GTA Online guide: best missions for RP and cash
Want to earn maximum RP and cash while having fun in GTA Online? Here's a growing walkthrough and guide to the best Missions in GTA 5.
Best GTA Online Missions for RP and cash
This is a living document that we'll update over the coming weeks and months with more Missions. Bookmark this page and come back for more shortly...
The basics
Before we get started let's go over some of the basics. Always play Missions in co-op with other team members. Headsets will make it a lot easier than playing with silent strangers, and you'll bag more RP and cash rewards for playing with others. Most of these jobs require at least two people anyway.
You get more RP for playing with Friends, and even more if you're playing with other Crew members. Some Missions can be done solo at a push, but you won't get the most out of them in terms of rewards, Rank and fun.
All of the following have been played with Crew members who are also Friends and we've cranked the difficulty up to Hard for max payout. There's no exact science to the amount of RP and cash you receive for completing a Mission so the RP and $ we've noted below will vary (and we've rounded them down to the nearest $10). The amount of cash and RP awarded also depends on the time spent completing the job - the longer you spend on a job the higher the reward.
Remember that the first time you complete a mission you'll get double the RP for it. But only the first time.
We're also going to assume you're taking these on with standard, decent weapons. You should always start a mission wearing armour and packing plenty of ammo and a few explosives.
A Boat in the Bay
Unlocks at: Rank 50
RP reward: 2,900
Cash payout: $15,700
Players: 1-4
A Boat in the Bay sends you to the very top of the map to grab a boat full of coke for Trevor, which you then need to take to a jetty in the Alamo Sea.
The first set of enemies are on the beach. As you approach use the high ground near the picnic area to pick them off using sniper rifles. Once those are down, head onto the beach and you'll come across a bunch of enemies near some rocks. If you have explosives or grenade launchers, target their vehicle for multiple kills.
Now advance forward and use the rocks and burnt out wreckage as cover to take out the bigger group at the very top of the beach. Again, hit their vehicles to take down more than one at a time or use scoped rifles to pop them from afar. There's a lot of enemies here using crates for cover so take your time. Be careful not the blow up the boat on the shoreline.
Once the area is secure, you need one person to pilot the speed boat and at least one more to sit in the other seat and shoot. If you have a Buzzard attack chopper this part becomes a whole lot easier, as the pilot can escort the boat to the jetty.
Out on the sea you'll be attacked by one speed boat and one helicopter. The boat isn't a massive problem, but the helicopter has a sniper in it. Anyone on the boat should target the sniper (don't worry about taking out the chopper, just the guy with the gun) and the armed guy in the boat.
Following the yellow marker you'll see you have to pilot the boat up the river into the Alamo Sea, which means going headlong up three sets of rapids. At the same time you'll be attacked by enemies on the sides of the canyon and the overhead bridges. This is where someone with a Buzzard makes the Mission a whole lot easier.
Without a chopper, have the pilot of the boat focus purely on getting up the rapids and keeping the boat in the water - it can be easy to bounce it out onto the rocks where it will get stuck or worse, explode. You'll probably lose any players who are standing in the boat as they get tossed overboard but don't go back for them. Remember you only need one person to finish the mission to reap the rewards. Once you get to the Alamo Sea it's all done - pilot it to the jetty and you're golden.
Sinking Feeling
Unlocks at: Rank 55
RP reward: 2,200
Cash payout: $21,000
Players: 1-4
You need to snatch two SUVs filled with explosives and drop them off at Lester's warehouse but this job isn't as easy as it first appears.
The majority of this job is underground so forget using anything other than cars and bikes. It's also in a confined space so you'll need to use cover and ease off on the explosives - you don't want to blow up your targets.
Head through the tunnel (it's quite a way) until you get to the corrugated iron ramp, then leave your vehicles. Down the corridor take out a couple of guards, then advance a little more for a shootout in a Metro station. There are enemies around the escalator and building equipment so use good short-range weapons like the Combat Shotgun. Be careful of the Metro train that comes through often. Over the other side of the tracks you'll see the two SUVs.
Once you've dealt with everyone here get in the SUVs, where you'll drive them down two tight circular tunnels. Before reaching the end of the second tunnel get out and creep close to another construction area. This is the only spot in which someone should break out the grenade launcher and blow up the two vehicles up ahead, and the enemies surrounding them. There's not a lot of space here so don't drive into the area in the SUVs. If you use explosives, wait for the flames to die out before taking the SUVs through and out the tunnel onto the freeway.
It's now a short drive to Lester's but you will be attacked by another 3 or 4 vehicles. You can either try and outrun them or stop as soon as you see their red circles appear on the minimap, take cover, and shoot it out with them. Drop the SUVs at the warehouse to complete the mission.
Next: Fuelling the Flames, Cleaning the Cat House and A Titan of a Job.
Best GTA Online Missions for RP and cash
Fueling the Flames
Unlocks at: Rank 20
RP reward: 2,300
Cash payout: $15,700
Players: 1-4
All you need do here is steal a tanker for Trevor and get it to a local gas station.
This is a simple and easy job provided you've got stacks of ammo and use cover wisely. It's easier if you split up and approach the tanker location from different angles. Feel free to use the high ground behind the parking lot rather than taking the direct route.
Shoot all the Lost gang members. There's a fair few of them, and as you take most of them down more will appear on bikes. The good new is you can usually kill them before they've had a chance to put their kickstands down.
Be careful not to blow up the truck, as you need to attach it to the oil tanker. If you do accidentally nuke it, you can get another from a layby a little further down the road. Once all the Lost are dead, take the tanker to the gas station. Don't accidentally drive it into a gas pump! You're done.
A Titan of a Job
Unlocks at: Rank 26
RP reward: 2,750
Cash payout: $14,900
Players: 1-6
You'll need to steal a Titan transporter from Los Santos airport and deliver it to Sandy Shores airfield. It can be tough, but piloting the Titan over the city is pretty special.
First you need to break into the airport. Use a fast car and the ramps at either side of the main entrance to launch yourselves over the fence. Drive over the runway to the Merryweather Security hangar but hang back a little. Get your sniper rifles out and take down all the security you can see. These guys are well armed.
Once those lot are dead, drive closer and use your car for cover as you pick off the rest of security. There are enemies inside the hanger, around the truck in the center of the hanger, around the containers and the portacabin, and some outside of the warehouse.
When you've taken the majority down, one of you needs to get inside the truck and move it out the way so the aircraft has a clear takeoff. The rest of the crew should pick off the last security on the inside elevated walkways. Once you all get in the Titan, put your foot down, ignore any more spawning security and take off over the city.
Now it's just a case of landing it safely at Sandy Shores and the job is complete.
Cleaning the Cat House
Unlocks at: Rank 45
RP reward: 2,580
Cash payout: $13,600
Players: 1-4
Martin Madrazo wants you to rescue a girl being held at the abandoned motel in the desert. There are two ways to do this.
The easiest way is to steal a chopper from any airfield, hospital or cop shop. It doesn't need to have weapons fitted - any Maverick will do the job. You can find a list of helicopter locations here. Fly to the motel and land on the roof, where Anna will climb up to meet you and get in the chopper of her own accord. You can get out and take down some of the Lost in the parking lot if you want, but it's not required. Once Anna is in the chopper, take off and fly back to Martin.
Without a chopper it turns into more of a fight. Drive up to the Motel and kill the Lost in the parking lot. Then head on up to the first floor of the Motel. Be careful as there's lots of rooms for Lost to hide in. Once you get close Anna will find you and you can lead her back to a vehicle. As with any mission against the Lost, be prepared for more to turn up on bikes. They're vulnerable while riding, so take them down quickly. Get Anna back to Martin to complete the mission.
Next: Quarry Quarry, Flood in the LS River and Richmen in Richman.
Best GTA Online Missions for RP and cash
Quarry, Quarry
Unlocks at: Rank 30
RP reward: 3,800
Cash payout: $20,000
Players: 1-4
You need to steal two vans containing explosives from the quarry and deliver them to Lester's warehouse. This is a fairly easy job so long as you take your time and are careful not to nuke the vans yourself.
You can do this job on your own but you'll have to make a return trip to pick up the second van, so make sure there's at least a couple of you on this mission. Close to the quarry, get out of your car and pick off the two guards at the main entrance. Then get a little closer and take up a good sniping position. There's plenty of rock and a small outbuilding to use here.
From your vantage point snipe the guards around the van. There's also some to the right on a higher parking spot, and a couple of snipers on the walkway overhead. Don't be tempted to use any explosives or you'll blow up the van. Once these guys are dead, one of you should grab the van and head on over to the second quarry just over the hill. You could technically take the van to Lester now, but it's not worth splitting the team up.
At the top of the second quarry you're a little bit more open, but use the rocks and vehicle for cover. You have a high vantage point so you can pick off the guards around the second van, but there's also more of them on the dirt track above the portacabin using a car for cover. Don't be tempted to rush the second van, just steadily snipe until everyone is dead.
Now it's just a case of stealing both vans and taking the long drive back to Lester's warehouse and you're home free.
Flood in the LS River
Unlocks at: Rank 5
RP reward: 1,440
Cash payout: $7,500
Players: 1-4
You need to interrupt a deal between The Lost and the Vagos and steal their meth for Gerald. This is an easy and quick early mission that's fun to farm for cash and RP.
Head over to the meeting point at the storm drain, keep your distance and use your car as a shield. From here you can gun down the gang members. They will use their cover but be patient and it's a fairly easy kill. Once they're all dead, grab the meth and get in a vehicle.
If you're driving something really fast you can sprint to Gerald's place and avoid any more shootouts. Just use the entrance to the storm drain to get back on the main roads rather than run around trying to jump out of the storm drain.
If you're not in a fast car or you want to pick up some extra RP, immediately get out of your vehicle and wait for two van loads of gang members to show up. Take them down, then leave the storm drain where you'll be attacked by one more van load of gangbangers. Kill them or outrun them and get to Gerald's spot.
As the big man says himself: "Uh-huh. Yeah."
Rich Men in Richman
Unlocks at: Rank 5
RP reward: 1,660
Cash payout: $10,900
Players: 1-4
You need to repossess two high-end cars for Simeon from Richman Mansion, near Vinewood. This doesn't particularly payout well, but it's good for learning where the best spots are to evade the cops and it's a fun mission to play.
When your crew gets to Richman Mansion you all need to be present in order to hack the keypad and open the gate. As you enter the grounds you'll be shot at by security. There's not a lot of cover so it's not a bad idea to drive into the grounds, grab the vehicles and get out of there.
As you snatch the cars you'll get a three star Wanted rating instantly, and that means a helicopter in pursuit. One of the vehicles is a sports car, which is fine, but the other is usually the Enus Super Diamond, and it's a bit of a tank. You can't rely on speed to outrun the cops.
Instead use your surroundings. There are loads of back alleys and car parks here, and down side alleys you'll find smaller parking spaces out of the line of site of the main streets, or garages with automatic doors. Don't try and outrun the cops, just find a cosy spot, park up and sit patiently. If you see the cop's blue sight cone getting close, be prepared to floor it somewhere else.
Once the Wanted rating has gone just drive carefully over to Simeon and drop the vehicles off. Sorted.
Next page: Rooftop Rumble, American Exports
Best GTA Online Missions for RP and cash
Rooftop Rumble
Unlocks at: Rank 75
RP reward: 4,500
Cash payout: $22,000
Players: 1-4
This is the classic farming mission for GTA Online. You need to steal documents from a parking lot downtown and deliver it to Martin Madrazo. Although cash and RP payouts for this mission have been reduced, it's still considered the best time/reward ratio. It's fun too.
Head over to the parking garage and take down the professionals. You can use explosives at this point if you want. Make sure you hit them hard and use the entrance for cover. Once the garage is cleared of enemies, another three SUVs will show up to attack the players, so watch your back.
Once four of the most recent enemies have been killed a message will warn you that the documents are being taken by the third SUV. It's heading out along Vespucci Blvd.
Kill the Professional in the vehicle without destroying the SUV (you'll destroy the documents and fail the mission) then grab the docs and head over to Martin, who will reward you handsomely. If you don't catch the Fugitive in time it will drive to the Stoner Cement Works, where you'll have to fight another bunch of Professionals to get the documents.
American Exports
Unlocks at: Rank 65
RP reward: 4,500
Cash payout: $24,000
Players: 1-4
Lester wants you to grab a container full of "nasty" weapons and deliver it to him, and to do that you're going to have to steal a Cargobob from Fort Zancudo.
There's three distinct parts to this mission. Firstly, head over to Fort Zancudo. As with any job that involves stealing from the army, never hang around for a fight: you will be overwhelmed and killed by sheer numbers. Don't try and enter the Fort through the official gates or use a helicopter to land in the base, either. Instead, drive around to the treatment works at the back of Fort Zancudo (off Ocean highway, north-east of the base) where you'll find a couple of rock ridges that can be used to launch your vehicle over the fence.
Once you land, drive straight to the Cargobob and take off. Fly directly up and away from the Fort to evade the police helicopters, which you'll shake off if you stay as high as possible - they never fly as high as you.
Once you've shaken off your four star Wanted rating, fly over to the compound where you'll find the container. Before picking it up, land on the roof of the compound and kill the Merryweather Security guys on the ground around the building. They're tough, remember, so stay away from the edge of the roof. If there are more than two of you it's worth one crew member dropping to the floor and using cover to flank them.
When the Merryweather guards dead, get back in the Cargobob and make sure you have a person in the back seats with a weapon, preferably one on either side. Take off and grab the container and fly over to Lester's warehouse. On the way you will be attacked by one more Merryweather chopper which you will need to take down before continuing. The Cargobob is tough but it's best to have your crew members in the back shoot down the Merryweather sniper and pilot.
Once the last chopper is down, get the container over to Lester and you've completed it. You may even earn a little extra 200 RP for flying with other players.