GTA ZONE

GTA Online: The Best Heists, Ranked

By Alfred from GTA Zone · Published May 28, 2026 · 2 min read

GTA cover-art style illustration: a trio of masked robbers in tactical gear walk away with bags of cash in front of the Los Santos skyline at sunset, a supercar and a helicopter in the background
Illustration: GTA Zone

What is the best heist in GTA Online? It depends on whether you play solo or with a crew, and on what you’re after: the big check, accessibility, or the thrill. Here is our ranking of the five major heists in the game, max payouts included.

Eleven years after the first heists arrived, they are still the beating heart of GTA Online. Rockstar has stacked up five big ones, from a bank holdup to an assault on a private island, each with its own difficulty, entry price and take. Before the ranking, here is how we read them.

How we ranked these heists

We weighed three criteria. First, the payout, meaning the maximum take you can actually reach. Then accessibility: solo-friendly or a fixed player count, and above all the entry price. Finally, the fun: staging, variety of approaches, replayability. A heist that pays huge but demands four coordinated teammates doesn’t do the same job as a solo heist you can wrap in an hour. The table below sums up the raw numbers; the ranking itself balances all three.

Heist Release Players Solo? Entry cost Max take
Cayo PericoDec. 20201 to 4YesKosatka $2.2M~$1.9M (statue)
Diamond CasinoDec. 20192 to 4NoArcade from $1.235M$3.619M (diamonds)
Doomsday HeistDec. 20172 to 4NoFacility ~$1.25M~$2.25M (Act III, hard)
Cluckin' Bell Farm RaidMar. 20241 to 4YesFree$500,000 (leader)
Pacific Standard JobMar. 20154No$25,000$1.875M (hard)

A useful reminder: the “max” numbers assume the highest difficulty and an ideal take. In real life, you lose a bit to various cuts and fees, and some targets (Casino diamonds, the Panther Statue) only show up during specific events.

Official trailer for The Doomsday Heist, the most spectacular heist in GTA Online. Source: Rockstar Games

On to the ranking, from the smartest score to the most legendary.

  1. 1

    The Cayo Perico Heist

    Official Cayo Perico Heist key art: armed characters in front of a tropical compound at sunset

    Released on December 15, 2020, the heist on the island of Cayo Perico changed everything: it's the first big heist fully playable solo, from scoping to selling. Expect $1 to $1.5 million per run, and up to about $1.9 million when the Panther Statue is your primary target. Only prerequisite: the Kosatka submarine ($2.2M), quickly paid off. It's the best hourly return you can get alone, the go-to cash machine, as we detail in our guide to making money.
    Official artwork. Source: Rockstar Games

  2. 2

    The Diamond Casino Heist

    Official GTA Online Heists event key art: a masked robber, gold bars and a player rappelling down a facade

    The Diamond Casino & Resort Heist (December 2019) holds the highest ceiling in the game: up to $3.619 million in gross take when the vault is full of diamonds, before Lester's cut (about 5%) and the split between 2 to 4 players. Three approaches (silent, smart, aggressive), multiple entry points and deep scoping make it the most replayable and the richest heist with a crew. One catch: diamonds are only switched on during certain events.
    Official Heists event artwork. Source: Rockstar Games

  3. 3

    The Doomsday Heist

    The Doomsday Heist (December 12, 2017) is still the most spectacular heist in GTA Online: three story-driven acts, submarines, jetpacks and a finale that saves Los Santos from a nuclear apocalypse. Act III pays about $2.25 million on hard difficulty, climbing to nearly $3.4 million with the 50% heist bonus introduced by the Criminal Enterprises update. The downside: you need a pricey Facility (about $1.25M) and, ideally, a coordinated crew of 2 to 4 players.

  4. 4

    The Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid

    Official Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid key art: a police officer holding a package, armed characters and vehicles in front of a factory

    The newest one (March 7, 2024) is the most accessible of the big heists: no building to buy, a chain of story missions, and a fixed final payout of $500,000 for the leader (plus a first-time bonus). Fully doable solo, it's the ideal heist to build a starter bankroll before the Kosatka. Special mention for its plot: you take down a cartel alongside Vincent, the former Diamond Casino head of security turned cop.
    Official artwork. Source: Rockstar Games

  5. 5

    The Pacific Standard Job

    To close things out, the cult classic. The Pacific Standard Job caps the five original heists (March 2015) and remains a peak of adrenaline: a downtown Los Santos bank assault, a getaway on motorbikes under police choppers, then by speedboat through the canals. The take climbs to $1.875 million on hard (since the Criminal Enterprises buff), for just a $25,000 setup, split between four mandatory players. Not the most profitable today, but a must-play at least once. Want a totally different way to play? Check out GTA RP on FiveM.

FAQ

What is the most profitable heist in GTA Online?

By raw value, it's the Diamond Casino Heist: up to $3.619 million when the vault is loaded with diamonds, before Lester's cut (about 5%) and the split between 2 to 4 players. Solo, the best return goes to Cayo Perico, around $1 to $1.9 million per run with nobody to share it with.

Which heist can you do solo in GTA Online?

Two heists are fully playable alone, start to finish: the Cayo Perico Heist, the most profitable solo, and The Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid, which is free to start. The others (Diamond Casino, Doomsday, Pacific Standard) require at least two players for the finale.

How much does the Cayo Perico Heist pay?

Usually $1 to $1.5 million per solo run, and up to about $1.9 million when the Panther Statue comes up as the primary target. The Kosatka submarine, a one-time $2.2M purchase, unlocks the heist and pays for itself fast. We break down the loop in our guide to making money.

Do you need to buy something before starting a heist?

Almost always. Cayo Perico needs the Kosatka submarine ($2.2M), the Diamond Casino needs an arcade (from $1.235M), the Doomsday needs a Facility (about $1.25M). Only The Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid starts for free, which makes it the ideal entry point for beginners.

Will there be heists in GTA 6?

Nothing official on the GTA 6 online mode yet, but heists are the DNA of GTA Online and their return is expected. In the meantime, GTA Online keeps running: we take stock in our feature on the future of GTA Online after GTA 6.

Sources

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