All the Best GTA 5 Online Heists Ranked, from worst to best

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Human Made

Penned by Kody Wirth

Kody is our expert Destiny 2 and shooter genre writer. He lives in Oregon.

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Heists in GTA 5 Online are some of the most exciting and well-coordinated aspects of the game’s story. These multi-step cash grabs are all about setting things up the right way in order to give yourself the best shot at succeeding. You get the opportunity to choose how you want to approach the situation with the goal of doing so unscathed to get the biggest Take.

Are you more interested in the heists in GTA 5’s Story Mode? Checkout our guide here.

Luckily, this element has been widely explored in GTA Online as well. Of course, this is online, and many more problems can arise, leading to intense shootouts and chases. So which heist should you and your crew take on first? Scope out your options with our deep dive into the best GTA Online heists.

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All GTA Online Heists Ranked Worst to Best

Let’s jump into what these Heists actually are and how they stack up.

8/8

Series A Funding

This is one of those missions where the concept is incredibly interesting but it doesn’t turn into interesting gameplay. In this case, it serves as a loose precursor with far more fetch quests to the drug smuggling update that allows you to run and operate your own drug cartel. 

Sure, Trevor popping back up to give you a wild mission where you have to storm a yacht and disguise yourself to steal drugs sounds awesome. However, this quickly turns to boredom due to the constant cycle of stealing and selling without any real resolution. You do get to watch Trevor almost get busted by an undercover cop, so at least there’s that to be excited for at the end.

• Requirements: High-end apartment | Heist planning room
• Setup Costs: $40,400
• Possible Take: $202,000 | $404,000 | $505,000
• Crew: 4 players

7/8

The Fleeca Job

This is the first Heist that you’ll be able to complete in GTA Online. Since this is an introductory mission, the actual setup and final steal are relatively straightforward. That being said, it is one of the easier Heists to run (requiring just two players), and it gets you access to the Armored Kuruma discount. 

That alone makes the long drive and crowd control actions feel a bit more worth your time. It also serves as one of the shorter options, meaning you can grind it to your heart’s content rather than going big.

• Requirements: High-end apartment | Heist planning room | Rank 12+
• Setup Costs: $11,500
• Possible Take: $57,500 | $115,000 | $143,000
• Crew: 2 players 

6/8

The Humane Labs Raid

This is a mission with a purpose, but of course, that means that it’s actually a government-run operation and you’re in the middle of it. Everything you do in this Heist feels worthwhile and cool, from boarding a navy ship to steal a helicopter to the final break-in where your team supports you from the air, it all just feels so cinematic. 

And while this ode to Top Gun is an enjoyable nostalgia trip, there are just too many things outside of GTA 5’s scope that become an issue. The most egregious being how often you have to engage in stealth within a game notorious for janky controls and movement. 

• Requirements: High-end apartment | Heist planning room
• Setup Costs: $54,000
• Possible Take: $270,000 | $540,000 | $675,000
• Crew: 4 players

5/8

The Prison Break

For The Prison Break Heist, everything from the setup to execution feels necessary and interesting. It involves you stealing a chopper and a prison bus, acquiring prison guard uniforms, and sneaking into a police station for up-to-date information. While much of the earlier missions end up in a long, drawn-out chase, the final infiltration of Bolingbroke Penitentiary is well worth the effort.

Just be ready for the frustrating stealth aspects to rear its ugly head. Keep in mind that you’ll soon be racing down the beach with your crew after ditching your ride in the ocean — a truly cinematic finish to an already interesting experience.

• Requirements: High-end apartment | Heist planning room
• Setup Costs: $40,000
• Possible Take: $200,000 | $400,000 | $500,000
• Crew: 4 players

4/8

The Diamond Casino Heist

The Diamond Casino Heist simultaneously simplifies the Heist process while adding in new options for you to complete the actual mission. The first, called Silent and Sneaky, requires you to make it through the entire experience undetected. Aggressive has you go in guns blazing, and the Big Con takes inspiration from the Ocean’s movies by having you don disguises and smuggle in ceramic guns. 

The actual payout can vary as well, depending on what you identify to be in the safe. This will range from cash and gold to artwork and limited-time diamond heists. All of this makes for a highly lucrative and repeatable experience.

• Requirements: Arcade
• Setup Costs: $25,000
• Possible Take: $2,115,000 – $3,390,000| $2,326,500 – $3,619,000
• Crew: 2-4 players

3/8

The Pacific Standard Job

Looking for a streamlined Heist focused on cracking a bank vault? Well, this final Heist mission that capped off the original series of GTA Online Heists will likely do the trick. Your team has to split between crowd control and money bagging, with both having specific challenges and objectives to complete.

Once you’ve grabbed all the cash, it’s time to bust out and take to the streets with your stolen Police motorcycles. This last part is simultaneously cool and frustrating, as the motorcycles leave you exposed and often dropping money. Other than that, this is one of the tighter Heists in the game.

• Requirements: High-end apartment | Heist planning room
• Setup Costs: $100,000
• Possible Take: $500,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,250,000
• Crew: 4 players

2/8

The Cayo Perico Heist

The latest Heist added to GTA Online takes a different turn and has you turn a submarine into your home base so you can infiltrate a tropical island. Your goal is to scope out and prepare to find different valuable objects while doing your best to not be seen inside the compound. 

What makes this one even more interesting is that additional secondary objectives will randomly spawn in. This means you can take the time to acquire more info beforehand or divert mid-mission to try and sweeten the pot. It’s not the most perfect version of a Heist, but it does make for a more randomized and challenging experience.

• Requirements: VIP, CEO, or Motorcycle Club President | High-end apartment | Kosatka
• Setup Costs: $125,000
• Possible Take: $7,300,000 | $6,820,000
• Crew: 2-4 players

1/8

The Doomsday Heist

The Doomsday Heist is possibly the most complex and rewarding Heist in the game. In fact, it’s really three missions put together that all lead to you ultimately saving San Andreas from being destroyed. Of course, there’s a double-cross along the way, but you get to kill enemies with a space laser and unlock the flying DeLorean vehicle, so that’s just water under the bridge.

This mission truly encapsulates the spirit of GTA. You use every vehicle possible, have to purchase and use a secret military base, and ultimately end up dealing with a Bond-esque villain. What more could you want?

• Requirements: Facility
• Setup Costs: $280,000
• Possible Take: $2,800,000 | $3,500,000
• Crew: 2-4 players

What Are Heists in GTA Online?

Heist missions were originally added as part of the Heists update way back in March of 2015. These missions were expanded upon during the GTA 5 next-gen update, with the most recent Heist releasing back near the end of 2020. 

These are incredibly challenging cooperative game modes that require you to put your money where your mouth is. To launch a Heist, you need to have fulfilled specific requirements and submit a small setup fee. You and your crew of 1–3 other players must then work together to complete objectives, grab the loot and make it out as unscathed as possible. 

How Do Heists Work in GTA Online?

To start out, a player must be a CEO or other type of leader in GTA Online. Then that player must invite a crew, submit the setup costs, and assign roles to each player. At this moment, you can also decide how much of a cut each player will receive, potentially leading to more or less cooperation depending on how you split the pot.

However, unlike other missions in GTA 5, you must first run through multiple setup missions to scope out an area or collect the necessary gear. Once completed, you’ll run through the final high-profit crime, where you finally (hopefully) take home the big bucks.

Aside from the general setup, it’s also worth noting that you have difficulty options to choose from. These will dictate how many shared lives you and your crew have, as well as how difficult the enemies will be to deal with. You also have bonus rewards worth keeping an eye on that can lead to a bonus payout. These include things like completing each heist for the first time, in order, with the same team, using first-person mode, or even without dying. 

You can also complete elite challenges, which are special criteria for elite finales that typically are relegated to time trials and damage criteria. It’s also worth noting that in different parts of each mission, you can lose the cash you earn. This is where your payout can begin to differ based on how well you’re able to hold onto your earnings.

Become a High Grounder

We hope you know the basics of how to run Heists successfully in GTA 5 Online and found some of the best Heists to take on with your crew. For more guides on GTA 5 and other open-world titles, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on your favorite social channels.

Happy gaming!