Top 10 Best Ways to Make Money in GTA 5 Online

Money is a crucial asset in most of the games, and in GTA 5 online, it is the most important thing. With money, you can buy properties, customize and acquire vehicles, purchase weapons and ammunition, pay for utility and daily fees, participate in jobs and heists, and much more!

This article lists the top 10 ways to make money in GTA 5 online, as recommended by our GTA 5 experts. 

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#10: Night Club Business

The nightclub business in GTA Online is one of the most lucrative businesses you can set up, but it can also be quite complex. Although it's not recommended for beginners, it's definitely worth the effort and initial investment, since it allows you to earn millions of dollars passively while you focus on other businesses. That's why it's ranked number ten on our list.

The introduction of Nightclubs in GTA Online came with the After Hours DLC in July 2018. Following the release of the Expanded and Enhanced version of GTAV/O on the next generation of consoles in 2022, the payouts for Nightclub business activities were increased.

It's possible to earn more passive income in GTA V by changing DJs every two in-game days than by selling your Nightclub Warehouse every 20 real-life hours. 

#9: Time Trials

Time Trials are an excellent way to earn money in GTA Online. Rockstar Games offers three unique jobs that players can complete on their own. These are free-mode events, which occur at predetermined locations on the map. The events are as follows:

• Normal Time Trial
• RC Time Trial
• HSW Time Trial

In each race mission, players are required to compete against the timer. The objective is to reach the finish line before the timer runs out, starting from the initial point. If the players successfully complete the race, they will receive rewards from Rockstar Games. From Time Trials, you can earn anywhere from $100,000 to $250,000 per race completion

#8: Agency Security Contracts

The Contracts DLC for GTA Online introduced a property called The Agency. This is especially beneficial for newer players as it provides quick access to lucrative money-making opportunities. To start the Dr. Dre missions and VIP contracts, players must first purchase The Agency property.

Completing all the VIP contract missions can yield over $1 million in earnings, making it a highly profitable endeavor. Additionally, the Contracts DLC features Payphone Hit missions, which serve as an excellent supplementary way to generate income while waiting for passive businesses to generate revenue or during cooldown periods.

These Payphone Hit missions are relatively quick, typically taking 8-10 minutes to complete. By fulfilling the bonus requirements, players can earn an additional $70,000 on top of the base payout of $15,000, resulting in a total potential earning of $85,000 per Payphone Hit mission.

#7: Gunrunning/Motorcycle Club

Passive earning capabilities of businesses in GTA Online may not appear exceptional at first glance, but they offer a true advantage. These businesses produce products that can be sold at a profit while you engage in other money-making activities elsewhere in the game.

To maximize your passive income streams, it's recommended to invest in a Bunker for the Gunrunning business or a Motorcycle Club and a Cocaine business. These businesses operate by converting supplies into sellable products over time, even when you're not actively participating.

You can either purchase supplies or steal them, but purchasing supplies is often the more efficient strategy from a time-versus-money perspective. Once you've acquired supplies, the business will automatically convert them into products that you can sell at a profit whenever you're ready via dedicated sell missions.

However, it's crucial to monitor your stock levels and sell frequently, especially if you're playing solo. Allowing your stock to accumulate excessively will result in sell missions that require multiple players, making them challenging for solo players to complete successfully.

By striking a balance between actively participating in lucrative missions like VIP contracts and Payphone Hits, while simultaneously maintaining passive businesses that generate product in the background, you can establish a consistent and substantial income stream in GTA Online. With this method, you can make $80k per hour.

#6: VIP Work

For players who are dedicated to earning a lot of money in the game, it is important to maximize their playtime. VIP Work is an excellent way to do this. After starting an organization as a VIP or CEO from the Interaction Menu, players can choose from various free-roam missions to complete by selecting "VIP Work". These missions are a great way to fill gaps between other activities such as vehicle exports, and can boost hourly earnings. While solely focusing on VIP Work may not yield the same profits as other methods, these missions act as solid filler jobs to keep the income stream flowing.

Notable VIP Work missions that players should consider are Headhunter, Hostile Takeover, and Sightseer. Although they may not be the most lucrative options when pursued exclusively, their true value lies in complementing other money-making activities, ensuring players continuously generate revenue during their playtime. It’s important to note that you can make around $150k per hour using VIP Work.

#5: Hangar 

The Hangar business has become a top money-making method in GTA Online, which may surprise some players. This is due to the release of the San Andreas Mercenaries DLC, which made significant improvements to payouts. The Hangar business can now be completed solo as part of the San Andreas Mercenaries content, streamlining the process and making it more profitable. 

Buying a Hangar property also allows players to store their aircraft and assign a warehouse technician to the business through their Nightclub. This enables the passive accrual of goods for the Nightclub business, separate from the Hangar warehouse itself. 

Investing in a Hangar has become a worthwhile consideration for players seeking to diversify and maximize their money-making opportunities in GTA Online. With the revamped Hangar business, players can earn more money and streamline the process, making it a good investment.

#4: Payphone Hits

After purchasing an Agency property and completing three Security Contracts, players will unlock access to a new mission type called Payphone Hits. These missions can be initiated either by answering a randomly encountered ringing payphone or by calling Franklin to request a hit, which will then guide you to the nearest payphone location via a map marker.

The base payout for each Payphone Hit mission is $15,000. However, players can earn an additional $70,000 by fulfilling the bonus objectives, which significantly increases the profitability of these missions. It's important to note that there is a 20-minute cooldown period after completing a Payphone Hit. This cooldown mechanic allows players to effectively carry out two of these missions per hour, while utilizing the remaining time to engage in other money-making activities.

#3: The Diamond Casino Heist

The Diamond Casino Heist continues to be a popular and profitable option for players. Although it requires some time and effort to set up and prepare, especially for those who are new to it, experienced players can speed up the process by using faster transportation like the Oppressor Mark II.

The main draw of the Diamond Casino Heist remains its potential for substantial payouts. On the standard difficulty setting, skilled crews can earn a minimum of $10 million upon successful completion. For those looking for a bigger challenge and payout, the Hard mode variant offers the potential for an impressive $11 million score.

Considering the significant rewards, the initial investment of time and effort required for setup is a worthwhile trade-off. The Diamond Casino Heist gives players an opportunity to improve their heisting skills and tackle the preparatory phases with increasing efficiency over time.

Thanks to its accessibility, massive payouts, and potential for practice, the Diamond Casino Heist proves to be one of the most rewarding and long-lasting money-making ventures in GTA Online.

#2: Special & Vehicle Cargo

The Special and Vehicle Cargo missions can be highly profitable for players who prefer to play solo in GTA Online. However, to get started with these missions, you need to make an initial investment in an Office and warehouses. 

For Vehicle Cargo missions, you need to source 10 standard or mid-range cars first, and then every subsequent source will yield a top-range car. You can continuously export the top-range cars, while sourcing new ones between the export cooldowns.

Although the initial investment can be costly, this efficient sourcing and exporting cycle can generate substantial hourly earnings for solo players, allowing them to recoup their investment quickly. Moreover, players can engage in other activities between cargo runs, which further maximizes profitability.

#1: The Cayo Perico Heist

The Cayo Perico Heist is the most profitable and efficient money-making method in GTA Online. 

It offers up to $4 million for a team of 4 players or $2.6 million for solo players who aim for the Panther Statue target. The heist takes only 7 minutes to complete and has easy setup missions. 

Moreover, players can earn the lucrative Elite Challenge bonus while playing solo, making it the best option in terms of time investment versus potential payout. The heist is seamlessly scalable from solo to co-op play, which cements its position as the premier heist for maximizing earnings.

What is the best way to make money in GTA 5?

Based on the list above, The Cayo Perico Heist is the most efficient and profitable method of making money in GTA 5.

Heists in GTA 5, in general, can be a great source of income for players. With careful planning, strategy, and execution, players can earn millions of dollars with each successful heist. However, it is essential to note that heists are also high-risk activities that require skill, and patience to complete successfully.

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