Progression guide · Updated August 30, 2026 · Early Access

Sandustry Research Order: Best Unlocks & All Costs

The best first research in Sandustry is Shaker (20 gold) — it is the only door into the Gold economy, and Gold buys every other research. Follow it with Logistics (30), Hover (50) and Filter (250), then branch toward Flamethrower and the Kinetic Press for the second-stage gold loop. The full official cost table is below so you can plan every purchase before you spend.

One rule above all: research is paid in Gold, but gated by your Factory Level — higher tiers unlock as you hit performance milestones, so a fat Gold pile cannot skip the ladder. Fund the pile with the first gold factory and keep the Shaker troubleshooting checklist handy when output stalls.

The recommended order, step by step

STEP 1 · 20 GOLD

Shaker

Unlocks the Shaker, which separates Gold and Residue from Wet Sand. Nothing else matters until Gold exists — this is the first purchase in every run. Our first gold factory guide covers the build.

STEP 2 · 30 GOLD

Logistics

Unlocks Conveyor Belts (horizontal only) and Launchers (vertical and diagonal). The moment your Shaker output needs to travel, buy this.

STEP 3 · 50 GOLD

Hover

Unlocks Hover mode (Space bar): float in place and phase through structures. Widely considered the most important quality-of-life unlock in the game — buy it before anything else optional.

STEP 4 · 100+ GOLD

Map, Flare Gun, Sprint Boost

Map (100) unlocks the map and minimap; Flare Gun (150) lights dark areas; Sprint Boost (200) adds a speed boost on Shift. All pure quality of life — order them by how much you are exploring versus building.

STEP 5 · 250 GOLD

Filter

Unlocks the Filter: a belt-like block with Allow and Block settings that sorts solids. The moment your lines carry mixed materials, this stops being optional.

STEP 6 · 400-500 GOLD

Flamethrower & Kinetic Press

Flamethrower (400) burns Residue, melts Ice and vaporizes Water into Steam that rises and becomes rain. Kinetic Press (500) turns Burnt Residue into more Gold plus Seeds — the second stage of the gold economy.

Full research cost table (official wiki)

Tier 1

Shaker 20 · Logistics 30 · Hover 50 · Map 100 · Flare Gun 150 · Sprint Boost 200 · Filter 250

Tier 2

Flashlight 600 · Conveyor Portal 750 · Sweeper Drones 800 · Thermal Buffer 1000 · Cryoblaster 1000 · Flamethrower 400 · Burner Belt 500 · Kinetic Press 500

Tier 3

Activity Heatmap 700 · Clearing Frame 1000 · Fluids (Pump/Pipe/Liquid Vent) 1250 · Gun 1500 · Aerokinetic Fan 1500 · Planter Box 2000 · Pyro Dispenser 2000 · Vacuum 2000 · Digger Drone 2500

Tier 4

Corraller 1250 · Advanced Filter 1500 · Rocket Launcher 2000 · Logistics Mk.2 2500 · Recon Drone 2500 · Drying & Condensing 2500 · Hauler Drone 3000

Tier 5

Energy Siphon 1000 · Energy Connector 1000 · Florinol Battery 1500 · Flux Emanator 2000 · Copper Mold 2000 · Snowmaker 2500 · Drill 2500* · Smelter 3000 · Void Rift 3000 · Steam Turbine 3000 · Locator 3000 · Recall Shard 4000 · Laser 5000

Tier 6

Synthesizer 7500 — uses Energy to convert one material into another

*Drill additionally requires the Rocket Launcher and Florinol Battery; Copper Mold requires the Smelter and Florinol Battery. All costs in Gold, transcribed from the official wiki's Research page.

Research FAQ

What should I research first in Sandustry?
Shaker (20 gold) — it is the only way to turn Wet Sand into Gold, and Gold is the currency for every other research. Then Logistics (30) for Conveyor Belts and Launchers, then Hover (50) for the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade in the game.
How does research work in Sandustry?
Research is the tech tree: you spend Gold (and later Energy or Auralite) to unlock buildings and tools. Higher tiers are gated behind your Factory Level, which rises as you hit performance milestones, so you cannot rush late unlocks by grinding Gold alone.
What is the best research order for the mid game?
After the Tier 1 essentials: Filter (250) to sort mixed piles, Flamethrower (400) to burn Residue and vaporize Water into rain, Kinetic Press (500) to reprocess Burnt Residue into more Gold, then Sweeper Drones (800) and Fluids (1250) for pipes and pumps.
How much does the Steam Turbine cost?
3000 gold, in Tier 5. It provides automated power generation and is the natural endpoint of the water-steam production line — see our water and steam guide for the full loop.

Next guides

Water powers half this tree — the water & steam guide covers pumps, rain loops and the Steam Turbine. Hard walls in your way? Crackstone explained. New to the game? Start with the beginner guide.

Verification sources