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Data and Calculation Methodology

StardewProfit turns game values into planning estimates. This page explains what the calculator counts, what each ranking leaves out, and how to decide whether a result applies to your farm.

By StardewProfit Editorial Team Reviewed Game version 1.6

What the crop calculator measures

The main calculator uses seed cost, crop sale value, first-growth time, regrowth time, the number of days available, quality assumptions, and selected profession bonuses. It simulates every harvest that fits in the chosen window rather than dividing one sale by one growth cycle.

The primary comparison is gold per day. Total profit is still shown because a high daily return can be a poor plan when it produces too little cash for the upgrade or festival purchase you are targeting.

Core calculation sequence

  1. Determine whether the first harvest fits inside the selected number of days.
  2. For regrowing crops, add every additional harvest that fits after the first one.
  3. Apply the selected crop-quality value and relevant profession multiplier.
  4. Subtract the seed investment used by that planting plan.
  5. Divide the resulting profit by the planning window to produce gold per day.

A crop that cannot mature before the season ends is not credited with a future harvest. This is why a day-limited result can differ sharply from a full 28-day season ranking.

Direct sales and artisan goods are separate decisions

Seasonal crop tables default to direct crop sales unless the page says otherwise. Kegs and Preserves Jars introduce a second constraint: machine time. A higher output price is not automatically better if your harvest waits in a chest for weeks.

Use the crop calculator to choose a crop, then use the Keg vs Preserves Jar comparison to route the harvest through the machines you actually own.

Important limits

  • Travel time, watering time, luck, food buffs, and player execution are not converted into gold.
  • Festival access, shop availability, and unlock requirements can make a mathematically strong crop unavailable.
  • Seed Maker output is random, so its pages use planning averages rather than guaranteed results.
  • Greenhouse and Ginger Island plans use a longer horizon because they do not share the normal season deadline.
  • Game updates can change values or availability; individual save conditions always take priority.

How pages are reviewed

Data-backed pages use the shared crop dataset and calculation library instead of copying numbers into each article. Strategy pages are reviewed for internal consistency: the stated days left must match the crop growth window, processing recommendations must acknowledge machine capacity, and links must lead to a working calculator or a more detailed guide.

When an estimate is simplified, the page should state the simplification next to the table. Corrections can be reported through the contact page. Include the crop, page URL, game version, and the value you believe needs review.

Editorial and ownership disclosure

StardewProfit is an independent fan-made tool. It is not affiliated with ConcernedApe. Guides are written to explain a reproducible decision, not to present one universal play style as mandatory. Automated tools may assist development, but published calculations are tied to the shared data and code paths described above.

See About StardewProfit for the project purpose and Disclaimer for the limits of the information provided.