WoW Trading Post Guide: Trader's Tender and Monthly Rewards

Key Takeaways

The Trading Post refreshes on the 1st of every month with a new selection of cosmetics purchasable with Trader's Tender. No real-money purchase required beyond a standard subscription.
You can earn up to 1,000 Trader's Tender per month: 500 from the Collector's Cache (free for active subscribers) and up to 500 more from the Traveler's Log activity tracker.
Unspent Trader's Tender carries over between months, so you can save across multiple cycles for high-cost items.
The Freeze mechanic lets you hold one item past the monthly rotation reset; useful for expensive mounts when you need an extra month to save up.
All rewards are account-wide: any mount, transmog, or pet you buy is available on every character.
Three locations: Stormwind (T&W Trading Post, near The Stockade), Orgrimmar (Zen'shiri Trading Post, next to Grommash Hold), and Dornogal (added in patch 11.0).
The Trading Post has been running unchanged since Patch 10.0.5 (February 2023) and remains fully active in Midnight (Patch 12.0.5, mid-2026).

The sections below cover locations, how to earn Trader's Tender, spending strategies, and the Freeze mechanic.

What Is the WoW Trading Post?

The Trading Post is a permanent monthly cosmetics system added to World of Warcraft in Patch 10.0.5 (February 1, 2023). Each month a new catalog of mounts, transmog sets, pets, toys, and other cosmetics becomes available for purchase with Trader's Tender, a currency earned purely through gameplay. The system introduced during the Dragonflight era has operated without mechanical changes through The War Within and into the current Midnight expansion.

Trading Post Locations

Trading Post tents are available at three locations, each with an NPC vendor and the Collector's Cache chest:

Stormwind: T&W Trading Post, near The Stockade in the Mage Quarter. Alliance NPC: Tawny Seabraid.
Orgrimmar: Zen'shiri Trading Post, next to Grommash Hold in the Valley of Strength. Horde NPC: Zen'kala.
Dornogal: neutral hub Trading Post added in Patch 11.0 (The War Within), serving players based in Khaz Algar.

You must physically visit a tent to claim your monthly Collector's Cache; it does not auto-deliver. First-time visitors receive a one-time bonus 500 Trader's Tender on their initial visit.

How to Earn Trader's Tender

Trader's Tender has two sources each month, with a combined maximum of 1,000:

Collector's Cache: 500 per Month

Every account with an active subscription can claim a Collector's Cache at any Trading Post tent once per month. Opening it awards 500 Trader's Tender. No activities required; just log in, visit a tent, and click the chest. This 500 is your guaranteed floor regardless of how much you play.

Traveler's Log: Up to 500 More

The Traveler's Log lives inside the Adventure Guide (Shift+J) under its own tab. It presents a monthly list of objectives spanning the full breadth of WoW content: dungeon runs, raid boss kills, PvP matches, pet battles, professions, world quests, emotes, and expansion-specific activities.

A progress bar fills as you complete objectives. At every 20% milestone (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100%) you receive 100 Trader's Tender: 500 total across the month. Completing the bar to 100% also awards a bonus cosmetic item (usually a mount, armor set, or pet that rotates monthly). Account-wide: activity completed on any character counts toward the shared bar.

Unspent Tender carries over to the next month; opening a new Collector's Cache does not reset your balance. You can save across multiple cycles for expensive items.

Spending Trader's Tender

The monthly catalog refreshes on the 1st of each month with a fresh selection of cosmetics. Items range from around 30 Tender for small pets or toys up to 800 Tender for premium mounts. Prices by type generally follow this pattern:

Pets and toys: 30-300 Tender
Transmog weapons and armor pieces: 400-650 Tender
Mounts: 650-800 Tender

All purchases are permanent, account-wide unlocks in your Collections tab. If you want to expand your mount collection beyond what Trader's Tender can reach each month, you can also explore our WoW mount farming catalog for rare and raid mount options.

The Freeze Mechanic

If you spot an item you want but cannot afford this month, drag it into the Freeze slot. The Freeze holds that item in your catalog for one additional month past the normal rotation reset. You can Freeze one item at a time; it stays locked until you either purchase it or manually remove it from the slot.

Practical strategy: on the 1st of the month, immediately Freeze any premium mount you want before completing your Traveler's Log. Spend the month farming progress, accumulate your Tender, then purchase the frozen item before the next reset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Trader's Tender carry over between months?

Yes. Unspent Tender rolls over to the following month; it does not expire when you collect a new Collector's Cache. You can save across multiple months to afford high-cost mounts or cosmetics.

Is the Trading Post still active in Midnight?

Yes. The Trading Post has been running since February 2023 with no mechanical changes. As of Midnight Patch 12.0.5 (mid-2026), the same 1,000 Tender per month system is fully active.

Can I earn Trader's Tender without a subscription?

Partially: the Collector's Cache requires an active subscription. Trial accounts can access the Traveler's Log but cannot claim the 500 Cache Tender. A lapsed subscription pauses Traveler's Log progress accumulation.

What is the Collector's Cache?

A chest at each Trading Post tent that awards 500 free Trader's Tender per month to active subscribers. Visit any tent in Stormwind, Orgrimmar, or Dornogal and interact with the chest to claim it.

How does the Traveler's Log work?

Open the Adventure Guide (Shift+J), select the Traveler's Log tab, and you will see the month's objective list. Complete any mix of activities to fill the progress bar. Each 20% milestone awards 100 Tender. Completing 100% also grants a bonus cosmetic. Account-wide; any character contributes progress.

How does the Freeze mechanic work?

Drag one item from the monthly catalog into the Freeze slot to hold it past the rotation reset. Frozen items remain available for one additional month. Only one item can be Frozen at a time.

What types of cosmetics are in the Trading Post?

Mounts, transmog weapons, armor sets, battle pets, toys, and occasionally hearthstone effects. The catalog rotates fully each month, though popular items return in future cycles. The Traveler's Log bar completion reward is always a distinct cosmetic not available for direct Tender purchase that month.

Where is the Trading Post in Dornogal?

The Dornogal Trading Post is in The Foregrounds on the Isle of Dorn, the main hub area of Khaz Algar introduced in The War Within. It operates identically to the Stormwind and Orgrimmar locations and gives access to the same monthly catalog and Collector's Cache.

Last reviewed 2026-06-12 against Patch 12.0.5 Lingering Shadows — Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.