How to Increase Inventory and Bank Space in ESO

Running out of inventory space is a constant problem in Elder Scrolls Online. This guide covers every method to expand your bag space and bank storage in ESO, including the major cost reductions introduced in Update 49.

For a full overview of core systems, see the ESO Beginner Guide.

New characters in Elder Scrolls Online start with 60 inventory slots. A fully upgraded character can reach 200 slots through bag upgrades and mount training. Crown Store inventory pets can push this to 215. The bank starts at 60 slots and caps at 240. ESO Plus subscribers double that bank cap to 480.

There are several ways to increase your storage in ESO:

Bag upgrades are character-specific in Elder Scrolls Online. Each new character you create starts at 60 slots and requires its own upgrades.

Starting in Update 49 (March 9, 2026), you can upgrade your bag directly from the inventory screen. A new "Upgrade Bag Space" button appears at the bottom of the inventory UI. You no longer need to find a Pack Merchant.

If you reach level 12 without purchasing any bag upgrades, you receive a free upgrade from 60 to 70 slots automatically.

ESO Bag Upgrade Costs

Update 49 cut bag upgrade costs by nearly 50%. The full upgrade now costs 100,000 gold, down from 179,700.

Pack Merchant Locations in ESO

Pack Merchants still exist throughout Tamriel. If you prefer to visit one in person, here are the locations for each alliance's beginner zones:

Bank upgrades are account-wide in Elder Scrolls Online. You pay once and all your characters benefit. The total cost is higher than character bag upgrades, but you only do it once.

Update 49 reduced bank upgrade costs by nearly 50%. The full upgrade now costs 400,000 gold, down from 768,500. ESO Plus subscribers receive doubled bank space, pushing the maximum from 240 to 480 slots.

ESO Bank Upgrade Costs

Note: Confirmed per-tier bank costs are not yet available. We will update this table with confirmed figures once the patch goes live on March 9, 2026.

To purchase bank upgrades, visit any banker. Select the "Buy Bank Space" option at the bottom of the banking interface.

Riding Training (previously Mount Training) in ESO adds carry capacity on top of your bag upgrades. Each carry capacity upgrade you buy adds three permanent inventory slots to that character. You can invest up to 60 points, pushing your total character inventory from 140 to 200.

For a full breakdown of mount systems including the gold mounts added in Update 49, visit the ESO mounts guide.

Update 49 Mount Training Changes

Starting in Update 49, each training session grants three upgrades instead of one. The Daily Cooldown Timer is unchanged, so you still train once per day, but each visit is three times as effective. This reduces the time to max carry capacity from 60 days to 20 days.

Crown Riding Lessons were not changed. They still grant only a single upgrade per use.

You can check your progress on your mount in your character sheet. This is character-based, so you will have to repeat this process on every character that you create.

Three ESO pets in the Crown Store grant permanent inventory slots to every character on your account. Each costs 1,200 Crowns (sometimes discounted to 960) and adds 5 slots. You do not need to summon the pet to receive the bonus.

You can place storage chests and coffers inside any home you own in Elder Scrolls Online. These function like a secondary bank but must be accessed physically in your house. Items stored in Storage Container are not accessible from crafting stations or through banker assistants.

Storage Containers

All eight containers combined provide 360 additional account-wide storage slots. Each container can be named for organization and placed in multiple houses simultaneously. The contents remain the same regardless of which house you access it from.

Writ Vouchers are earned by completing Master Writs from the Master Writ Vendor. Tel Var Stones are earned in the Imperial City.

ESO Plus subscribers gain access to the Craft Bag, a separate inventory that holds all crafting and style materials. The Craft Bag is account-wide, has unlimited capacity and does not count against your regular inventory in ESO.

Visit our ESO Plus guide for a full breakdown of membership benefits.

Guilds with at least 10 members unlock a shared guild bank with 500 slots in ESO.  Some players create personal guilds and invite friends solely for the extra storage.

This approach is niche and requires maintaining the 10-member minimum to continue depositing items.

Here is a breakdown of the maximum storage available to a single character in Elder Scrolls Online:

Need more gold to afford these upgrades? Check out the ESO gold farming guide.