5. Adrenaline Shot (Very Important) - A staple for budget players. This drastically increases your escape potential, and stamina management is often underestimated. Adrenaline makes disengaging from fights significantly safer.
6. Gas Grenades - Excellent for both defense and offense. Gas grenades can block off choke points, cover retreats, or flush enemies out of cover. One of the most useful utility items at this budget.
7. Bandages - Bring a couple of bandages to patch yourself up quickly. Extremely cheap and necessary for survival during early engagements.

Final Words

This budget-friendly loadout will continue to evolve as new patches, balance changes, and weapon adjustments arrive in Arc Raiders. We will update this guide regularly to ensure it always reflects the current meta and remains useful for beginners, returning players, and anyone rebuilding after tough raids.

In the future, we also plan to publish specialized loadouts tailored for advanced content—such as endgame activity builds, PvP-focused kits, map-specific strategies, and optimized setups for high-risk/high-reward raids. If you're interested in staying up to date with the latest Arc Raiders tips, guides, and economy updates, be sure to check our website regularly or follow our social media profiles for new content.

All the weapons and items mentioned in this guide—along with many others—can be safely bought or sold for real money on the Odealo marketplace, where verified sellers offer fast and secure trading options for Arc Raiders players. You can browse available offers here: Arc Raiders Marketplace

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Embark Studios or their corresponding owners.