7 best ways to make money in GTA 5 story mode in 2025

There are plenty of things to do in GTA 5 story mode, and some of them can even help you make a bit of money. Although it doesn't have as much content as the title's multiplayer mode, Grand Theft Auto Online, there is a good selection of activities that can keep players busy and entertained while they wait for its much-anticipated successor, Grand Theft Auto 6.

With that said, let's take a look at seven of the best ways to make money in GTA 5 story mode in 2025.

Note - This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions and analysis.

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Collecting Nuclear Waste and other best ways to make money in GTA 5 story mode in 2025

1) Complete the main campaign

Complete story missions and heists to earn money (Image via Rockstar Games)

Needless to say, the main attraction of Grand Theft Auto 5's story mode is its main campaign. It features three protagonists — Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips as they try and make a name for themselves in Los Santos' criminal underworld.

Notably, many of the story missions, especially the heists, can pay a good amount of money. Completing the main campaign should leave the protagonists with millions of dollars in their bank accounts.

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2) The stock market

Use the in-game phone to access the web (Image via Rockstar Games)

Investing in the stock market — via the in-game BAWSAQ and LCN Exchange websites — gives players a chance to make a lot of money in GTA 5 story mode.

This GTA 5 stock market guide can be of help to those who want to understand how it works and what stocks they should invest in. Lester's assassination missions also influence the stock market, and can help make a lot of money.

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3) Businesses

Each of the three GTA 5 story mode protagonists can buy certain businesses, and earn a specific amount of money passively. This amount will be deposited every week (in-game) in their respective bank accounts, making this a pretty good source for some passive income.

That said, note that missions for these businesses can spawn occasionally. Additionally, some purchasable businesses only get unlocked after you reach a specific point in the narrative.

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4) Collect Nuclear Waste

Use the Submersible to collect Nuclear Waste (Image via Rockstar Games)

The Sonar Collections Dock is a purchasable property. Buying it rewards a Subermsible, that can be used to collect Nuclear Waste barrels from the ocean. These Nuclear Waste locations are spread across the map's perimeter.

Each collected Nuclear Waste barrel rewards $23,000 while collecting all 30 pays an additional $250,000. The Sonar Collections Dock unlocks after completing The Merryweather Heist.

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5) Drug Shootout mission

GTA 5 weed farm location (Image via Rockstar Games)

Drug Shootout is a side mission that you can partake in as Trevor Philips. It is very simple and can reward a decent amount of money. All you need to do is raid a weed farm.

Once all the guards have been neutralized, head inside the shack, and collect the briefcase. Doing so will net you any amount between $10,000 and $70,000. The image above shows the icon and location (northern section of the map) of the Drug Shootout mission.

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6) The Epsilon Program

Players can access a series of side missions under the Epsilon Program as Michael De Santa in GTA 5 story mode. Completing them can take some time, and also involves spending a bit of cash.

In the series' final mission, Unknowing the Truth, players are supposed to deliver a car to a helicopter. However, they can earn $2,100,000 by killing all the guards near the helicopter and escaping with the vehicle.

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7) Robbing stores

There are lots of department stores across Los Santos and Blaine County that can be robbed at gunpoint. Although this method doesn't pay much, there are numerous such stores and you can rob them periodically for a little extra cash.

Robbing stores will trigger a wanted level, so use the fastest cars in GTA 5 story mode to get away from the cops easily.

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Also check: GTA 5 cheats Xbox One