How to Make Money Solo in GTA Online After the July 2026 Update
Solo, after Title Update 1.73 on July 14, 2026, you make money in two main ways: one big heist per week to cash the first-completion bonus (Kortz Center, Dr. Dre Contract, Cayo Perico), then repeatable activities that the nerf left alone (Auto Shop contracts, Salvage Yard robberies, Acid Lab). Cayo Perico still pays, but about 30% less on the Pink Diamond, and any ranking published before July 2026 is wrong.
What changed on July 14, 2026?
The official 1.73 notes contain three changes that hit solo players directly:
- Cayo Perico goes down. Primary and secondary target values were reduced, and the most valuable targets now spawn on the same weekly rhythm as other heists.
- A weekly first-completion bonus. Several heists and missions pay much more on their first completion of the week. The week resets every Thursday. Later runs go back to the normal rate. The published list includes the Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid, KnoWay Out, the original heists, Oscar Guzman Flies Again, the Dr. Dre Contract (The Data Leaks), the Diamond Casino Heist finale and all three acts of The Doomsday Heist.
- Setups for older heists pay more (the original heists and The Doomsday Heist).
GTA Intel sums up the overall effect as a cut "of 10 to 40%" depending on the activity. The exact bonus amounts are not in the official notes: they come from player-recorded values published by specialist sites.
How much does each solo method pay today?
The table lists amounts published after July 14, 2026. "First of the week" means the first completion after the Thursday reset.
| Activity | Purchase required | Reported payout | Pace | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kortz Center Heist (primary target) | Mansion + Art Studio | up to 1,925,000 GTA$ on the first sale of the week, then 308,000 to 481,250 | 1 big sale per week | GTA BOOM |
| Dr. Dre Contract (Agency) | Agency (2,010,000 GTA$) | 1,099,800 for the first of the week, 900,000 after that | 48 min to 1 hr cooldown | GTA Boss |
| Cayo Perico, Pink Diamond (Normal) | Kosatka (2,200,000 GTA$) | 910,000 (versus about 1,300,000 before) | 144 min solo cooldown | GTA BOOM, GameRant |
| Cayo Perico, Tequila (Normal) | Kosatka | 400,000 + secondary targets | 144 min solo cooldown | GTA BOOM |
| Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid | none | 600,000 for the first of the week, 400,000 after that | 45 min to 1 hr in total | GTA Boss |
| Auto Shop contracts | Auto Shop (from 1,670,000 GTA$) | 170,000 to 185,000, Union Depository 300,000 to 375,000 | 20 to 35 min each | Timesaver |
| Salvage Yard robberies | Salvage Yard (from 1,620,000 GTA$) | about 255,000 to 405,000 per vehicle | 3 per week at most | Timesaver |
| Acid Lab (full upgraded sale) | 750,000 + 250,000 GTA$ | 335,200 (351,840 with a renamed product) | about 4 hr of production | GTA Boss, Timesaver |
The Agency, Auto Shop and Salvage Yard figures come from English-language sites that rely on their own recorded values. According to Timesaver, Auto Shop contracts and the Salvage Yard are not on the list of activities changed by 1.73.
How do you work out a real per-hour figure?
Most "per hour" numbers you will read only count the mission itself. An honest calculation adds four things:
- Active time: setups, travel, finale, the trip back to sell.
- Dead time: loading screens, calling the contact, the cooldown before you can start again.
- Costs: resupplies, replay fees, your crew's cut.
- What runs in the background: a business producing while you play adds money with no active time.
Worked example with Cayo Perico (assumptions shown)
Take a solo run that is not the first of the week, with the Tequila as primary target (400,000 GTA$ on Normal according to GTA BOOM) and, as an assumption, about 300,000 GTA$ in secondary targets. Remove the fees taken at the end of the heist (Pavel's cut and the fencing fee, a little over 10% according to player guides, so check your end screen): you are left with roughly 600,000 GTA$.
On time, guides talk about 20 to 30 minutes for the finale once you know the route, plus setups. With one active hour in total, you get about 600,000 GTA$ per active hour. But the solo cooldown is 144 minutes before you can start again. If Cayo is all you do, your real rate drops to about 600,000 GTA$ every 2 hr 24 min, or about 250,000 GTA$ per hour of play.
That is why sources disagree so much: GTA Boss shows 105,000 to 292,000 GTA$ per hour for Cayo, while other guides claim 750,000 or even 1,000,000 GTA$ per hour by counting only active time or the first run of the week. Nobody is wrong, they just measure different things.
Which solo routine fits what you own?
You own almost nothing
Start with what needs no purchase: the Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid (600,000 GTA$ the first time each week) and the First Dose missions, which lead to the Acid Lab. Our Acid Lab guide covers the steps. For the order of your first purchases, see what to buy first.
You have 2 to 5 million
The choice is between the Agency (Dr. Dre Contract, then repeatable contracts) and the Kosatka (Cayo Perico). Since the nerf, the gap has narrowed. The Agency gives you a big weekly payout that does not depend on which target rolls. The Kosatka is still handy for one Cayo per evening. Details are in our Cayo Perico solo guide.
You own a mansion
The Kortz Center becomes your Thursday appointment: the first sale of the week is by far the biggest, and later ones fall below half a million. The entry cost is heavy (a mansion from 11.5 million, plus an Art Studio that GTA BOOM puts at 4.7 million, but GTABase says 1 million with a discount for mansion owners, so check the price shown in your game). Everything is explained in the Kortz Center Heist solo.
Public or invite-only session for selling?
Since July 26, 2022, Rockstar lets you run business activities, sales included, in invite-only, friends and crew sessions. Solo, that is the safest choice: nobody can destroy your delivery. Public sessions add a high-demand bonus, but the risk of losing your product is often not worth it when you play alone. More in our tip selling in an invite-only session.
What does a typical solo week look like?
An example rhythm to adjust to your own time (see also what to do with 30, 60 or 120 minutes):
- Thursday or Friday: the first completions of the week that pay the most (Kortz Center if you own a mansion, Dr. Dre Contract, one Cayo).
- Weekdays, short sessions: Auto Shop contracts, an Acid Lab sale when it is full, Salvage Yard robberies (three at most).
- Always: check the weekly bonuses, which can double something you already do.
What should you avoid?
- Following a ranking published before July 14, 2026: its Cayo and Casino figures are too high.
- Replaying the same heist several times a week and expecting the same payout: only the first one gets the bonus.
- Buying a business just because it is on sale, without knowing how you will run it solo.
- Cheats or buying GTA$ from resellers: banned by Rockstar, with a real risk to your account.
Want a routine built around your properties and your real play time? That is what 1v1 coaching is for. The WantedWise guide also has ready-to-follow routines.
FAQ
Is Cayo Perico still worth it solo after July 2026?
Yes, but less so. The Pink Diamond drops from about 1.3 million to 910,000 GTA$ on Normal according to GameRant and GTA BOOM, and the most valuable targets now only come back on a weekly rhythm. Cayo is still a solid base if you already own the Kosatka.
What is the most profitable solo method right now?
For one run per week, the first Kortz Center Heist and the first Dr. Dre Contract of the week are the biggest amounts quoted. For grinding back to back, sources put Cayo Perico and Auto Shop contracts on top, with big gaps depending on how you count.
Why do per-hour earnings vary so much from site to site?
Some divide the payout by the finale alone, others add setups, travel and waiting time. For Cayo, published estimates range from about 105,000 to over 1,000,000 GTA$ per hour depending on the method.
Can you sell your goods alone in an invite-only session?
Yes. Since the Criminal Enterprises update of July 26, 2022, Rockstar allows business activities, sales included, in invite-only, friends and crew sessions. Sales in public sessions still get a high-demand bonus.
Sources
- Rockstar Newswire: The Kortz Center Heist Now Available in GTA Online (July 14, 2026)
- Rockstar Support: GTAV Title Update 1.73 Notes (July 14, 2026)
- GTABase: Title Update 1.73 patch notes (economy, weekly bonuses) (July 19, 2026)
- GTA BOOM: Cayo Perico payouts, cooldowns and targets (post-1.73 values) (August 17, 2026)
- GTA BOOM: Kortz Center Heist payouts (August 27, 2026)
- GTA Boss: best solo money-making methods (2026) (August 21, 2026)
- GTA Intel: GTA Online's 2026 payout rebalance (July 21, 2026)
- GameRant: heist payouts before and after the nerf (July 15, 2026)
- Timesaver: Auto Shop contracts (2026) (September 16, 2026)
- Timesaver: Salvage Yard robberies (2026) (September 16, 2026)
- Timesaver: Cayo Perico cooldown and the Thursday reset (2026)
Guide prepared with the help of AI tools from the sources cited, then reviewed by the WantedWise team. Independent site, not affiliated with Rockstar Games.
