Fleeca Bank Heist
Players: 2 | Payout: ~$143,000+ | Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
The tutorial heist. You and a partner rob a small Fleeca bank in the countryside. One player drives, the other drills the vault. Simple and fast — perfect for learning the heist mechanics.
The drill mini-game is easier with a controller. The driver should memorize the escape route to avoid unnecessary delays. Total time: ~20 minutes including setups.
Prison Break
Players: 4 | Payout: ~$400,000 | Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Break a high-value target out of Bolingbroke Penitentiary. Four roles: Prisoner, Officer, Pilot, and Demolition. The classic "one weak link sinks the team" heist — communication is everything.
- Hardest role: Pilot — need to fly the Velum under the radar without crashing
- Easiest role: Demolition — buzzard support, low pressure
- Watch out for: The prison bus route changes every time
Humane Labs Raid
Players: 4 | Payout: ~$675,000 | Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Infiltrate the Humane Labs research facility to steal a deadly chemical weapon. Features the iconic "Empire State Building" parachute jump and a Valkyrie helicopter insertion.
The Deliver EMP setup is infamous for being the hardest prep in the game. Use the Insurgent, park it strategically, and coordinate the override timing carefully.
Pacific Standard Job
Players: 4 | Payout: ~$1,000,000 | Difficulty: ★★★★☆
The final of the original heists. Rob the Pacific Standard Bank in the heart of Vinewood, then escape via motorcycles, through the canyon, and to a waiting boat. The "crowd control" approach is the most reliable strategy.
Doomsday Heist
Players: 2-4 | Payout: ~$1,200,000 (Act III) | Difficulty: ★★★★★
Three acts of escalating stakes, from data theft to a full-scale alien invasion scenario. Act III features the hardest combat in any heist — enemies do massive damage, the Juggernaut boss is a bullet sponge, and there are no checkpoints.
- Best farming: Act II (Bogdan Problem) — repeatable finale glitch
- Worst grind: Full 3-act clear is 3+ hours and $200K+ in setup costs
Diamond Casino Heist
Players: 2-4 | Payout: ~$1,200,000+ | Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
The most variable heist in the game. Three approaches (Silent & Sneaky, The Big Con, Aggressive) and dozens of setup choices. The Big Con + Gruppe Sechs disguise + exit as Noose gear = the easiest elite challenge run.
Always scope the vault contents before choosing approach. Artwork > Gold > Cash. Davey & Target (aerial) is the best getaway driver option.
Cayo Perico Heist
Players: 1-4 | Payout: ~$1,500,000 (solo) | Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
The crown jewel of GTA Online heists. Infiltrate a private island fortress, steal El Rubio's treasure, and escape. Once you learn the route, you can complete the entire heist in under 50 minutes solo.
- Best entry: Drainage Tunnel — avoids all surface guards
- Best escape: Swim off the cliff behind the compound
- Minimum preps: 5 (solo) — Cutting Torch, Fingerprint Scanner, safe code, weapon, vehicle
- Cooldown: 10 min solo, 48 min with crew
Heist Ranking Table
| Heist | Solo? | Best Payout | Time | $/Hour | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayo Perico | ✓ | $1.5M | 1.5h | ~$1M/h | Easy |
| Diamond Casino | ✗ | $1.2M+ | 2h | ~$600K/h | Medium |
| Doomsday (Act III) | ✗ | $1.2M | 2.5h | ~$480K/h | Hard |
| Pacific Standard | ✗ | $1M | 2h | ~$500K/h | Medium |
| Humane Labs | ✗ | $675K | 1.5h | ~$450K/h | Medium |
| Prison Break | ✗ | $400K | 1.5h | ~$267K/h | Medium |
| Fleeca | ✗ | $143K | 0.5h | ~$286K/h | Easy |
Cayo Perico is the best heist in the game by every metric — soloable, highest payout, shortest time, lowest difficulty. If you own the Kosatka, run it. Casino Heist is second best for duos. Avoid the original heists unless you have a reliable 4-player crew.