GTA 5 Heists Guide
Maximum payout strategies for all five story mode heists
Last updated: January 2026
Key Strategy: Save Assassinations for Last
Complete ALL story heists before doing Lester's assassination missions. After The Big Score, each character has ~$40 million to invest in stocks during assassinations, turning millions into billions.
All Heists Breakdown
The Jewel Store Job
Approaches
Loud (Option A)
Storm the jewelry store with guns blazing. More action but less take due to damage.
Max Take: $4,500,000
Smart (Option B) - RECOMMENDED
Use gas to knock out the staff and customers, grab jewelry quietly. Maximum profit.
Max Take: $4,946,153
Recommended Crew
Driver
Karim Denz (8%) - Cheapest driver who gets the job done
Gunman
Packie McReary (12%) - Unlock by saving him in random encounter
Hacker
Rickie Lukens (4%) - Cheapest hacker, provides enough time to grab everything
Pro Tips
- •Rickie Lukens gives enough time to grab all jewelry if you are fast
- •Use Packie here so he levels up for later heists
- •Choose Smart approach for maximum profit
The Merryweather Heist
Approaches
Freighter (Option A)
Board a cargo ship to steal a secret device. Ends with no profit.
Max Take: $0
Offshore (Option B)
Steal the device from an offshore location. Also ends with no profit.
Max Take: $0
Recommended Crew
Driver
N/A - No crew selection
Gunman
N/A - No crew selection
Hacker
N/A - No crew selection
Pro Tips
- •This heist pays nothing regardless of approach
- •Choose whichever option sounds more fun
- •Story-driven heist, required for progression
The Paleto Score
Approaches
Only One Approach
Rob the Blaine County Savings Bank wearing military gear. Fight through waves of cops.
Max Take: $8,016,020 (minus unavoidable losses)
Recommended Crew
Driver
N/A - No driver needed
Gunman
Packie McReary or Chef (12%) - If Packie was used before, his stats are higher
Hacker
N/A - No hacker needed
Pro Tips
- •You lose $20,000 minimum from unavoidable damage
- •Protect your gunman - losing them costs more money
- •Use the minigun effectively to clear waves of cops
- •Avoid taking damage to your back - use cover
The Bureau Raid
Approaches
Roof Entry (Option A) - RECOMMENDED
Enter through the roof, rappel down, and hack the server. More money and interesting gameplay.
Max Take: Only Franklin profits
Covert (Option B)
Enter through the front dressed as janitors. Less exciting approach.
Max Take: Only Franklin profits
Recommended Crew
Driver
Taliana Martinez (5%) - Unlock via random encounter on Great Ocean Highway
Gunman
Norm Richards (7%) - Cheapest effective gunman
Hacker
Rickie Lukens (4%) - Cheapest hacker, sufficient for this heist
Pro Tips
- •Only Franklin gets paid from this heist
- •Roof Entry is more fun and profitable
- •Taliana is essential - find her random encounter before this heist
- •She crashes on the highway and needs medical attention
The Big Score
Approaches
Subtle (Option A)
Steal security trucks and replace gold gradually. Lower risk but less exciting.
Max Take: $34,000,000 per character
Obvious (Option B) - RECOMMENDED
Full assault on the Union Depository. Maximum payout possible.
Max Take: $41,664,000 per character
Recommended Crew
Driver
Taliana Martinez (5%) + Karim Denz (8%) - Taliana flies helicopter, Karim drives train
Gunman
Cheapest two available - They are unnecessary, take lowest percentages
Hacker
N/A - No hacker needed
Pro Tips
- •This is THE heist to maximize - save assassination missions until AFTER this
- •Option B (Obvious) pays more per character
- •With $41 million each, investing in Lester missions yields billions
- •Taliana at 5% performs like a 12% driver
- •Gunmen are mostly irrelevant - take the cheapest
All Crew Members
Drivers
| Name | Cut | Skill | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Toh | 14% | High | Available from start |
| Taliana Martinez | 5% | High | Random encounter - Great Ocean Highway crash |
| Karim Denz | 8% | Low (improves) | Available from start |
Gunmen
| Name | Cut | Skill | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chef | 12% | High | Available from start |
| Packie McReary | 12% | High | Random encounter - Convenience store robbery |
| Gustavo Mota | 14% | High | Available from start |
| Norm Richards | 7% | Low (improves) | Available from start |
| Daryl Johns | 6% | Low | Available from start |
Hackers
| Name | Cut | Skill | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paige Harris | 15% | High | Available from start |
| Christian Feltz | 10% | Medium | Available from start |
| Rickie Lukens | 4% | Low | Available from start |
Essential Random Encounters
Taliana Martinez
Location: Great Ocean Highway, crashed car on roadside
Drive her to Sandy Shores quickly before she bleeds out. She becomes a 5% driver who performs like Eddie Toh (14%). Saves millions on The Big Score.
Packie McReary
Location: Random convenience store robbery in Los Santos
Help him escape after a botched robbery. He becomes a high-skill gunman at 12%. Familiar face from GTA IV.