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 latest 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
The host pays the setup cost and receives no setup-mission pay, so groups often give the host a larger finale percentage. The tables below remain suggested social splits, not official Rockstar compensation formulas.
Title Update 1.73 raised setup-mission pay and added a weekly first-run bonus. The exact setup payment varies by mission, difficulty, participation, and rounding, so the guide lists the payout multiplier for each heist.
Use GTABoom's Heist Earnings Calculator to choose the heist, difficulty, crew size, host cut, and whether this is your first run this week.
Original Heist Suggested Cuts
Cut | The Fleeca Job | Prison Break | The Humane Labs Raid | Series A Funding | The Pacific Standard Job |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Host | 55% | 35% | 40% | 40% | 35% (Avg Run) |
Crew | 45% | 20% (per member) | 20% (per member) | 20% (per member) | 20% (per member, Avg Run) |
Excess/Bonus | 0% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 5% (Avg Run) |
Suggested Normal-difficulty cuts that account for the host's setup cost. Use the calculator to try a different split.
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
Current payouts
- Repeat on Easy: GTA$100,625; Normal: GTA$201,250; Hard: GTA$251,563
- First completion after the weekly reset: GTA$150,938 on Easy; GTA$301,875 on Normal; GTA$377,344 on Hard
- Host setup cost: GTA$11,500
- Setup-mission payout after Title Update 1.73: 3× the previous amount
How the suggested host cut is calculated: On Easy, the GTA$11,500 setup cost is about 11.43% of the GTA$100,625 payout. The host also misses approximately GTA$6,555 in setup pay, or 6.51%. Together, those costs account for about 17.94% of the suggested 60% host cut, leaving approximately 42.06% as the host's base share.
Fleeca Job Suggested Cuts
% Cut | Easy | Normal | Hard |
|---|---|---|---|
Host | 60% | 55% | 55% |
Crew | 40% | 45% | 45% |
Excess | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Editorial cut recommendations by difficulty; they are not official Rockstar compensation formulas.
Current payouts
- Repeat on Easy: GTA$350,000; Normal: GTA$700,000; Hard: GTA$875,000
- First completion after the weekly reset: GTA$525,000 on Easy; GTA$1,050,000 on Normal; GTA$1,312,500 on Hard
- Host setup cost: GTA$25,000
- Setup-mission payout after Title Update 1.73: 1.5× the previous amount
How the suggested host cut is calculated: On Easy, the GTA$25,000 setup cost is about 7.14% of the GTA$350,000 payout. The three crew members receive approximately GTA$34,200 in combined setup pay, equal to another 9.77%. Together, those amounts account for about 16.91% of the suggested 40% host cut, leaving approximately 23.09% as the host's base share.
Prison Break Suggested Cuts
% Cut | Easy | Normal | Hard |
|---|---|---|---|
Host | 40% | 35% | 35% |
Crew (x3 members) | 20% | 20% | 20% |
Excess | 0% (40% host + 3 × 20% crew = 100%) | 5% (35% host + 3 × 20% crew = 95%) | 5% (35% host + 3 × 20% crew = 95%) |
Editorial cut recommendations by difficulty; they are not official Rockstar compensation formulas.
Current payouts
- Repeat on Easy: GTA$472,500; Normal: GTA$945,000; Hard: GTA$1,181,250
- First completion after the weekly reset: GTA$708,750 on Easy; GTA$1,417,500 on Normal; GTA$1,771,875 on Hard
- Host setup cost: GTA$25,000
- Setup-mission payout after Title Update 1.73: 1.2× the previous amount
How the suggested host cut is calculated: On Easy, the GTA$25,000 setup cost is about 5.29% of the GTA$472,500 payout. The three crew members receive approximately GTA$46,170 in combined setup pay, equal to another 9.77%. Together, those amounts account for about 15.06% of the suggested 40% host cut, leaving approximately 24.94% as the host's base share.
Humane Labs Suggested Cuts
% Cut | Easy | Normal | Hard |
|---|---|---|---|
Host | 40% | 40% | 40% |
Crew (x3 members) | 20% | 20% | 20% |
Excess | 0% (40% host + 3 × 20% crew = 100%) | 0% (40% host + 3 × 20% crew = 100%) | 0% (40% host + 3 × 20% crew = 100%) |
Editorial cut recommendations by difficulty; they are not official Rockstar compensation formulas.
Current payouts
- Repeat on Easy: GTA$353,500; Normal: GTA$707,000; Hard: GTA$883,750
- First completion after the weekly reset: GTA$530,250 on Easy; GTA$1,060,500 on Normal; GTA$1,325,625 on Hard
- Host setup cost: GTA$25,000
- Setup-mission payout after Title Update 1.73: 1.3× the previous amount
How the suggested host cut is calculated: On Easy, the GTA$25,000 setup cost is about 7.07% of the GTA$353,500 payout. The three crew members receive approximately GTA$34,542 in combined setup pay, equal to another 9.77%. Together, those amounts account for about 16.84% of the suggested 40% host cut, leaving approximately 23.16% as the host's base share.
Series A Suggested Cuts
% Cut | Easy | Normal | Hard |
|---|---|---|---|
Host | 40% | 40% | 40% |
Crew (x3 members) | 15% | 20% | 20% |
Excess | 15% (40% host + 3 × 15% crew = 85%) | 0% (40% host + 3 × 20% crew = 100%) | 0% (40% host + 3 × 20% crew = 100%) |
Editorial cut recommendations by difficulty; they are not official Rockstar compensation formulas.
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.
Current payouts
- Repeat on Easy: up to GTA$750,000; Normal: up to GTA$1,500,000; Hard: up to GTA$1,875,000
- First completion after the weekly reset: up to GTA$1,125,000 on Easy; GTA$2,250,000 on Normal; GTA$2,812,500 on Hard
- Host setup cost: GTA$25,000
- Setup-mission payout after Title Update 1.73: 1.2× the previous amount
Damage taken while carrying the money can reduce the final take.
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Pacific Standard Suggested Cuts
% Cut | Easy (100% — $750K) | Easy (70% — $525K) | Normal (Bad — $750K) | Normal (Avg — $1,050K) | Normal (Good — $1,200K) | Hard (70% — $1,312.5K) | Hard (100% — $1,875K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Host | 35% | 40% | 40% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 30% |
Crew (x3 members) | 20% | 20% | 15% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
Excess | 5% (35% host + 3 × 20% crew = 95%) | 0% (40% host + 3 × 20% crew = 100%) | 15% (40% host + 3 × 15% crew = 85%) | 5% (35% host + 3 × 20% crew = 95%) | 5% (35% host + 3 × 20% crew = 95%) | 5% (35% host + 3 × 20% crew = 95%) | 10% (30% host + 3 × 20% crew = 90%) |
Editorial cut recommendations by run quality; actual take falls when the money carrier takes damage.
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.