GTA Online Original Heists Payouts

It's time to whip out our calculators and heisting knowledge in order to put the fairness debates about the payment percentages for the original Apartment Heists to rest once and for all. If you want to host one of these heists, but don't know how to treat your team mates fairly, or if you suspect you've been "cheated" by the host, look no further.

This guide aims to be the definitive resource not only for understanding fair distribution of the finale payout for the original GTA Online Heists, but also a comprehensive source for their updated, verified, and correct payout numbers, covering setup costs, individual setup mission earnings for crew, and total finale payouts across all difficulty levels.

Each OG heist in GTA Online comes with a set-up fee that the host has to pay upfront and is never refunded. If the team fails, if someone quits, then the host basically loses that cash. Each of these heists is preceded by a few setup missions that need to be completed before the finale can be initiated. These setup missions have small payouts for the team members, but the host receives no reward for their completion.

The percentage allocation should be done with this in mind, seeing as the host only gets anything out of the finale for these initial heists, while the members are rewarded for the set-ups. The idea is to allocate cash in such a way that in the end everyone gets a fair share out of the whole heist (setups and finale combined).

Usually, this will leave a small extra amount of cash (referred to as "Excess" in the tables below) which can then be distributed in whatever which way the host likes. Either give it to a member who displayed exceptional performance during the missions, distribute it among everyone or keep it for your self.

The guide will assume that the finale and all the setup missions for each of these original heists are played on the same difficulty. Technically, a player may change the difficulty in between missions, however putting together accurate calculations for each and every possible permutation would result in literally hundreds of different payout tables!

Payout Distribution Explained

Before we get into the numbers for each of these five heists, it is important to note that the %cut values for the host also consider the total setup cost and the setup mission payouts that the host does not receive. The host's calculated share aims to compensate for these upfront costs and missed earnings from setups.

Here's an example to help you understand it better, using The Fleeca Job: The setup cost for The Fleeca Job is $11,500. If the final payout on Easy difficulty is $100,625, the setup cost represents a percentage of that finale payout (e.g., $11,500 / $100,625 ≈ 11.43%).

All crew members involved in the heist setup missions will receive payment for those setups, except the host. This means the host should have a higher percentage of the finale payout to make up for the initial setup cost and the income they missed from setup missions.

This is done by adding the setup cost (as a percentage of the finale payout) and the sum of setup mission payouts that crew members received (also as a percentage of the finale payout for that difficulty) to the host's intended base share.

For example, if The Fleeca Job has one paying setup mission (excluding the non-paying initial Scope Out) that pays $6,555 on Easy. This $6,555 is approximately 6.51% of the $100,625 Easy finale payout.

So, the host's compensation percentage would be roughly 11.43% (setup cost) + 6.51% (missed setup earnings) = 17.94%.

If the agreed base split gives the host 40% and the crew member 40% (with the host's 17.94% compensation being part of their 58% total, meaning the crew member gets 42% if we aim for an even split of the remainder after costs, or as per the tables, a 60/40 split where the host's 60% includes this compensation), then the host's displayed cut would be 40% (base) + 17.94% (compensation) ≈ 58% (rounded).

The tables below will show specific calculations based on this principle for each of the original heists and their respective difficulties. This means the host is effectively getting their fair base share plus reimbursement, while on paper it looks like they are making a much larger percentage of the finale pot.

Now, if you'd rather just see a basic rundown of how to distribute funds without reading through all the explanations, the below table provides suggested fair numbers for each original heist, based on the payouts of the Normal difficulty setting, aiming for an equitable distribution considering the host's costs.

Optimal Heist Payouts (Normal Difficulty)

Note: The Pacific Standard Job percentages can vary significantly based on the actual take achieved in the finale. The percentages above for PSJ are indicative for an "Average Run." Refer to the detailed Pacific Standard Job section for more variations.

First of all, let's get some etiquette out of the way: If you've been in on the heist since the start, you've been getting payouts from the setup missions, and therefore the host deserves a higher cut to compensate for their setup costs and lack of setup earnings. If you've only joined in on the finale, then you haven't contributed nearly as much as the others, especially the host, and therefore the host, again, deserves a higher cut. We'll start with the shortest and easiest heist first and work our way up.

Detailed Payouts & Cut Distributions Per Heist

The following sections provide detailed payout information and suggested percentage cuts for each of the original five GTA Online Heists. The "Host" cut percentage includes calculations to recoup setup costs and missed setup mission payments. All finale payouts and setup costs reflect figures after "The Criminal Enterprises" update.

The Fleeca Job

• Heist Finale Payout:
  • Easy: $100,625
  • Normal: $201,250
  • Hard: $250,250
• Heist Setup Mission Payout (per crew member, host gets $0):
  • Easy: $6,555 (for "Kuruma" setup)
  • Normal: $13,110 (for "Kuruma" setup)
  • Hard: $16,388 (for "Kuruma" setup)
• Setup Cost (paid by Host): $11,500

Host compensation calculation for Hard: ($11,500 Cost + $16,388 Missed Setup) / $250,250 Finale ≈ 11.14%. With a 55% Host cut, the base share is 55% - 11.14% ≈ 43.86%.

Prison Break

• Heist Finale Payout:
  • Easy: $350,000
  • Normal: $700,000
  • Hard: $875,000
• Heist Setup Mission Payout (total for 4 setups, per crew member, host gets $0):
  • Easy: $11,400 (approx. $2,850 per setup)
  • Normal: $22,800 (approx. $5,700 per setup)
  • Hard: $28,500 (approx. $7,125 per setup)
• Setup Cost (paid by Host): $25,000

Host compensation calculation for Normal (35% Host cut): ($25,000 Cost + 3$22,800 Missed Setup) / $700,000 Finale ≈ 13.37%. Base share ≈ 35% - 13.37% = 21.63%.

The Humane Labs Raid

• Heist Finale Payout:
  • Easy: $472,500
  • Normal: $945,000
  • Hard: $1,181,500
• Heist Setup Mission Payout (total for 5 setups, per crew member, host gets $0):
  • Easy: $15,390 (approx. $3,078 per setup)
  • Normal: $30,780 (approx. $6,156 per setup)
  • Hard: $38,475 (approx. $7,695 per setup)
• Setup Cost (paid by Host): $25,000

Host compensation calculation for Hard (40% Host cut): ($25,000 Cost + 3$38,475 Missed Setup) / $1,181,500 Finale ≈ 11.92%. Base share ≈ 40% - 11.92% = 28.08%.

Series A Funding

• Heist Finale Payout:
  • Easy: $353,500
  • Normal: $707,000
  • Hard: $883,750
• Heist Setup Mission Payout (total for 5 setups, per crew member, host gets $0):
  • Easy: $11,514 (approx. $2,303 per setup)
  • Normal: $23,028 (approx. $4,606 per setup)
  • Hard: $28,785 (approx. $5,757 per setup)
• Setup Cost (paid by Host): $25,000

Host compensation calculation for Normal (40% Host cut): ($25,000 Cost + 3$23,028 Missed Setup) / $707,000 Finale ≈ 13.31%. Base share ≈ 40% - 13.31% = 26.69%.

The Pacific Standard Job

Things are a bit more complex when it comes to the game's biggest and toughest original heist. This is as hard as GTA Online could get at the time of its release. An added problem here is that in the finale, the bounty is carried out in duffle bags by the heist members. If anyone carrying a bag takes damage, they lose some of the cash.

As such, it is pretty difficult to get the full payout from the heist. There exists the Kuruma-method, wherein a nearby apartment can be used to acquire one of the member's armored vehicles with which it is possible to get almost all of the cash out. However, not every player is familiar with this. A good tactic here is to have one player carry the whole take, lowering the chances of taking damage. Of course, the other members have to protect the carrier with everything they have.

The payout figures and recommended cuts account for different levels of success in the finale.

• Heist Finale Payout:
  • Easy: Up to $750,000
  • Normal: Up to $1,500,000
  • Bad run (50% of potential take): $750,000
  • Average run (70% of potential take): $1,050,000
  • Good run (80% of potential take): $1,200,000
  • Hard: Up to $1,875,000
• Heist Setup Mission Payout (total for 5 setups, per crew member, host gets $0):
  • Easy: $15,675 (approx. $3,135 per setup)
  • Normal: $31,350 (approx. $6,270 per setup) (derived: $15,675 * 2)
  • Hard: $39,188 (approx. $7,838 per setup) (derived: $15,675 * 2.5, rounded)
• Setup Cost (paid by Host): $25,000

Host compensation calculation for Normal (Avg - 70% take - $1,050K) with 35% Host cut: ($25,000 Cost + 3*$31,350 Missed Setup) / $1,050,000 Finale ≈ 11.36%. Base share ≈ 35% - 11.36% = 23.64%.

Heists' Elite Challenges

In every GTA Online heist finale, players can undertake a series of bonus objectives known as Elite Challenges. These challenges task players with either finishing the heist finale within a restricted timeframe or accomplishing specific tasks throughout the mission.

If players successfully complete all Elite Challenges within a single heist, they unlock an additional bonus awarded to each player who participated in the finale where the Elite Challenge was completed. The bonus is $50,000 for The Fleeca Job and $100,000 for The Prison Break, The Humane Labs Raid, Series A Funding, and The Pacific Standard Job.

The following are the challenges:

• The Fleeca Job ($50,000 Bonus)
  • Complete in under 5:20
  • Vehicle damage under 6%
  • Nobody gets wasted
• The Prison Break ($100,000 Bonus)
  • Rashkovsky damaging 1% or less
  • Extraction in under 4:40
  • Nobody gets wasted
• The Humane Labs Raid ($100,000 Bonus)
  • Complete in under 11:00 minutes
  • Vehicle damage under 2%
  • Nobody gets wasted
• Series A Funding ($100,000 Bonus)
  • Complete in under 6:30 minutes
  • Kill 75 enemies
  • Nobody gets wasted
• The Pacific Standard Job ($100,000 Bonus)
  • Complete in under 10:15 Minutes
  • NOOSE not called
  • Nobody gets wasted

Final Thoughts on Heist Etiquette & Payouts

More important than anything in heists is proper etiquette towards your team mates. The host is putting up a lot of cash (setup costs) and time that could be lost if the heist fails or if someone quits. Therefore, crew members should understand why hosts typically take a larger percentage of the finale payout, especially if it aligns with guides like this one which aim for overall fairness across the entire heist (setups included). Complaining about getting what you feel is a low cut, if it conforms with these fairness principles, is generally discouraged.

Messing up an otherwise solid heist run on purpose is about as bad as hacking when looking at the online-asshole scale in GTA Online. These heists take time, skill and effort to complete. They're as much an investment as a way of gaining cash in-game.

At the time of their introduction and for a long period after, the original heists were among the best ways of acquiring money in GTA Online, rivaled only by well organised VIP/CEO/MC work — however those can turn into grind-fests pretty quick.

While newer heists and activities have since been added, mastering these original five is still a rite of passage and a solid income source, especially after the payout adjustments from "The Criminal Enterprises" update.

When you have a regular heist group set up, obviously this guide isn't the only way to go — you can discuss and agree on payout distributions among yourselves. However if you end up — which isn't as bad as many would like you to think if expectations are managed — ensuring the numbers check out for fairness can lead to a smoother experience.

The approach for fair distribution discussed here builds upon initial frameworks, such as the work by Steam user and GTA Online player Old Billy Riley.