How to Make Money in OSRS? What Are the Best Methods?

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a myriad of ways to earn in-game currency, known as GP. Whether you're a new player struggling to afford basic equipment or a seasoned veteran aiming for high-end gear, understanding efficient money-making methods is crucial for progression and enjoying the game's various features. The “best” method is highly subjective and depends heavily on your current skill levels, available resources, and risk tolerance. Some methods require high initial investment but offer significant returns, while others are accessible to virtually all players, albeit with lower GP/hour rates. Let's delve into some popular and effective strategies, categorized by skill requirements and general accessibility, to help you determine the most suitable approach for your specific circumstances.

For newcomers with limited skills and capital, focusing on accessible and relatively safe methods is paramount. Simple resource gathering is a solid starting point. Chopping trees, especially higher-tier logs like Yews and Magic logs (once you reach the required woodcutting levels), can provide a steady income stream. The price of logs fluctuates based on market demand, driven primarily by fletching and firemaking activities. Another option is fishing. Shrimp, anchovies, and other commonly caught fish can be sold on the Grand Exchange (GE). While the GP/hour rate isn't exceptionally high, it's a reliable way to accumulate initial capital and simultaneously train your fishing skill. Completing quests early on is also incredibly beneficial. Many quests offer significant GP rewards, experience boosts in various skills, and unlock access to new areas and resources. These initial quest rewards can provide a much-needed boost to your early-game economy. Training combat skills against commonly farmed monsters like cows or chickens provides minimal GP from drops alone. However, this approach has value in raising your combat level and gradually unlocking better monsters with superior drop tables.

As players progress and level up their skills, they can unlock more lucrative and often more complex money-making methods. At intermediate skill levels, crafting valuable items becomes a viable option. Making jewelry, such as gold amulets or rings, requires gold bars and molds. The price of these items is often higher than the raw materials due to the convenience and experience gains offered by the crafting process. Similarly, fletching various types of bolts and arrows can generate a good profit, especially when the demand is high due to increased PvP or PvM activity. Combat-related money-making opportunities also significantly improve. Killing monsters with valuable drops, such as green dragons or blue dragons, becomes a worthwhile endeavor. These dragons drop valuable bones, hides, and occasionally other rare items. However, these activities inherently involve a risk of death and require appropriate gear and combat skills. Another method worth exploring is tanning hides. Collecting cowhides, for example, and tanning them into leather offers a reasonable profit margin, especially when done in bulk. This method requires minimal skill investment but benefits from quick banking and efficient tanning runs.

For players with high-level skills and substantial resources, the most profitable, but also the riskiest, money-making methods become available. High-level slayer is a very popular and reliable way to accumulate wealth. Certain slayer monsters, particularly those encountered at higher combat levels and through superiors, drop valuable alchables (items that can be alchemized for a fixed GP value) and rare items. This method not only provides significant GP/hour but also simultaneously trains combat skills and slayer, making it highly efficient. High-level bossing, such as the Zulrah, Vorkath, and Raids, can generate substantial income. These bosses drop valuable unique items that can be sold for millions of GP. However, bossing requires a significant investment in gear, supplies, and a deep understanding of boss mechanics. The risk of death is also considerably higher than in other methods, potentially leading to significant losses if unprepared. High-level herblore can also be very profitable. Creating potions from raw materials requires significant investment in herbs and secondary ingredients. The market demand for potions is consistently high due to their usage in combat, skilling, and other activities. However, the profit margin can fluctuate based on the prices of ingredients and finished potions.

Beyond these conventional methods, there are other avenues to explore. Merching, which involves buying items low and selling them high on the Grand Exchange, can be highly profitable for players with a keen understanding of market trends. It requires capital and an ability to predict price fluctuations. However, it carries the risk of losing money if the market moves against your predictions. Flipping items, a more short-term version of merching, involves buying and selling items quickly to capitalize on small price differences. This requires constant monitoring of the Grand Exchange and quick reflexes. Lastly, utilizing the Runecrafting skill can be very profitable, particularly when crafting combination runes like astral runes and blood runes, but is often seen as tedious by most players.

Regardless of the chosen method, it's crucial to stay informed about market trends and price fluctuations. The Grand Exchange is the central hub for trading in OSRS, and its prices are constantly changing based on supply and demand. Utilizing online resources, such as price trackers and community forums, can help players make informed decisions about what items to buy, sell, or craft. Experimentation is key to finding the methods that best suit your skills, resources, and playstyle. Regularly evaluate your progress and adjust your strategy as needed to maximize your GP/hour. Keep track of your expenses, including supplies and potential repair costs, to accurately assess your profitability. Don't be afraid to try new things and diversify your income streams. Ultimately, the "best" money-making method in OSRS is the one that you enjoy and can consistently execute effectively.