What to spend Navigation Data on?

[Kunyomi]

Came back after a long hiatus and the game is very different.
I've looked through the wiki and see the Nav Data can be traded for charts to specific buildings / outposts etc, but I have no idea which are worth getting maps for.
If it makes any difference I started fresh, I just got a hyperdrive.

Any tips?

[Mr. Bufferlow]

Mainly the stupid maps....I just sell them because I never use the maps. I think they make sense for new players or if you just can't stand the possibility you might not find what you need on a planet by flying low and slow.

I never have any problems finding the buildings I need by just looking out the window.

[Oakshadow]

I always keep a small stack somewhere for when I need to summon my ship at a landing platform. But other than that secure facility maps are probably the most useful. The last patch kind of made them redundant since you can now get the recipes with nanites....But if you don't want to go that route.

Artifact maps are good for finding words and stuff worth a bit of credits. Drop pods will help you get your inventory up faster if you have the mats for them. They'll also help you find portal gates.

Distress signals are hit or miss. You can either win big on finding a ship, or a downed freighter with freighter upgrade modules... or you just find an infested building which are good for nanites.... but not always worth the effort.

The settlement maps aren't all too useful. but if you're looking for quests or a place to offload stuff at a trade hub keeping a couple around isn't the worst idea.

[Herald536]

If you carry around / build a Signal Booster. It'll more or less do the same job. My ND goes straight to the shop...

[Know Won]

Maps are VERY useful, if you rather go right to where u want then fly around aimlessly hoping to find something.
(some must have eagle site or super computers or just being untruthful)

Signal booster is limited to nearby you, will flag building you are standing next to at times, or the one right next to it that you flew by already....

Each map has chance to show multiple diff types of locations. Keep clicking the map till all the types are shown then only go to the one you want and can keep using maps to have that one show up again.

Crashed ships non stop? no problem. Just dont land at the one with pilot canceling its flag and it will stay right there.(scrapped one ship for over 9mil, and endless mods to sell or use) Seen a few S , one exotic so far.

[Lindy Bomber]

Generally I keep a stack of each.

What you buy will depend on your priorities.

Security sites will give you manufacturing centers that you can raid for blueprints.

Destress becon will lead you to crashed ships that you can fix and scrap for units and nanites

Commerical sites will lead you to trade terminals and minor settlements with multi tool cabinets.

Ruins will you to places you can learn words, find relic sites, and portal locations.

These are just the highlights.