Any good alternatives to this game?

[Kildia Zesified [Sachiko]]

I am looking for games that are similar to this one, but single player and without always on DRM. Which are the best around here that fulfill that criteria?

[Bullpup]

X4 Foundations, the flight model is a little worse and there's no replica Milky Way but you can build a business empire with 'functioning' economy going from ore that you mine all the way to personal shipyards. You can have a fleet of ships piloted by NPCs (or jump in the helm and take direct control of any at any time) that can be led into fleet battles RTS style. The interface was a little un-user friendly last time I played but this may have since been improved.

[ShelLuser]

So, I have a few issues with your question... first I don't think it's polite to ask a specific game community to suggest competing products, maybe it's just me but I think it's rather offtopic. After all: we pretend to know about E.D. here, not the competitors ;) But.. just my 2 cents.

Second; I think you're misinformed. Having to be online has nothing to do with DRM, it's simply the nature of this game: no matter your gamemode you're always playing in the same multiplayer universe which obviously means that you need to be online in order to play. Every players actions can have some kind of effect on that universe. Heck, having to be online (at least once in a while) is also a Steam requirement itself so.... yah, IMO a weird argument.

Having that out of the way... the best single player game which comes close to this one that I can think of is Microsoft's Freelancer. A dated game for sure, but still fun to play IMO.

[Daddy O]

Everspace is sorta Elite Dangeous Lite.
More shoot 'em up, easier to jump right in, similar format space exploration
House of the Dying Sun is also something to consider.

No Man's Sky practically IS Elite Dangerous.

[Han McNes]

Space Invaders!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opru6qPsPa4

Sorry, just kidding.....

[Lupus]

Locked as off-topic.