Not developing fast enough...

Don't try to compare fleet growth with VL.  They're broken OP right now early-game.

As for VR, you're right, trade ports aren't going to be your main concern until you get the chance.  Instead, focus on gobbling up as many neutrals as possible and using your scouts to capture neutral mines.

I guess, what are you trying to build early on that might be handicapping you?

Territory is more important than economy, ultimately. The length of the trade route is what  determines it's effectiveness, and that's governed by the systems you control.

I think my main problem was that I was focusing too much on the trade ports. Another factor is that I can't micro very well at all, so I don't remember to build defense/labs when I need them.

If I can capture alot of planets, though, how can I get the resources I need to build up the civilian infrastructure so I'm not losing credits?

Civilian infrastructure is certainly something that costs, but you must consider that with every planet, you get tax and resources.  It's better in the long term.

If you're not good at micro, you should probably get to know the abilities better as that should help you out a bit.

Buy the first two Civilian Infrastructure upgrades, that will negate the upkeep costs for the planet immediately, as well as raise the population cap to a comfortable 70-100 (except asteroids, which are capped at one). Between removing the upkeep and taxes from a growing population, you'll recoup the investment fairly quickly (about 5-8 minutes of game time, depending on loyalty). Trade is important later in the game when your empire becomes more far-flung. Advent, who get culture techs early, defer trade, but lose less income to disloyalty. TEC get trade fast, so they can quickly get a thriving trade route going, but building out a trade route is much more costly than planting an early transmitter. Vasari have late access to both loyalty and trade, but their scouts let them dominate neutral resource nodes, which they can sell on the black market to supplement their early credits.

But in all cases, expansion is the lifeblood of your early economic development. Even if you sink a bunch of credits into infrastructure, remember that you're gaining the resource asteroids of the system, and will use those to defray the costs of your expansion, and later, the size of your empire will ensure a robust and efficient trade route. When building your trade route, make sure you don't close a loop that might make it shorter.

Refineries are best used, IMO, to leverage well-placed planets, especially one that is off your trade route, yet adjacent to a lot of asteroid-rich systems.

PS: Just remembered: Don't forget, every planet you conlonize has a certain number of free logistical slots, and the first upgrade is the cheapest. So that tiny asteroid may have cost you 450 credits and 150 minerals to buy off its upkeep penalty, but you get the free logistical capacity with it. So, expand, expand, expand.

Essential technologies in the early game (generally in this order):

• Prototype technologies: corvettes, flak, and LRFs...of the three, Corvettes are the most important and should be gotten ASAP...LRFs are worth considering but generally marginalized in utility in the early game...
• Colonization technologies: unless you have lots of asteroids or desert/terran, you will likely need ice and/or volcanic colonization very early on...
• Special faction technologies: certain factions have a low-level technology that is important to get as early as possible...Truce Amongst Rogues is an example, though there are others...
• Appropriate weapon technology: getting the first upgrade for your early game weapons can help out a lot...these are generally the weapons used on flak and light frigates (though one could make a case for LRF weapons)...note that Corvettes are benefitted by most nearly all the weapon techs...as an example, Advent lasers is great since it helps flak, corvettes, and LFs...
• Structure technologies: what structures to get depends on the faction and how close you are to an enemy...in general, trade should be gotten once you have about 4-5 planets (ideally in a row)...culture is alright for Advent early game since it only requires 2 labs...repair bays are a must for all factions who expect combat soon...
• Additional prototype or special faction technologies: this is the point where you "rush" a certain tech that is extremely important to your strategy...this may be SB mobilization or heavy cruisers or carriers (to counter a Titan) or even your Titan (especially if you are VR)...depends on the faction you are and the state of the game...

From that point on, you are basically researching techs on an as needed basis...most economic techs can be ignored (trade upgrades and terran pop increase are exceptions), and you should focus only on the weapon and defense techs that provide you the most benefit...as an example, plasma or wave cannons aren't good techs to research if you aren't building heavy cruisers...hull techs are excellent early picks for TEC, while their shield techs would be a waste of time...Advent lasers and Vasari PM's are excellent choices since they affect many core ships....

For expansion, use scouts in the very early game to wipe out the krosovs at the asteroid and/or dwarf planet you first colonize...from then on, a combination of corvettes and LFs is the best...the corvettes will be great against everything but the flak, which the LFs can take care...

Expand towards your enemy, scout to see if enemies are approaching, and use repair bays+turrets if you're in a pinch and need to deal with an enemy rush...

One thing you might be missing is that player try and get away with very small fleets in the beginning of the game upgrade there planets fortify a little bit and save money. I try to save about 18k and then upgrade my fleet capacity. Remember that a larger fleet capacity taxes you more heavily. So you can save and then go all out on a fleet that will take forever to replenish. Those gus that have huge fleets early in the game can't afford to lose them or much of them.

Generally speaking I'd advise against saving money...people who invest gain momentum and more economic power...if you are sitting on that much cash, then either you've already won or someone who spent that money on fleet is going to come in and clean you up...

You can always watch reply of the games you play to see what other guys are doing differently than you.

The obvious, amazingly effective, technique that so many people over look.