The best start in GTA 5 Online involves completing the tutorial, then focusing on contact missions and daily objectives to quickly earn money for initial property and vehicle investments.
Stepping into Los Santos can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re aiming to make your mark quickly. Figuring out the optimal path for your gta 5 online best start is key to a fun and successful experience. Many players get lost in the chaos and distractions, but a clear strategy will quickly propel you forward.
Don’t be discouraged by the early grind; it’s a necessary step. Prioritize activities that provide steady income. This early hustle paves the way for enjoying the more exciting aspects of the game.
GTA 5 Online Best Start: Your Guide to Riches and Fun
So, you’ve just jumped into the crazy world of GTA 5 Online? Awesome! It can feel a bit overwhelming at first, like being thrown into a huge party where everyone already knows the dance moves. But don’t worry, this guide is here to help you get your footing and start making your mark. We’ll walk through all the best ways to get rich quick, level up fast, and generally have a blast in Los Santos. Let’s go!
Choosing Your Character and First Steps
Before anything else, you get to create your character! This is your avatar in the game, so take some time to make them look cool. Don’t stress too much about it because you can change a lot of their appearance later on. Once you’re happy with your look, you will get dropped into Los Santos. This is where your journey really begins. The game starts you with a small amount of cash and a basic pistol. You won’t be a millionaire yet, but that’s okay. We’ll fix that!
What Should You do First?
The very first things you should focus on are getting to know the city and the game’s basic mechanics. Here’s a simple to-do list:
- Complete the Tutorial: Follow the game’s instructions. It will guide you through basic actions and introduce important characters.
- Meet Lamar: He’s one of your earliest contacts and gives you missions, which are a good source of cash and experience.
- Explore the City: Take some time to drive around and see what Los Santos has to offer. Familiarizing yourself with the map will help you later on.
- Visit Ammu-Nation: Buy some basic weapons, it’s better to be prepared.
- Customize Your Ride: Start with a cheap car and get it personalized at Los Santos Customs. This isn’t about making it super fast right away, but making it yours.
Early Money-Making Strategies
Money is king in GTA Online. It lets you buy cool cars, powerful weapons, and eventually own businesses. Here are some solid strategies for early cash flow:
Contact Missions
Lamar, Simeon, Gerald, and Martin all offer missions that are great for new players. They usually involve a bit of driving, some shooting, and usually pay a decent amount for beginners. These missions aren’t only for money, they also help you understand the basics of combat and driving. Completing these missions regularly can build a steady income and gain you valuable experience.
Races
Racing is another fun way to make money. There are lots of different kinds of races: land, air, and sea. If you don’t have a super-fast car right now that’s totally okay. There are races designed for slower cars. Focus on learning the race tracks and improving your driving skills. You will also gain experience that help you level up faster. As you place higher in races, you’ll earn more money and experience. Winning races also increases your Driving skill, so it’s a win-win.
Daily Objectives
Every day, the game gives you three daily objectives. These are usually quick and easy tasks like stealing a car, taking photos, or participating in a specific game mode. Completing all three objectives earns you a good chunk of cash and a lot of experience points. Make it a point to check your daily objectives every time you play and complete them, it’s an easy way to get extra money and experience.
Heists
While Heists are more of a mid to late game thing, it’s good to know about them from the beginning. The original Heists require a four player team. You can either invite friends or join with random players. These are a great way to earn lots of cash. However, to host a heist you need to own a high-end apartment. For new players, that’s a bit of a longer term goal, but always keep it in mind for future earnings. So, for now focus on the earlier mentioned activities.
Leveling Up Quickly
Leveling up is important because it opens up new opportunities and items in the game. Here’s how to gain experience faster:
Participate in Events
Rockstar Games often hosts special events with double or triple experience points for different activities, such as specific missions or races. Pay attention to the loading screens or the news section in the game to find out about these special events. Playing during these events can significantly speed up your leveling process, so when you see one, make sure you use it to your advantage.
Focus on Combat Skills
Your combat skills affect your overall effectiveness in the game. Start by practicing using all types of weapons. Work on your aim and accuracy. The more proficient you become, the easier missions and challenges become. Also, remember to use cover and practice shooting from cover, which helps in all combat situations. Headshots provide more experience points.
Complete Challenges
The game has many different challenges that you can complete for cash and experience. Check your challenges tab to see what tasks you can do. These tasks can be anything from driving a specific vehicle to a set distance, or killing a set number of enemies in a certain way. They keep the game interesting and reward you for doing different things.
Play with Friends
Playing with friends not only makes the game more fun, it can also make you level up quicker. You can split up tasks for missions and cover each other. Working together also makes the game easier. Plus, it’s more fun doing it together.
Essential Purchases
As you start making money and leveling up, you will begin needing to start making important purchases, here are the most essential ones to prioritize:
Weapons
Start by upgrading your basic pistol with an AP pistol at Ammu-Nation. It’s a useful weapon for close-range combat and many missions. After that, focus on a good assault rifle. As you rank up, you will gain access to even better weapons. Always try to keep your weapons stocked with ammo, because running out during a fight is not fun.
Cars and Bikes
Don’t rush into buying a super expensive car too early. Start with something cheap but reliable. The Elegy RH8 is a free car that’s pretty good, and you can keep it and modify it to make it better. This will also improve your driving skill and your ability to handle cars, which will be extremely helpful in missions. As you make more cash you can start investing in better, faster and more powerful vehicles.
Apartment or Property
Getting a property with a garage is vital. Not only does it give you a place to store your cars, it opens up more possibilities. For example, owning a high-end apartment allows you to host the original Heists. This will be the most important purchase as you begin to make more money. Starting with a basic apartment is usually cheaper and serves as a great starting point to grow your empire.
Body Armor
Body armor will be your best friend during combat situations. Always buy armor before starting any type of mission that involves combat. There are a variety of armor you can buy, choose the one that best suits your playing style and the mission you plan on doing. You will need armor almost all of the time so this purchase is an important one.
Avoid These Early Mistakes
There are a few pitfalls that new players should avoid. Knowing these from the start will save you time, money and frustration.
Don’t Spend All Your Money Right Away
It’s very tempting to go out and buy all the cool things when you have some cash, but don’t spend all of your money at once! It’s better to save for essential items like a good weapon, or a property, than buying a fancy car that you might not need right away. Also, avoid spending money on unnecessary customizations on early cars. Focus on saving your money towards the essential items.
Don’t Ignore Missions
Missions are the best way to earn money and level up quickly in the beginning. Don’t skip them just to drive around or explore. Completing missions opens up new possibilities and gives you a solid base to build on. Make sure that you complete all the available missions, to make the most out of your time.
Don’t Buy Expensive Things You Don’t Need
It’s tempting to buy the most expensive car or the fanciest clothes as soon as you have enough cash, but you will be far better off with buying the essential items. Save your money towards things like weapons, property and the best vehicles for racing and missions. Focus on building a strong foundation first before going on a spending spree.
Don’t Mess with High-Level Players
While it may be fun to go after higher-level players, it’s generally not a good idea in the early game. They are usually much better equipped and will easily defeat you. Focus on gaining some experience and leveling up, before you engage other players in open world gameplay. Remember, patience is the key to success in GTA Online.
Playing Smart and Staying Safe
The world of GTA Online can be dangerous. Here are some tips on playing smart and staying safe while getting started:
Use Passive Mode
If you are just trying to get around the map to do missions and get griefed by other players, switch to passive mode. It will make you invincible to other players and allow you to go about your missions without disturbance. Passive mode does have some limitations such as you cannot use weapons in passive mode or access vehicles that can be weaponized, but it’s a great option when you need to get from point A to point B.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Always pay attention to what’s happening around you in the game. Other players might attack you while you are on a mission. By being aware of your surroundings, you can avoid being attacked. Don’t just focus on the task at hand, make sure you are paying attention to what’s around you at all times.
Use Cover in Combat
Always use cover during a firefight. Duck behind walls, cars, and other objects to avoid taking damage. Don’t stand in the open where you can easily get shot. Learn to be comfortable moving between cover so that you are constantly safe from getting shot. Always try to have a back-up plan and an escape route.
Join a Crew
Joining a crew can be a game-changer. Crews offer the opportunity to play with other players and help with missions, sales, and heists. Crews provide support and make the game more fun. You will also find that playing with regular players increases your experience and chances of success. Find a crew that suits your play style and start earning rewards as a team.
Take Breaks
Remember, it’s a game! Sometimes, it’s good to take a break and come back later with a fresh mind. There’s a lot to do in GTA 5 Online, so don’t try to do everything at once. Just take your time, enjoy the process, and remember to have fun.
Starting out in GTA 5 Online might seem hard at first, but with the right strategy and some patience, you can quickly become a successful player. Focus on making money, leveling up, and getting the essential items. Enjoy the chaos of Los Santos and remember to have fun!
COMPLETE GTA Online Guide FOR Absolute BEGINNERS! (UPDATED 2024)
Final Thoughts
Focus on completing the tutorial, then prioritize the career builder path for a good boost. It’s key to select a business that suits your play style and goals.
Buying an apartment is important; it lets you do heists. Completing these will quickly generate money and rank. These steps set you up for ‘gta 5 online best start’.



