Set up trade to sell your surplus goods, generate Regional Wealth, and unlock specialist trade routes only when they pay off. You’ll learn which items require a route and how to use route-based merchants for higher-value exports.
Updated for Major Update #8 (August 27, 2026): Trading Posts now have storage filters for the goods they stock and import, and Major Update #5 raised the import tariff on foreign trades from 5 to 10.
Quick answer
| What | Answer |
|---|---|
| Default trade method | No Trade |
| When routes are needed | Only for major trade items |
| Unlock cost example | 18 silver |
| Good early exports | Basic food and crafting materials |
| Later unlocks | Commodities, weapons, and supplies |
Default trade method: Game menus currently show "No Trade" for basic items, not "Export only". Interface wording may change in patches—use what your game displays for the default status.
Start with normal exports
Most basic goods can be exported without unlocking a dedicated route. This lets you start earning Regional Wealth right away, without spending silver upfront.
- Trader arrives periodically to buy exportable goods 0:30
- Food, construction materials, and early resources sell automatically 0:58
- Income accumulates over time for trade route unlocks 1:56
Export setting is available for most essentials: set any basic surplus to export and it will be sold automatically, as long as traders have demand.
Check which goods need a trade route
Certain goods are marked with "route required"—these cannot be traded by default and instead need a dedicated trade route unlocked before export is possible.
| Item Type | Route Needed? | Export Method | Trade Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food (grain, meat) | No | Normal export | Low |
| Construction materials | No | Normal export | Low |
| Commodities (iron, linen) | Yes | Requires route unlock | Medium–high |
| Weapons & supplies | Yes | Requires route unlock | High |
| Specialty goods | Yes | Requires route unlock | High |
- If the item says "route required," you must unlock the route to sell/export it 0:58.
- Major trade items, commodities, military goods: These cannot be exported with simple settings and need regional route investment.
- Basic exports: Sell naturally through ordinary traders—no route needed.
Watch for the "route required" label in your trading post menu—those goods need extra investment to unlock direct trade.
Unlock a trade route when the item is worth it
You pay Regional Wealth to unlock a dedicated route for higher-value exports. Only buy a route when you regularly produce enough surplus to make the cost worthwhile.
- Button is titled "Route" in the trading menu 1:26
- Cost displayed next to the route button; varies by item and market 1:26
- Investment pays back faster with high-volume or high-value exports
- Early routes are often cheaper; prices rise for additional routes
Prices are no longer hidden behind a route: all values are visible at the Trading Post even without established routes, so you can read what a good would sell for before you pay to unlock it. Foreign trades also carry a higher cost now, because the import tariff was raised from 5 to 10.
Route unlock prices can increase in later game updates or with additional routes—always check your game's current values before spending Regional Wealth.
Regional Wealth is earned from normal exports; use cheap goods to build up funds for unlocking specialty routes.
Use route-based merchants for high value goods
Unlocking a trade route creates a dedicated merchant for the selected item. This has several advantages for players exporting high-value or specialty goods:
- Dedicated merchant arrives to purchase the item, buying all available supply that their budget allows 0:30.
- Trade frequency and volume increase: A route streamlines repeated exports of the same item, letting you sell much larger quantities reliably 1:26.
- Efficient economy scaling: The route system is designed for specialized, high-value goods such as iron, linen, weapons, and supplies 1:56—not basic food or building materials.
Only unlock trade routes for items with consistent surplus—dedicated merchants perform best with steady supply and high value-per-trade.
Stock the trading post and assign horses
The trading post only moves what it holds, so set it up before you expect merchants to pay off.
- Horses are assigned per trading post. Trading Post workers only use horses that are assigned to their own Trading Post, and horses are assigned automatically when they arrive. A trading post can have up to 4 assigned horses.
- Large animals take time to arrive. An ox or horse is bought and brought in from the edge of the map, so expect a delay of a couple of days, and a 30-day timer blocks buying another one right after.
- Use storage filters. Trading Posts have storage filters that control which types of goods they stock and import. Open the advanced tab and switch off goods you would rather keep elsewhere, such as firewood once you have a charcoal kiln turning it into a better export.
- Set a surplus limit and an import rule. Keep a reserve in town (for example, 60 firewood or charcoal) so trade never causes a shortage. If you cannot make a good yourself, such as tools without an iron mine, set an import rule up to a level that keeps your buildings maintained.
- Exports go to the nearest post. Exporting traders now look for the closest available Trading Post in the chosen region instead of picking in order of construction.
A good listed as a major trade needs an established route before you can export it. Charcoal is a worked example: it sells for more than the firewood it is made from, but you must establish its route first.
Also worth knowing
- Bread trade routes don’t create food: Trading for bread does not solve a starving village—routes sell surplus, not generate supply.
- Trade interface is often misunderstood: Players struggled to notice the dropdown arrow in the trading menu. Always expand menus fully to see all options.
- Regional Wealth is not charged per trade: Unlock costs are paid once for the route, not for each export. Ongoing trades use the route freely after purchase.
- Stored goods not removed automatically after export stops: If you stop selling an item, it may remain stocked in your storehouse until manually reassigned or consumed.
- Settlement-to-settlement trading is unclear: Players often ask if goods can be traded between settlements; the current game version may not support it directly.
Frequently asked
How do I set up a trade route in Manor Lords?
Open the trade panel, find the item you want, and set it to export if it is a normal good. If the item says route required, then you need to pay the listed Regional Wealth cost to unlock its trade route first. After that, the dedicated merchant for that route will handle the trade automatically.
Do I need a trade route for every item?
No. Most basic resources can be sold with simple export settings and do not need a route. Trade routes are mainly for special or higher value goods marked route required.
How do I make money before I can afford trade routes?
Sell surplus basic goods first, especially food and crafting materials. That creates steady Regional Wealth over time, which you can then spend on trade routes for more valuable items. It is a gradual unlock system rather than something you need to buy first.
What does route required mean?
It means the item cannot be traded through the normal export setting alone. You need to buy the route with Regional Wealth before that good can be handled by a dedicated merchant.
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