Making money in GTA Online changed a lot in 2026. Title Update 1.73 cut base payouts on most heists and added a bigger bonus for the first time you finish each heist in a week. The game is also split on PC between the Enhanced and Legacy versions, and that affects what you can play. This guide covers what actually earns well right now and how to plan your week around it.
The short version
- Start every week with the first-completion bonuses. Run each heist you own once after Thursday’s reset.
- Check the weekly update for 2X and 3X modes and do those next.
- Use Cayo Perico for steady solo money after that.
- Keep passive businesses running in the background so you earn while you do everything else.
Enhanced vs Legacy: what’s different for money
On PC, GTA V comes in two versions. The Enhanced edition is the newer build and matches what PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players get. The Legacy edition is the older PC build. For money the big gap is Hao’s Special Works: HSW vehicle upgrades, HSW time trials and the weekly HSW Premium Test Ride are only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC Enhanced. Your progress carries over when you move from Legacy to Enhanced, so if you’re still on Legacy and grinding seriously, it’s worth switching.
Weekly bonuses from Rockstar apply across platforms, but always check that an activity exists on your version before you plan around it.
1. First-completion heist bonuses (best money per hour)
After Update 1.73, your first finish of each heist per week pays a lot more than repeat runs. Most heists get a 1.5x first-run multiplier. The Kortz Center Heist gets a much bigger one, which is why it has become the best single score in the game for players who own a Mansion and Art Studio.
The plan is simple. After the Thursday reset, run each heist you own one time. Repeats still pay, but less, so once you’ve used your first runs it’s usually better to switch to something else than grind the same heist on loop.
- Kortz Center Heist: the strongest weekly one-off, with primary targets that rotate every Thursday. The entry cost is high since you need the Mansion and Art Studio.
- Cayo Perico: still the best heist for repeated solo runs. It’s cheap to start with the Kosatka and you can do it alone start to finish.
- Diamond Casino, Doomsday and the classic heists: do each once a week for the boosted first payout.
2. Weekly 2X and 3X modes
Rockstar boosts different activities every Thursday. Some weeks these beat everything else, especially on modes that pay a fixed amount per run like Survivals, Bail Office targets or Dispatch Work. Check the GTA Online weekly update before you start, and if something you already own is on 2X or 3X, put it near the top of the list.
Weekly one-time bonuses are also free money. A finale bonus or Weekly Challenge often pays GTA$100,000 to GTA$500,000 for something you might do anyway.
3. Cayo Perico for steady solo money
Cayo Perico is still the go-to grind when you’ve finished your weekly first runs. You can do the whole thing solo, the setup is quick once you know the island, and the Kosatka submarine is the only property you need. Learn one route, use the drainage tunnel for a quiet entry, and grab secondary loot like gold if you see it. A clean solo run is short once you know it.
4. Passive businesses
Businesses won’t make you rich alone, but they stack. Run them while doing heists and you get a second income on top.
- Nightclub: fills with goods from your other businesses. Keep technicians on the high-value stock and sell when it’s full.
- Agency: its safe fills over time and Security Contracts pay well for short jobs. The Contract finale often shows up as a weekly bonus.
- Acid Lab: cheap to start and good for low-level players.
- Bail Office and Salvage Yard: newer businesses with weekly rotating targets and robberies that are worth checking each Thursday.
5. If you’re starting from zero
New players can’t afford a Kosatka or Mansion right away. In that case:
- Do whatever pays 2X or 3X this week, especially Survivals and races.
- Run contact missions and Dispatch Work for early cash.
- Save for the Kosatka first. It pays for itself quickly through Cayo Perico.
- Join other players’ heists. You don’t need to own the property to get a cut.
- If you have GTA+, check its monthly perks and boosted payouts.
A sample weekly routine
- Thursday: read the weekly update and claim any one-time bonuses.
- Run each heist you own once for the first-completion bonus, Kortz Center first if you have it.
- Do the boosted 2X or 3X modes.
- Sell nightclub stock and collect your Agency safe.
- Fill the rest of your time with Cayo Perico.
FAQ
What’s the fastest way to make money in GTA Online in 2026?
Running every heist you own once after the Thursday reset, starting with Kortz Center if you own it. After that, Cayo Perico is the best repeatable solo option.
Is Cayo Perico still good after Update 1.73?
Payouts dropped, but it’s still one of the best repeatable solo grinds because it’s fast, cheap to start and doesn’t need other players.
Does Enhanced pay more than Legacy?
Payouts are the same, but Enhanced has HSW content and the HSW test rides, which Legacy doesn’t.
Short on time? Get the money without the grind.