GTA Online money methods, ranked by $/hr
The real, current ways to make money in GTA Online, ranked by net $/hr for solo play. Set your capital, weekly playtime, and risk, and the calculator sorts every method and builds your business buy order. Cayo Perico still tops solo income at roughly $1M per hour, but the right setup depends on your bankroll.
Getting ready for GTA 6? It launches Nov 19, 2026. See the GTA 6 planner →Drives weekly income + projection.
Methods above this are dimmed.
Income methods, ranked
Free| # | Method | Net $/hr | Startup | Payback | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cayo Perico Heist Heistactive | $1.1M | $2,200,000 | 2.0 h | medium |
| 2 | Auto Shop Robbery Contracts Businessactive | $350K | $1,670,000 | 4.8 h | medium |
| 3 | Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid Hustleactive | $350K | Free | — | medium |
| 4 | Salvage Yard Robberies Businessactive | $200K | $1,450,000 | 7.3 h | medium |
| 5 | Vehicle Cargo (Import / Export) Businessactive | $160K | $1,500,000 | 9.4 h | medium |
| 6 | Agency (Security Contracts + Payphone Hits) Businessactive | $150K | $2,010,000 | 13.4 h | low |
| 7 | Special Cargo (Crate Warehouse) Businessactive | $130K | $2,900,000 | 22.3 h | medium |
| 8 | Acid Lab Businesssemi-passive | $95K | $1,000,000 | 10.5 h | low |
| 9 | Hangar Smuggling (Air Freight Cargo) Businessactive | $80K | $2,085,000 | 26.1 h | medium |
| 10 | Bail Office Bounty Hunting Hustleactive | $80K | $1,650,000 | 20.6 h | medium |
| 11 | Cocaine Lockup (MC) Businesssemi-passive | $74K | $2,300,000 | 31.1 h | medium |
| 12 | Bunker (Gunrunning) Businesssemi-passive | $60K | $2,300,000 | 38.3 h | medium |
| 13 | Methamphetamine Lab (MC) Businesssemi-passive | $51K | $2,100,000 | 41.2 h | medium |
| 14 | Nightclub (Passive Income) Passivepassive | $50K | $1,700,000 | 34.0 h | low |
| 15 | Time Trials + Daily Objectives Hustleactive | $50K | Free | — | low |
| 16 | Counterfeit Cash Factory (MC) Businesssemi-passive | $48K | $1,500,000 | 31.3 h | medium |
| 17 | Money Fronts (Car Wash network) Passivepassive | $42K | $1,500,000 | 35.7 h | low |
| 18 | Diamond Casino Heist Heistactive· above risk | $750K | $1,500,000 | 2.0 h | high |
| 19 | Doomsday Heist (Act 3) Heistactive· above risk | $300K | $1,250,000 | 4.2 h | high |
| 20 | Public Lobby Sell Runs (+50% bonus) Businessactive· above risk | $160K | Free | — | high |
| 21 | Casino Gambling (Lucky Wheel + tables) Investmentactive· above risk | $30K | $500 | 0.0 h | high |
Empire Builder
Pro| Buy order | Cost | Net $/hr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Acid Lab | $1,000,000 | $95K | 10.5 h |
| 2.Counterfeit Cash Factory | $1,500,000 | $48K | 31.3 h |
12-week net-worth projection
with Cayo Perico Heist · 10h/weekHow these numbers work
Startup costs and the payout figures below are exact, documented in-game values, verified June 2026 (patch 1.72). Net $/hr is computed from those payouts and realistic solo cycle times, assuming private lobbies, supplies bought, and no 2x event week. No activity has a single fixed $/hr in the game, it depends on how you play, so a skilled grinder beats these and a casual one trails them. The weekly 2x events on Thursdays can roughly double specific methods. Sources cross-checked across GTA Wiki, GTABase, gtaboom, Sportskeeda, and community payout calculators.
Every method, full breakdown
Real costs and payouts for all 21 methods, sorted by net $/hr. Use the calculator above to filter these by your capital, playtime, and risk.
Cayo Perico Heist
The best solo money in the game. A clean solo run with Bearer Bonds or Pink Diamond plus cocaine/gold secondaries nets roughly $1.0M to $1.4M. Replan from the Kosatka to fish for a better target.
Diamond Casino Heist
Big gross, but one of the only heists where you lose money taking damage, it can fail, and the finale needs 2 or more players. Lower risk-adjusted return than Cayo for solo grinders.
Auto Shop Robbery Contracts
The robbery contracts with Sessanta and KDJ are the money maker, not the customer car jobs (which pay little). One of the strongest solo earners after Cayo.
Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid
Free to run with no setup property. The best early bankroll before you can afford the Kosatka. Fill the cooldown with other activities.
Doomsday Heist (Act 3)
Dated and group-only with lengthy setups. Mostly for completionists or the Mastermind bonus, not efficient solo income.
Salvage Yard Robberies
High $/hr while running the robberies, but the weekly cap of three limits sustained income. Pick the high-value robbery and plan the approach.
Vehicle Cargo (Import / Export)
Sell standard and mid-range cars first so only top-range cars source, which keeps every export near $100k. Cannot be raided by NPCs or players.
Public Lobby Sell Runs (+50% bonus)
Selling product in a populated public lobby adds a 50% bonus, but other players can blow up your cargo and wipe the entire sale. Only do it when the lobby is genuinely empty or use a solo public session.
Agency (Security Contracts + Payphone Hits)
Every activity is solo and low risk. The catch is the cooldowns. The Dr. Dre VIP contract is a one-time $1M, then security contracts are the repeatable income.
Special Cargo (Crate Warehouse)
Buy crates three at a time to save time and money. Sourcing 111 crates solo is slow, but it is excellent during 2x event weeks and with technicians now helping source.
Acid Lab
Cheap, mobile (it is a truck), and low delivery stress. The best return on investment of any business and the right first major purchase for most players.
Hangar Smuggling (Air Freight Cargo)
Historically weak margins, buffed a little by the Higgins Helitours link from Money Fronts. Mostly worth it for aircraft storage and Nightclub cargo integration, not raw profit.
Bail Office Bounty Hunting
Consistent and solo friendly, a fun gameplay loop more than a top earner. Capture targets alive for the full payout.
Cocaine Lockup (MC)
The most profitable MC business at $74k/hr fully upgraded. Sell in small batches solo, or just own it and let it feed your Nightclub.
Bunker (Gunrunning)
Solid semi-passive base. Manage supplies remotely from the Arcade. Sell in the city, not Blaine County, for the better payout.
Methamphetamine Lab (MC)
The second-best MC business. Place it in Grand Senora Desert near the cheap Cocaine Lockup and Clubhouse to chain sell missions.
Nightclub (Passive Income)
The best true passive income. Technicians accrue product from your other businesses with no supply runs. You need to own those businesses (Cocaine, Meth, Cash, Cargo, Bunker) to hit the top rate. Set it and forget it.
Time Trials + Daily Objectives
Quick free money to layer on top of your main grind every session. Watch a route video for the time trial, it pays the same for a 1 minute run.
Counterfeit Cash Factory (MC)
A cheaper MC business with decent margins. Best owned to feed the Nightclub rather than run on its own.
Money Fronts (Car Wash network)
Newer 2025 laundering businesses (Car Wash, Smoke on the Water, Higgins Helitours) that drip passive income. Run legit jobs to keep the Heat mechanic from shutting them down.
Casino Gambling (Lucky Wheel + tables)
Pure variance. The free daily Lucky Wheel spin is always worth taking, but blackjack, roulette and poker lose money over time. Treat any winnings as luck, not income.
GTA Online money FAQ
What is the best money method in GTA Online right now?
The Cayo Perico Heist. It is fully soloable and pays roughly $1.1M to $1.9M per run on a ~90 minute cooldown, which works out to about $1M net per hour, more than anything else in the game.
What is the best solo money method?
Cayo Perico for the big payouts, with the Acid Lab producing in the background and the Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid or Agency work to fill the cooldown. That rotation is the fastest solo income in 2026.
What is the best passive income in GTA Online?
The Nightclub. Once you link your businesses, its technicians accrue product with no supply runs and a full warehouse sells for around $1.7M, plus about $50k popularity income. It earns while you do other things.
What should a beginner buy first?
The Acid Lab. It is cheap to unlock through the First Dose missions and has the best return on investment of any business. Fund it with the free Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid, then work toward the Kosatka for Cayo Perico.
How much money can you make per hour in GTA Online?
With an efficient Cayo Perico rotation, roughly $900k to $1.3M per hour. Over a longer session with a full rotation, $1.8M to $2.6M is realistic. Passive businesses add income on top while you play.
Does GrindMap cover GTA 6?
Yes. This page uses live GTA Online data. GrindMap also has a GTA 6 money planner that runs on pre-launch estimates now and switches to real, verified data when GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026.