Mounts in Build An Ant Empire are one of the most misunderstood systems in the entire game. On paper, riding a giant ant across your colony sounds amazing — but the Build An Ant Empire best mounts conversation is more complicated than most players expect, because training a mount permanently removes that ant from your workforce. Before you hand your rarest worker to the mount training NPC, you need to understand exactly what you're giving up and what you're getting in return.
This guide breaks down how the mount system works, which ants make the best candidates, and whether a mount is even worth your time in October 2026.
How Mounts Work in Build An Ant Empire
Mounts are a traversal feature that lets you train one of your ants to carry you around the map. The system is simple on the surface, but it comes with several permanent consequences that catch new players off guard.
Here's the full process:
| Step | Action | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find the mount training NPC | Located in the main colony area |
| 2 | Choose an ant to sacrifice | The ant is removed from your colony permanently |
| 3 | Start the training process | Training can succeed or fail |
| 4 | Equip your mount | Ride it for a modest speed boost |
The most important detail: the ant you hand over is gone either way. According to the official beginner documentation and player reports, whether the training succeeds or fails, you cannot use that ant in your colony again. There is no refund, no take-back, and no second chance. If your training fails, you've lost a worker for nothing.
That makes ant selection the single biggest decision in the mount system.
Why Mount Speed Matters Less Than You Think
Here's the uncomfortable truth about the Build An Ant Empire best mounts discussion: the speed benefit is minimal.
Community testing and beginner guides consistently report that mounts are only slightly faster than regular walking speed. We're not talking about a dramatic sprint or a game-changing dash — it's a marginal improvement that shaves seconds off trips across your colony.
Compare that against the game's built-in teleport:
| Traversal Method | Speed | Cost | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Baseline | Free | Always |
| Mount | Slightly faster than walking | One ant (permanent) | After successful training |
| Nest Teleport | Instant | Free | Button at top of screen, always available |
The teleport button at the top of the UI undercuts most of the mount's practical value. If your main reason for moving around is returning to your nest to collect food boxes or sell at the Sell station, the teleport does that instantly — and for free.
What Actually Makes the Best Mount Candidates
Since the speed difference between mounts is negligible, the "best" mount isn't about stats — it's about minimizing your losses. The smart play is to sacrifice an ant you can easily replace, never a valuable one.
Ranking Ants as Mount Fodder
| Ant Rarity | Mount Suitability | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Common | Excellent | Cheap to replace via Ant Queen egg rolls; zero real loss |
| Uncommon | Good | Still affordable to replace with early-game Cash |
| Rare | Risky | Begins cutting into your food production value |
| Epic | Poor | Significant production loss; better served with Potions |
| Legendary+ | Never | These are your money-makers; losing one is a major setback |
| Mutated ants | Never | Mutations multiply food value — keep them working |
The core principle of Build An Ant Empire's economy is that your ants determine the value of the food they produce. Every ant you remove from your colony directly reduces your passive Cash income. A Common ant producing baseline food is easy to replace with a single egg roll from the Ant Queen — making it the ideal mount candidate.
The Mutation Rule
If an ant has a Mutation, do not train it as a mount, no matter how tempted you are. Mutations apply efficiency multipliers and additional effects that compound over time. Community consensus is clear: a mutated ant is always worth more producing food than trotting you around the map.
Should You Even Bother With a Mount?
Let's be honest about the value proposition. Based on how the systems interact, here's a straightforward cost-benefit breakdown:
| Factor | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Speed gain | Marginal — barely faster than walking |
| Teleport alternative | Free, instant, already available |
| Cost | One ant, permanently |
| Risk | Training can fail |
| Cosmetic/fun value | High — riding an ant is genuinely entertaining |
Our recommendation: treat the mount as a late-game luxury, not a priority. If you're having fun and swimming in Cash with a colony full of high-rarity workers, sacrifice a Common ant and enjoy the ride. If you're still grinding through early colony expansions and every Cash unit counts toward egg luck upgrades, skip the mount entirely for now.
Your upgrade priority order should look like this:
- Egg luck and egg roll upgrades — cheapest and highest impact early
- Colony slots and expansion — more ants means more income
- Food value and ant speed upgrades — scales your economy
- Potions for Mutations — expensive but powerful, save for top ants
- Mount training — pure luxury, last on the list
Using Cash Boosts to Fund Your Empire
If you do want a mount alongside a fully upgraded colony, you'll need serious Cash income. Promo codes are the fastest free boost available. As of early October 2026, the working code 9hcb2s grants a 15-minute Cash Boost (per GameRant's updated Build An Ant Empire codes list).
To get the most from a Cash Boost:
- Activate it while workers are actively hauling food — the boost multiplies payouts in real time, so a boost running while you idle in a menu is wasted time
- Spend the burst immediately on upgrades you were already planning, like colony slots or egg luck
- Redeem codes quickly — the previous code (xn287hx) already expired, and new ones rotate frequently
You can redeem codes by opening the game, tapping the Settings button, and pasting the code into the box inside the Settings menu. Join the official Insect Kingdom studio group for the earliest code drops, and check back after every game update.
Mount Training Success: Tips From the Community
Because the training process can fail, players have developed some informal strategies around it. Note that these are player experience and community reports, not confirmed mechanics:
- Train in bulk-purchase windows. Roll extra Common eggs from the Ant Queen before attempting training so a failure costs you little.
- Never train your only ant. Keep at least one active worker producing food while you experiment.
- Don't chase "success rates." No publicly confirmed data indicates that ant rarity, Mutations, or upgrades affect training success — treat it as a coin flip and budget accordingly.
- Re-check your colony after training. If your mount training succeeded, verify your remaining colony layout and replace the lost worker immediately to keep income flowing.
Since developer documentation on exact success rates is limited, treat any specific percentages you see online with skepticism. The only guaranteed facts are: training can fail, and the ant is consumed either way.
Final Verdict on Build An Ant Empire Best Mounts
The Build An Ant Empire best mounts strategy ultimately comes down to this: use a Common ant, expect a small speed gain, and treat the whole system as flavor rather than function. The teleport button handles serious traversal, your rare ants handle your economy, and your mount handles the fun factor.
Ride into your empire on a disposable Common ant, keep your Mutated workers producing, and your Cash income will thank you.
FAQ
How do I get a mount in Build An Ant Empire?
Take an ant from your colony to the mount training NPC and hand it over. The training process can succeed or fail, and the ant is permanently consumed regardless of the outcome. The NPC is located in the main colony area.
What are the Build An Ant Empire best mounts?
Since mounts offer only a slight speed boost over walking, the best mount is whatever Common or Uncommon ant you can cheapest replace. Community reports indicate mount speed doesn't scale meaningfully with ant rarity, so never sacrifice a Rare, Epic, Legendary, or Mutated ant.
Is a mount worth it in Build An Ant Empire?
For pure efficiency, no — the free nest teleport button is instant and undercuts the mount's utility. The mount is best viewed as a cosmetic luxury for late-game players who can easily afford to replace the sacrificed ant.
Does mount training always succeed?
No. The training process can fail, and per the game's mechanics, you lose the ant either way. Roll extra Common eggs from the Ant Queen beforehand so failures cost you almost nothing.