Starting Atlas Earth can feel overwhelming. You've got Atlas Bucks to spend, parcels to buy, badges to collect, and a boost tier system that punishes you for buying at the wrong time. Here's how to navigate it.
The #1 Mistake New Players Make
Buying parcel 151.
Seriously. Going from 150 to 151 parcels drops your boost from 30x to 20x. That means your rent per second actually decreases until you've bought enough parcels to compensate. You'd need roughly 225 parcels at 20x to match what 150 parcels earned at 30x.
Never cross a [tier boundary](/boost-tiers) unless you can afford to push deep into the next tier.
The Optimal Early Game Path
Based on community analysis, here's the most efficient way to spend your AB:
Phase 1: Build Your Base (0-150 parcels)
- Buy parcels until you hit about 40
- Grab your first badge, just one gives you +5% rent on everything, forever
- Continue buying parcels to 150 (the cap of the 30x tier)
- Stop here and accumulate AB
Phase 2: Lock In Badges (at 150 parcels)
- Buy badges until you reach 31 badges (Passport Level 3, +15%)
- This costs roughly 6,000 AB and gives you a permanent boost that compounds with every future upgrade
Phase 3: Tier Jumping (150-625 parcels)
- Only jump to the next tier when you can afford to fill most of it
- Work through: 220, 290, 365, 435, 545, 625
- At each tier, parcels give more income per AB than badges
Phase 4: Badge Upgrade (around 625 parcels)
- Push badges to 61 (Level 4, +20%)
- At this point, the badge cost vs. parcel cost is roughly equal on ROI
Check the full strategy guide for the complete path through endgame.
Daily Habits That Matter
- Watch your 20 ads. This is the single most impactful thing you do each day. 20 hours of boost vs. 0 is the difference between pennies and fractions of pennies.
- Don't skip SRB events. When a Super Rent Boost hits, make sure your boost is active. The 50x multiplier is the biggest earner in the game.
- Collect badges when traveling. You can buy parcels anytime from your couch. Badges from cities you visit may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
How Much Will You Earn?
It varies wildly based on your setup. Use the rent calculator to plug in your exact numbers. But as a rough guide for typical boosted earnings:
- 50 parcels (30x): ~$0.17/day
- 150 parcels (30x): ~$0.52/day
- 290 parcels (15x): ~$0.50/day
- 625 parcels (7x): ~$0.51/day
Notice how the daily earnings stay roughly flat across tier transitions? That's by design. The real growth comes from SRB events and badge bonuses stacking on top.
Play smart, be patient, and let the snowball build.